PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
The powerball is a handheld gyroscope (essentially a spinning weight). After setting the gyroscope in motion using a length of cord, the rate of spin of the gyroscope can be increased by rotating your wrist faster and in ever-decreasing circles. Very soon you will begin ... Read review
Here we have a brand new and boxed Powerball Pro 250Hz in Blue, this powerball comes ... more
fitted with the built in computer/counter, so you can score your performance. This Powerball also comes fitted with the newly released 'Screamer' rotor, which, as you might expect, makes a lot of noise as well as tiring out your arms..... The speed meter has 4 settings - Total revolutions during a session, Real time revolutions (real time speed), Highest RPM reached and the Physical Strength Index (Strength Test). The counter displays on the 250Hz models also have an auto power off function to save on battery life. The Powerball range is an extremely flexible exercise tool with which to build huge power in the arms, wrists and fingers. Its unique functionality makes it of particular benefit to enthusiasts of many different types of sport such as Golf, Tennis, Baseball, Boxing, Mountain Biking, Fencing, Climbing, Cycling, Martial Arts, Archery, Moto Cross, Shooting, Badminton, Hockey and all other activities demandingincreased power in the arms, hands and wrists. Using it for just 5 minutes each day will guarantee additional distance in the golf drive, greater power in the tennis serve and serious wallop in your cricket game, to detail just a few of its advantages to sport. Powerball generates resistance which is directly in proportion to the effort expended by the user' Which means that when used at lower speeds, it is also a very effective tool with which to help sooth and recuperate sore or damaged limbs, or help reduce the inflammation caused by Arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, RSI or Tendonitis. Powerball is totally non-impact. Best For : Strengthening, High Scores and being heard. Excellent for strength building and rehabilitation of wrist and forearm injuries.
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Here we have a brand new and boxed Powerball Pro 250Hz in Blue, this powerball comes ... more
fitted with the built in computer/counter, so you can score your performance. This Powerball also comes fitted with the newly released 'Screamer' rotor, which, as you might expect, makes a lot of noise as well as tiring out your arms..... The speed meter has 4 settings - Total revolutions during a session, Real time revolutions (real time speed), Highest RPM reached and the Physical Strength Index (Strength Test). The counter displays on the 250Hz models also have an auto power off function to save on battery life. The Powerball range is an extremely flexible exercise tool with which to build huge power in the arms, wrists and fingers. Its unique functionality makes it of particular benefit to enthusiasts of many different types of sport such as Golf, Tennis, Baseball, Boxing, Mountain Biking, Fencing, Climbing, Cycling, Martial Arts, Archery, Moto Cross, Shooting, Badminton, Hockey and all other activities demandingincreased power in the arms, hands and wrists. Using it for just 5 minutes each day will guarantee additional distance in the golf drive, greater power in the tennis serve and serious wallop in your cricket game, to detail just a few of its advantages to sport. Powerball generates resistance which is directly in proportion to the effort expended by the user' Which means that when used at lower speeds, it is also a very effective tool with which to help sooth and recuperate sore or damaged limbs, or help reduce the inflammation caused by Arthritis, Carpal Tunnel Syndrome, RSI or Tendonitis. Powerball is totally non-impact. Best For : Strengthening, High Scores and being heard. Excellent for strength building and rehabilitation of wrist and forearm injuries.
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Powerball is the world's most powerful hand gyroscope, generating speeds of over 16,000 ... more
rpm! Simply by starting up the Powerball in your hand and rotating your wrist faster you can develop incredible speeds and increase your strength. Powerball is seriously addictive for all ages, making it ideal for play, exercise, or fun competitions. Powerball is a dynamic and completely revolutionary new gyroscope that literally explodes with mind-numbing torque and inertia once you activate its internal rotor. It's about the same size as a tennis ball and weighs just a little more, but take a Powerball in your hand, set that rotor in motion with the cord provided (or use your finger when you get used to it) and you'll experience an extraordinary sensation. Powerball slowly comes alive with gyroscopic force - a sublime yet pleasant resistance to your movement which is transmitted directly into your wrist and arms and which provides soothing, non impact rehabilitation at these lower speeds. Bring your new Powerball up to10,000rpm, the forces are now much stronger, much more vibrant. Higher! Take it right up to an unbelievable 15,000rpm at which point it's exerting almost 40lbs of pressure on your limbs and is travelling at nearly 250 revolutions per second. No batteries, no motor, just pure gyroscopic power Not suitable for Children Under 14yrs
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Advantages: A good workout for the forearms, and addictive too. Disadvantages: Sometimes tricky to get started.
PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
The powerball is a handheld gyroscope (essentially a spinning weight). After setting the gyroscope in motion using a length of cord, the rate of spin of the gyroscope can be increased by rotating your wrist faster and in ever-decreasing circles. Very soon you will begin to feel feedback from the powerball and more and more effort will be required to spin the ball faster.
WHO SHOULD BUY THIS PRODUCT? ...is - see later) a great workout for your wrist, forearms, biceps and helps strengthen grip. As such, it is designed for those who play a lot of raquet sports (tennis, badminton, squash...) as well as golfers, rock climbers and so on. Furthermore, it is also meant to help those with RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) to their hands and arms. Indeed, my first introduction to the powerball was through a friend who was a competition rock-climber with scar ... more
PRODUCT OVERVIEW:
The powerball is a handheld gyroscope (essentially a spinning weight). After setting the gyroscope in motion using a length of cord, the rate of spin of the gyroscope can be increased by rotating your wrist faster and in ever-decreasing circles. Very soon you will begin to feel feedback from the powerball and more and more effort will be required to spin the ball faster.
WHO SHOULD BUY THIS PRODUCT?
The powerball is meant to be (and is - see later) a great workout for your wrist, forearms, biceps and helps strengthen grip. As such, it is designed for those who play a lot of raquet sports (tennis, badminton, squash...) as well as golfers, rock climbers and so on. Furthermore, it is also meant to help those with RSI (Repetitive Strain Injury) to their hands and arms. Indeed, my first introduction to the powerball was through a friend who was a competition rock-climber with scar tissue on his finger ligaments and was using the powerball to rehabilitate himself. I soon had my own as I play a lot of racquet sports.
HOW DOES IT WORK, AND DOES IT WORK?
There are a few variants on the powerball (see POWERBALL MODELS), but in its most basic form you get a small, neatly presented box which contains the handheld powerball, and two lengths of cord with a small plastic tip at each end, as well as a set of instructions on how to start and spin-up the powerball. To start the powerball spinning, you insert one of the plastic tips of the cord into a small hole located on the rotating ball (often yellow) within the powerball itself. You then wrap the cord around by spinning the ball with your thumb. Once you wrapped the cord around, a quick tug on the cord will set the ball spinning.
As soon as the ball is spinning, the powerball should be held with the moving parts held away from the palm of the hand (SAFETY: the rotor can reach over 15,000 revolutions per minute, and may cause burns if you hold it the wrong way - though in 3 years this has never happened to me). To begin with, fairly slow, longish circles with your wrist (about 1 circle a second) are needed to keep the powerball spinning. If you hear a knocking noise then the chances are you are trying to 'spin' the powerball too fast, slow your movements down. I found that this is the most difficult part of using the powerball. Despite having used one for over 3 years, I still sometimes need 2 or 3 goes to get the powerball up to speed. Furthermore, on one occasion I have seen the plastic tip on the starter cord break, which makes starting it more difficult. Fortunately both ends of the cord have a plastic tip, and a spare cord is included anyway. I, as yet, have not needed to re-order any parts for my powerball.
Once the powerball is up and running, you can increase the spin rate of the gyroscope by smoothly rotating your wrist faster and in ever-smaller circles. As the speed builds up, the gyroscope starts to put pressure back on your hand and arm, working your muscles in those regions. At the highest spin rates, the manufacturers quote that 40lbs of pressure are exerted on your wrist and arm. Certainly, if you push yourself to the limit, the force exerted on your forearm is quite intense and I do always feel that I have had a good workout in that area!
One thing I certainly recommend is to purchase one of the powerball models that include an electronic rpm counter. This device has an electronic display and sits on the top of the powerball and has a variety of functions. These include;
Highest RPM - This records the highest number of revolutions per minute you achieved on a 'run'. If you happen to beat your top score, then it automatically saves this.
Real time RPM - This shows the number of RPM you are currently achieving.
Total accumulated revolutions - This counts the total number of revolutions during any 'run'
Strength Index - This counts how many revolutions you manage over either a 30, 60 or 90 second run.
The elctronic counter automatically powers off a little time after the rotor has stopped. My first powerball did not come with the counter, and I found it very difficult to see how well I was doing. Although you can buy the counter separately and add it later, it is worthwhile just investing in a model with one inbuilt in the first place. I also found that some of the functions such as the Real time RPM were a little bit useless. The counter is located on the side of the powerball that you have clasped in your hand - so to look at the counter means to stop spinning it and move it out of your hand, by which time the number of RPMs has decreased! Given that there really isn't anywhere else on the powerball to locate the counter, the manufacturers couldn't really help this.
POWERBALL MODELS: (Prices as of 07/01/2007)
Powerball 250 Hz Regular (RRP ~£16.99): Comes in various colours, but does not include an RPM counter.
Powerball 250 Hz Pro (RRP ~£24.99): As above, but includes an RPM counter.
Powerball 250 Hz Pro S (RRP ~£24.99): Just the same as the Pro model, but with a set of holes drilled in it to make it sound nicer!
Powerball Neon Pro (RRP ~£26.99): This is the same as the Pro model, but with Neon lights that flash as the powerball spins up.
Powerball Neon Regular (RRP ~£19.99): Has the Neon lights, but NOT the RPM counter.
Powerball Signature Series (RRP ~£29.99): Limited edition white/sapphire powerball, with rpm counter and LED lights. It also has a mini DVD which shows (briefly) different types of exercises, world record attempts, etc. Also includes a wrist strap, which is not entirely neccessary.
Powerball Techno (RRP ~£26.99): I've never used one, but apparently the score is not read out on an electronic counter, but scrolls across the rotor. It might circumvent the short comings of the electronic display I mentioned...
Powerball 350 Hz Pro - Metal (RRP ~£69.99): Presumably the big daddy of powerballs!
I've found that there are a few reputable powerball traders on ebay who will often undercut the RRP price by 5 to 10 pounds (depending on model). As always, usual sense when buying from ebay should be applied.
PRODUCT QUALITY:
Given the high rotation rates generated, the powerball seems amazingly robust and the rotor motion remains smooth. In order to maintain the performance, it's advised not to let go of the powerball whilst it is spinning, or drop it. I haven't had any problems, and I suspect I never will.
TIPS:
Apart from the DVD included with the Powerball Signature Series, there are no instructions (on the other powerball models I have used at least) on different types of exercises. If you want to strengthen your fingers and wrist, instead of holding the powerball in the palm of your hand, grip the rubber grips with the tips of your fingers. Upper forearm, grip the powerball as usual, hold it slightly in front of you and rotate it clockwise. Lower forearm, as for the upper forearm but rotate anti-clockwise. Pectorals, hold the powerball below your waist.CONCLUSION:
Despite it sometimes being a little tricky to start, and requiring a little bit of patience and practice if you are new to it, the powerball is a unique way to build strength in your forearms in particular. I've always found this muscle group difficult to exercise, but the powerball is superb for this purpose. It is also quite addictive, I've even seen it cracked out at a few parties (I have some fun friends). I definately recommend this product, but would advise that you make sure you get a model which includes an electronic rpm counter. That way you can keep track of your top scores and you get a much better sense of progress and achievement.
Advantages: Fun, Great exercise, Addictive! Disadvantages: Takes a while to get used to.
What is it?
The NSD Powerball is a mix between a gadget and an exercise instrument. While being designed as a way to work out your muscles in your arm and wrist it is also extremely addictive and entertaining to use. There are many different models of the NSD Powerball which I will go into later, each having different looks and feels to them.
How does it work?
The user starts the ball with a thin piece of string which inserts into a small hole ... ...The different models
The NSD Powerball comes in an array of different model versions depending on you budget and the look or performance you want from it. As I have only tried the NSD Powerball Techno I have used some the information and features of the other models (shown below) from the official NSD Powerball website.
250HZ NSD Powerball (Regular RRP ~£16.99 - Pro RRP ~£24.99) - Available in either Amber/Orange or Blue, the 250Hz NSD Powerball ...
nick_2006 08.08.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of NSD Powerball
Advantages: Addictive, strengths wrist, excellent returns policy Disadvantages: Some find it tricky to master, you'll never put it down!
I first saw one of these 4 or 5 years ago and once I mastered the technique did not put it down until my friend insisted he had it back. At the time I said I'd buy one but never got round to it. A few weeks ago the same happened again, used a friends and could not put it down. This time though instead of just talking about it I actually bought one! I decided to get a slightly more unusual one, a powerball signature series, it cost me £22 from Amazon ... ...of you who don't know the powerball is basically just a gyroscope, which by moving your hand in the correct manner will speed up exerting a force on your wrist, this force increases the faster you spin it. When spinning at it's highest RPMs (15k+ rpm) it can exert a force of about 20kg on your hand and arm. Due to this relatively large force it can be used for muscle toning and strength building, or if used at lower speeds for rehabilitation after ...
Massey42 10.02.2008
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of NSD Powerball
Advantages: fun, adictive, fairly priced, health effects Disadvantages: care for the ball, can't drop it, can be hard to grip and start
The NSD powerball Background
The original NSD powerball is believed to have been designed for weightless workouts in space by NASA, however I can’t verify if this is true.
Although I do know it works and it works well, it is designed for exercise, therapy and sport and can be quit addictive.
The powerball strengthens fingers and hands through the grip of the ball the wrist, forearm biceps and triceps.
The finely tuned gyroscope within the ... ...used for repetition or therapy at moderate speeds.
Therefore this ball is unique in its durability, and effects, its is also proposed and I can see why that people in certain careers such as sports like tennis badminton cricket etc plus musicians using guitars and drums would find the benefits astounding.
Where to buy and prices
The powerball is a relatively new craze and hasn’t lifted off as yet but I’m sure it will, prices range ...
dingoo 16.02.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of NSD Powerball
Advantages: it's fun, good muscle training, very addictive Disadvantages: sometimes noisy, sensitive insides
I've got the NSD Powerball 250 Hz about a year ago and it's been one of the best toys I've ever had!
You can buy them online or in any bigger sports or toyshop, they come in several variants, there are two major competitors - Powerball The Original and NSD Powerball, my review is about the latter.
-Construction-
Powerball is a ballanced wheel (a gyroscope) consisting of 2 main parts - inner ball that rotates around its axis which is set in a hollow ... ...a tight-fit rubber band with NSD Powerbal logo on it. The inner ball has a groove into which a cord's inserted, wrapped around the ball and by pulling it loose quickly you get the ball moving. It's possible and also recommended to open your powerball, to check how it's made and also to clean it once in a while. I had hard time opening it because that needs really strong arms as you're supposed to press on its sides until they fall apart, or you can ...
jeaniecz 13.03.2008 (19.02.2008)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of NSD Powerball
Advantages: small, practical, the neon version lights are cool Disadvantages: hard to get started, only works one part of the body
The powerball has been around for at least 3 years, but it has only been in the last year or so that it has began to become a household item, with many people using it as a convienent workout at home, or in the office. It has been credited as the worlds most powerful gyro, but the powerball company has kindly released several types of powerball, the original (as pictured) the 'neon' series and the ultimate series which appears to be metallic... I ... ...They all retail between £10 and £20 and are designed to work the entire arm. The exercise is carried out by pulling out the red string that is wrapped around the internal gyro, in a whip type motion, so that the gyro gets off to a set speed. On the neon versions it is clear to see when the gyro has enough momentum to begin powerballing as the internal lights power themselves on the kinetic energy of the gyro. Then your off! You grip the powerball ...
theskysthelimit 17.03.2007
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of NSD Powerball
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Advantages: Helps aid in recovery of hand strength/wrist mobility, fun, addictive. Disadvantages: Difficult to put down.
The NSD Amber Pro Screamer Powerball is indeed a great fun item when competing against your friends in a test of power and stamina, but don't let this fool you into thinking that that is its only application.
A few months ago, I damaged my wrist in several places after a nasty accident and during the time it took to recover, I had lost a great deal of strength and mobility in my hand and wrist. It was a great worry to me considering my job as a tree surgeon and my reliance on my hands to earn money.
But I began to see a physio who then recommended a very basic gyroscopic ball to aid me in my recovery and it did the job to some degree, but didn't seem to help me after a certain stage of progression.
Then I came across the Pro Screamer after researching on the internet and bought it for just £10. But since using it, and having ...
Advantages: Cheap, addictive and actually works Disadvantages: Can break easily if dropped and is loud when spun quickly
This was the first powerball i purchased and i found it to be very good. i was a little sceptical about it but after a few days of using the product for about an hour a day, a little bit at a time, the product did what it said on the tin and improved strength in both arms. This gave more definition to both arms and improved my squash playing, climbing and guitar playing.
Overall i have found this product to be very good and oddly addictive.
One thing i would say is to buy a pro powerball with has the rpm counter incorporated as this adds an extra bit of fun to the product and can also help you in tracking progress.
The only problems i encountered was that after a while it started to squeak when i was spinning it at low speeds, but this went away after i sped it up a bit.
One last comment, when spun quickly the powerball can become ...
