View Full Version : Powerballs - Any good?
I have weak little girlie wrists and find it hard to do full planks. I also find that once I increase my weights on the chest press or tricep pullover over a certain weight, it kills my wrists. My form is correct, they're just weedy. I also had RSI about 18 months ago, which probably didn't help.
I was thinking about getting a Powerball to increase wrist strength and have noticed they're less than a tenner on Amazon at the moment.
Does anyone know if they're any good for this sort of thing? There seem to be a lot of different varieties. What are they all for????
My Dad used to use one to improve his wrist strength after damage from arthritis. Helped him a bit :) Bit difficult to say if it improved his wrist strength as in his case, it more slowed the damage but he certainly felt it helped him. :)
Bought it a few years back and iirc the only types then were regular ones and ones with counters in them but they cost a lot more than £10 back then!
I find wandering round a shop carrying piles of DVDs resting on one hand helps my wrist strength a treat but probably not very easily accessible for you ;D
I've got 2 of them and could never get either of the buggers started (well, that's not strictly true but it usually takes about 20 attempts). I'm sure it's lack of technique but I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I gave up in the end. :'(
leowyatt
05-01-2009, 22:19
I have one :D but haven't used it in a while good fun though :)
Matblack
05-01-2009, 22:27
I have one :D but haven't used it in a while good fun though :)
Been strengthening your wrists in different ways I suspect
MB
leowyatt
05-01-2009, 22:36
lol just dug mine out off the bookcase. It's blue and my record was 11010 before I just erased it pressing the on button too many times :(
leowyatt
05-01-2009, 22:43
This (http://www.powerballs.com/videoviewer.php?vid=2-1) dude is just insane :shocked:
LeperousDust
05-01-2009, 22:45
I've used my bro's its fun and quirky i can't see how its all that great for wrists though personally myself...? Mark were you trying to start it with the shoelace? It's possible to start without but much easier if you just use the shoelace :)
leowyatt
05-01-2009, 22:46
I've tried flicking it with my thumb but that just doesn't work as well as with the lace.
Used the lace. I found more often than not it got caught on the way out and stalled the damn thing.
LeperousDust
05-01-2009, 23:39
Just wrap it up more carefully, defo works fine as long as its put in right :)
Starting it with your thumb looks much cooler and is much easier and quicker when you get used to it.
NokkonWud
06-01-2009, 00:00
Just wrap it up more carefully, defo works fine as long as its put in right :)
lol, that's made me laugh ;D
AboveTheSalt
06-01-2009, 00:02
I know a rower who bought one to strengthen his wrists - he eventually settled on something which I think was called a Grip-Stick.
LeperousDust
06-01-2009, 00:56
lol, that's made me laugh ;D
;D ;D Didn't quite come out as expected i guess, genius though...
To increase wrist strength I doubt they'll do much, though they migh do enough to the small tendons to give a bit more endurance. Things like static holds (i.e. just hanging from your arms on a branch or pull up bar) for as long as you can will do more for wrist and grip strength. If you can old your bodyweight for a minute, then try adding weight around your waist or holding it between your leg. Do this 3/4 times a day. I can now hold my bodyweight+60kg for easily over a minute now - I'm sure I could probably hold 100kg if I had to - but I like to build it up slowly. :)
Anothing thing for wrist strength is plate holds.. i.e. holding weights plates between your thumb and fingers one in each hand by your side as long as you can (aim for 30s). The first few months it doesnt' feel like you're doing much, but your grip and wrist strength will increase a surprising amount.
The powerball can't really do you much harm though.
They helped improve my grip and seemed to strengthen my lower arm muscles (don't know what they're called!)
My wrists are weeeeeeeeeny as well (I think we were comparing them at NYE actually and realised we're quite similar!)! If I recall rightly, when using power balls my wrists hurtsys after a while!
I think it would help a lot for what you're looking for! Is there anyone nearby who has one who can lend you one for a week to see what you reckon? I would have brought ours up at NYE had I known! Doh!
Though saying that... I don't know where ours is!
I lost our string for ours ages ago I think... can start it up with a thumb flick followed by a whip of the wrist alright though :) Mark - if you try it and don't give up at the initial stall (mine would splutter a couple of times before getting going) it may work :)
To increase wrist strength I doubt they'll do much, though they migh do enough to the small tendons to give a bit more endurance. Things like static holds (i.e. just hanging from your arms on a branch or pull up bar) for as long as you can will do more for wrist and grip strength. If you can old your bodyweight for a minute, then try adding weight around your waist or holding it between your leg. Do this 3/4 times a day. I can now hold my bodyweight+60kg for easily over a minute now - I'm sure I could probably hold 100kg if I had to - but I like to build it up slowly. :)
Anothing thing for wrist strength is plate holds.. i.e. holding weights plates between your thumb and fingers one in each hand by your side as long as you can (aim for 30s). The first few months it doesnt' feel like you're doing much, but your grip and wrist strength will increase a surprising amount.
The powerball can't really do you much harm though.
Piano is fantastic for strengthening hands, wrists and forearms :)
I did use a powerball when I was working away - just to keep my playing strength and I *think* it was pretty effective.
I used one when I was playing tennis a lot and also when I broke my wrist. Its great for improving forearm strength and I do think it helped my wrist. I also had problems with both wrists where I couldnt flex them back to do press-ups etc without massive pain and it helped that too.
I start it on my leg, just whoosh it down. Id like one with a counter though.
Get on a climbing wall, my lower arm muscles (I don't know what they're called either) can actually be seen now.
I was really crap at starting it - once it was spinning using the cord, I couldn't then get the momentum up to enough speed to maintain it. Everybody else I knew picked it up in no time but I can now (eventually) start it by flicking the wheel with my thumb.
I've got it well past 11,000 rpm but my problem is that my hands are very large (spades) and holding it flat in my palm is impossible as my fingers wrap all the way around and touch the ball (hurts when it catches). I end up having to use just three fingers and my thumb to hold it. It's really irritating as I'm sure I could to much better if it was perhaps a third larger than it is (oo-er).
They are excellent - I love mine!
Just try not to get hung up on how fast to spin it, and try breaking any records.
*thread revival*
A dynaflex powerball has been recommended to me on a different forum, did you get one in the end Kate? Did it help?
I've got weedy wrists for a bloke. Best thing for it is some physical work, it's sitting in front of computers that weakens them. Hand tools, bit of gardening, spanner the car etc.
I think they stress the forearm more than the wrist because it's actually only a small movement in the wrist, it's more so the resistance against the gyroscope done by the arm that causes the pressure. We've got one here and everytime we've had competitions using it, it's been my forearms that ached the next day.
I think you can lift weights using just your wrists (small weights obviously) to strengthen them, other than that I don't know what exercises would do it.
I think they stress the forearm more than the wrist because it's actually only a small movement in the wrist, it's more so the resistance against the gyroscope done by the arm that causes the pressure. We've got one here and everytime we've had competitions using it, it's been my forearms that ached the next day.
If you're being daft then yes it only uses the forearms. You're meant to do it a lot slower, in a wider arc and for a longer period of time to work the wrist.
You have to do it fast to get a high RPM though. ;D
Not if you want to repair damaged wrists.
I have pretty weak wrists and rsi but as well as strengthening them, I am also looking to improve arm strength - the idea of the powerball is its something extra I can do at work/in front of the tv
They might annoy people at work as they can make a hell of a noise when you get em up to speed!
They might annoy people at work as they can make a hell of a noise when you get em up to speed!
You girls whine more than the powerball does :p
You girls whine more than the powerball does :p
Sorry, all I heard was 'Waahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Girls wahhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh.'
You shouldn't have been whining so loud then :p :D
:shocked:
Still can't start mine. I'm obviously doing something wrong with the starting cord (actually broke one), but I just don't know what. :(
I love mine. I get a bit manic with it however.
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