# Powerball training



## Erik (Jan 23, 2008)

Maybe this gadget/training device I just got can help cubers? It's a powerball, it's a cool thing and it really trains your wrists (like I experience now, ouch! xD) and is good to prevent RSI, carpal tunnel etc. designed for astronauts in the first place I think. After the first day I got a best score of 94xx rpm anyone else have experience with it?


----------



## Dene (Jan 23, 2008)

Hmm, I remember that thing, a guy I know has one. I can't remember how fast I got it, I think quite a bit more than that though  .
This guy is really good.


----------



## alexc (Jan 23, 2008)

What exactly is it? It can prevent carpal tunnel and other wrist injuries? I've actually kind of been worried about hurting my wrists from cubing lately. I don't want to slow down on practicing, but I don't really want to hurt myself either. I've also heard that taping your wrists while cubing can also help prevent injury.


----------



## Dene (Jan 23, 2008)

Well it's a ball with another ball inside, kind of. I can't remember how it works, but basically, you spin your wrist, and the ball inside spins like crazy, and builds up a massive torque. If you watch the video I posted above, you can get an idea of how powerful that little ball is. It will really help the endurance and strength of your wrists.


----------



## Erik (Jan 23, 2008)

yah it's like a spinning wheel in a ball in a wheel and as you know if you change the direction of that you it resits as it wants to remain turning in the same direction, this energy goes to the spinning within the spinning so that if you twist it right (takes practise) it speeds up but takes more and more power to move which trains your arm and wrist


----------



## Harris Chan (Jan 23, 2008)

Let's hope we don't get too strong that we start POPing the cubes from those powerful wrist+arms


----------



## ShadenSmith (Jan 23, 2008)

Dene said:


> Hmm, I remember that thing, a guy I know has one. I can't remember how fast I got it, I think quite a bit more than that though  .
> This guy is really good.




That guy's face made me giggle endlessly.


----------



## Pedro (Jan 23, 2008)

didn't get how it works...

you shake it and it turns fast...then you have to stop it with your other hand

something like that?


----------



## Dene (Jan 24, 2008)

Nope, the energy you put into it with your wrist spinning keeps it spinning, to stop it, you just stop spinning and it will eventually stop itself, the problem is that it shakes like crazy, if you let it go it will probably fly off and break something  .


----------



## Lt-UnReaL (Jan 24, 2008)

He has a faster one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5GNG5JoUIGc


----------



## Stefan (Jan 24, 2008)

Dene said:


> if you let it go it will probably fly off and break something


It'll only fly off in the direction you throw it, though. It doesn't go in any direction by itself. If not held firmly, it simply shakes in-place.


----------



## Unscarred1925 (Jan 24, 2008)

wow! me and my friend have used this before just before a competition last year. guess what, our wrists were stressed out. maybe its a bad idea to use it before a competition specially if its your first to use this.


----------



## Erik (Jan 24, 2008)

It's more as training device than to warm up 2 days before competition


----------



## Henrik (Jan 24, 2008)

I have one and My record is 11865 rpm 
Ive had it since EC 06 and I bought it in Amsterdam airport.
It is great to train with but I dont do it right befor I want to cube because then my fingers feel funny.
It can really get ones arm warm.
Henrik


----------



## Tomarse (Jan 24, 2008)

yeah my mate has one


----------



## DanHarris (Jan 24, 2008)

Hi Erik,

I have been training with a powerball since Christmas. My best so far is 11330 rpm, and i am consistently over 11000. I have already noticed a big improvement in my finger strength and general arm strength since using it, which is definitely helping me to handle the 5x5x5 better!

It is a great training aid, as well as being a lot of fun!

Speak soon,
DanH


----------



## Erik (Jan 24, 2008)

oooh I like that 
today one of the guys in my class got 10008 after a few tries! You still pwn him


----------



## Dene (Jan 24, 2008)

Hmm, I'll have to get the guy I know that has one to bring it down when he comes!


----------



## Dyste (Jan 25, 2008)

Well, I've only known people to use it to improve strength for badminton and tennis. I might give it a try if it'll improve both my badminton and cubing "game".


----------



## TimMc (Feb 14, 2008)

I tiled 14 square meters a few days ago! I had to remove the paving paint with an angle grinder first, then sweep away a lot of dust from the cement, then apply the adhesive, then lay down the tiles, and then apply grout. If you've bothered to do that before then you'd know you've put your wrists through a bit of strain.

But I just received my NSD Power Ball 250Hz Gyroscope in the mail today. And I've managed to attain a rate of 10,024 rpm thus far! ...I thought that was quite impressive after the first 5 minutes of wanking around with no success in getting it to rotate until I read the instructions 

Tim.


----------

