| Powerball is a new, addictive, multi-facetted device | | | | the powerball with a circular wrist motion in either |
| that is spreading across the world and it may just | | | | a clockwise or anticlockwise manner, it's works in |
| end up rivalling the Rubik cube! It's a handheld | | | | both directions. As you gently build up the speed, |
| device that can be used in a fitness, sports, | | | | measured in revolutions per minute (rpm) the |
| rehabilitation or fun manner. It can be used by | | | | greater the torsion and dynamic forces acting |
| anyone from young children to old aged | | | | upon your wrist, lower and upper arm muscles, |
| pensioners due to it's dynamic, non-impact nature. | | | | depending on the arm orientation and direction of |
| This article will explore what Powerball is and how | | | | spin. With practice, speeds in access of 15,000 |
| it does it's magic. | | | | rpm's can be generated. |
| Powerball is a handheld gyroscope device that is | | | | There are a number of different uses for the |
| roughly the same size as a Baseball or Tennis Ball, | | | | powerball that result in effective non impact |
| being 7cm in diameter and weighing about 0.26 kg. | | | | exercise and it can be used by anyone with hands |
| The "ball" consists of a plastic outer casing, often | | | | big enough to grip it. Due to the dynamic nature |
| with a rubber grip around the centre. Inside there | | | | of the device, the force achieved from the |
| is a finely engineered and precision crafted gyro | | | | device is only ever as much as the person using |
| with a rotor that spins rapidly once the device has | | | | it. Therefore the device is useful for increasing |
| been started either by a rip cord or electronic | | | | finger, hand, wrist and arm strength as well as |
| starter. This all sounds very high tech, but it is a | | | | increasing blood flow and ligament strength. This |
| very clever piece of applied science using the | | | | means the powerball can be used in a rehabilitation |
| theory behind gyroscopes and the principle of | | | | manner for arm and wrist injuries or to help with |
| precession. | | | | Repetitive Strain Injuries. It can used in a fitness |
| The basic theory centres around how gyroscopes | | | | way to build muscle or for exercise and in a |
| act on the environment around them. Once a | | | | sports manner to build strength for certain sports, |
| gyroscope has started, then it asserts a | | | | such as golf, tennis, baseball or any sport that |
| centrifugal force and inertia on objects in contact | | | | demands powerful grip and strong arms. You can |
| with it. When the gyro is spinning, a tipping action | | | | even use it for fun, having competitions between |
| will cause it to precess and move in a circular | | | | friends, family or work mates to see who can |
| fashion. The inside of the device is grooved near | | | | get the highest score. |
| the axle, so with an externally applied force, the | | | | As you can probably tell by now the Powerball is |
| axle will push against the rim. The gyroscope will | | | | a dynamic handheld device. They have many |
| respond with a rolling action and the speed of the | | | | benefits for the hands, wrists and arms being able |
| rotation will increase. You use your wrist in a | | | | to increase muscle strength and definition. They |
| circular motion to generate the force to | | | | can be used as rehabilitation devices and help with |
| continually increase the speed, which in turn acts | | | | repetitive strain injury for the young to the old. |
| with a greater resistive force against your body. | | | | Powerball's are rapidly gaining a reputation as being |
| The Powerball (or hand held gyroscope) is a truly | | | | fun, multi facetted exercise device that can be |
| dynamic object, there are no batteries and no | | | | used by people from any walk of life and in a |
| electricity used, unless you have a model with a | | | | multitude of situations. |
| rpm counter. Using the theory above, you rotate | | | | |