Have you got the (Strength) Balls? (Science Museum Strength Ball)

Member Name: k-bizzle

Product:	Science Museum Strength Ball
Date:	03/08/09 (97 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Strengthens muscles, fun to use.

Disadvantages: Expensive, hard to get the hang of, uncomfortable to hold.

Strength ball!

The Science Museum Strength Ball is a gyroscopic device used to strengthen the arm, wrist and hand muscles. It can be bought online, or from stores such as Argos and John Lewis. It retails at around £15.

It is a translucent, blue device, about the size of a cricket ball, with a yellow gyroscope inside. On the top of the device is an LCD display, which, whilst in use, displays the RPM. I have dropped it a few times during use, and it has not been damaged, so it is quite durable (even the screen).

You operate the Strength Ball by inserting one of the red cords included into a small hole in the gyroscope, and rotating the gyroscope to wind it around it. You then pull the red cord, getting the gyroscope spinning. Then you have to hold the ball in your hand, and rotate your wrist to keep it in motion. As you rotate your wrist, the RPM increases and it gets harder and harder to control, making you rotate your wrist faster and faster. You can feel all the muscles in your wrist and arm having to work hard, so you know the strength ball must be doing some good!

The Science Museum Strength Ball is very good for strengthening the wrist to aid you in sports, e.g. boxing and cricket, or to play an instrument (for example, the guitar or drums). It is also good for medical reasons, such as strengthening the wrist after a breakage.

However, the instructions aren't very clear on how you are meant to hold the Strength Ball, leaving it mostly to guess work and can make it very hard to get the hang of! It seems, with the Strength Ball, you've either got the knack, or you haven't!

The ball is very noisy whilst in use, so you can't really use it while watching TV or listening to music.

After a while of using the strength ball, it can get very uncomfortable as the shape of the LCD screen and the buttons make it unsmooth and stick into your palm, which I have known to cause nasty blisters - you can't use the strength ball for long periods at a time. You also have to be careful not to touch the yellow gyroscope during operation as it is moving very fast and will remove your skin!

I believe the Strength Ball to be a good bit of equipment, but pricey for what it is. I also question the extent to which it strengthens muscles, considering you can't use it for long periods of time. However it is fun to use, even with friends as you can compete to get the highest RPM.

I haven't used a "Powerball", but I understand the concept to be the same (but more expensive!). However, it may be worth spending the extra if the Powerball is more comfortable to hold, as you could use it longer and see more results.

Summary: A good bit of kit for those who only want to use it for a few minutes each day.