Power Ball to toughen muscles??

DeclanG · #1 03-29-2011, 03:25 PM

Hey all,
Just wondering if anyone has tried using one of these to strengthen their wrist muscles? Example HERE but im sure most people know what they are already. Tempted to get one and see if it makes any difference but has anyone tried it before and any results?

Cheers,

Dec

Sbociol · #2 03-29-2011, 03:50 PM

There are no muscles in the wrist

if anything,that's useful to strengthen the muscles in your lower arm.

puddin tame · #3 03-29-2011, 03:55 PM

the best thing you can do to improve your bass playing endurance is to play bass

DeclanG · #4 03-29-2011, 03:59 PM

Oi smartarse! Thats what i meant hehe. Easier to type wrist and im very lazy

Muscles in the arm for me do tend to get tired on the right (picking hand, im a righty) so wondering if they could help strengthen them up.

DeclanG · #5 03-29-2011, 04:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddin tame

the best thing you can do to improve your bass playing endurance is to play bass

True but in between times im thinking it might help also.

Russell L · #6 03-30-2011, 05:52 PM

I'm thinking that the action required to play bass is different from that which is required to squeez a ball. Is it possible for the two to conflict? Perhaps some elements will be improved, but perhaps others could be overdone. I don't really know, but for me I've always found that the best thing is to play bass, as stated above. That is the purest excercise for playing I can think of. And it is dead specific.

But, I'd say give it a try for awhile and see what you get. Let us know.

elgecko · #7 03-30-2011, 06:04 PM

I have one that I got for rock climbing. I'm not sure that it strengthens your forearms but it does vastly improve your stamina.

For those who don't know what it is, you don't squeeze it. You get the inner thingamajig going and it provides gyroscopic resistance as you "roll" the ball. Very low impact. It emits a bizarrre droning sound that kind of sounds like throat singing. It's actually very relaxing...until you reach the end of your stamina limit and lose it.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a kineseologist or medical professional of any kind.

JimmyM · #8 03-31-2011, 02:06 AM

if bass playing involved squeezing a ball, maybe it would help. but it doesn't, so it's a waste of money.

fearceol · #9 03-31-2011, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DeclanG

Muscles in the arm for me do tend to get tired on the right (picking hand, im a righty) so wondering if they could help strengthen them up.

There are exercises that can be done to strengthen the fingers and the hand. I have never heard of any for the wrist though. In your case, either puddin tame's suggestion below is the solution, or take another look at you technique.

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddin tame

the best thing you can do to improve your bass playing endurance is to play bass

faulknersj · #10 03-31-2011, 02:43 AM

Honestly, good technique is the best cure. My right and left hand used to get really tired after even just a 60 minute set. I invested a lot of time and effort into refining my technique and now I can play way more complex lines for 4 hours per night without any issues at all. I also stretch my hands, fingers and forearms every day. Work on refining your picking motion. Your picking motion is covering to much distance.

**garmenteros** · #11 03-31-2011, 03:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by puddin tame

the best thing you can do to improve your bass playing endurance is to play bass

+1000

Fergie Fulton · #12 03-31-2011, 03:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JimmyM

if bass playing involved squeezing a ball, maybe it would help. but it doesn't, so it's a waste of money.

There is no squeezing involved in a powerball, its about centrafugal force created from the wrist by rotating it. I have read various reports/reviews on them and none seem to say it is a bad thing, in fact many talk of its benifits.

And again there is the flaw in any exercise, do you need it?

A new exercise will work a muscle group that is underused or not used. So the effect is it gets toned and you will feel the benefit. If that muscle grup is already toned then it won't.

If that muscle group is weak or injured then i may get damaged by the exercise so there has to be an understanding of what any exercise is actully doing.
Again the idea that playing bass is good enough is put out there, but not for all. Injuries come from missuses and over use. Anyone practicing on the bass need to know they are practicing the correct things in the corrct way. If not then what they are doing is miss-use and they are playing themselves into trouble.
if they practice the wrong things in the wrong way for long extended periods of time then that is over use of miss use. Even practicing the correct things for long extended periods of time can be an over use.

Exercises and stretching will undo the rigours of the day and the stresses of playing, there are many out there so make up a routine out of the many available to suit you.

Powerball....if it works for you use it, but understand how and why it works for you and when it may not.

Russell L · #13 03-31-2011, 05:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by elgecko

I have one that I got for rock climbing. I'm not sure that it strengthens your forearms but it does vastly improve your stamina.

For those who don't know what it is, you don't squeeze it. You get the inner thingamajig going and it provides gyroscopic resistance as you "roll" the ball. Very low impact. It emits a bizarrre droning sound that kind of sounds like throat singing. It's actually very relaxing...until you reach the end of your stamina limit and lose it.

DISCLAIMER: I'm not a kineseologist or medical professional of any kind.

Oops, I had no idea.

Russell L · #14 03-31-2011, 06:06 AM

Fergie, that was well-said. I agree that one must know that they are playing correctly, and whether or not they have any injuries, and whether or not those injuries are due to poor technique. I guess I've been lucky since I have never had ANY trouble whatsoever in 48 years of playing stringed instruments, except for the usual obvious incidentals. The most recurrent thing that gets me is a "string bruise" from gripping a note too hard once in awhile on bass. It always goes away by the next day, but can be a thorn during a gig, at least for a few songs in a row. I am always looking for ways to prevent it, mainly by having as light a touch as possible.

3506string · #15 03-31-2011, 09:02 AM

I have one of those. It's actually quite soothing to forearms and wrists. For me I use it to break up any tension or stiffness in my arms or wrist after a long rehearsal, practice session or rehearsal.

Once you learn how to start it without the string you are golden.

elgecko · #16 03-31-2011, 09:05 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3506string

...Once you learn how to start it without the string you are golden.

I was the only one of my friends that could do that!

Fergie Fulton · #17 03-31-2011, 10:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Russell L

Fergie, that was well-said. I agree that one must know that they are playing correctly, and whether or not they have any injuries, and whether or not those injuries are due to poor technique. I guess I've been lucky since I have never had ANY trouble whatsoever in 48 years of playing stringed instruments, except for the usual obvious incidentals. The most recurrent thing that gets me is a "string bruise" from gripping a note too hard once in awhile on bass. It always goes away by the next day, but can be a thorn during a gig, at least for a few songs in a row. I am always looking for ways to prevent it, mainly by having as light a touch as possible.

Finger extentions are a great way to counter any hold problems.
Just extend your fingers and spread them as far as you can and hold for 10 sec. Relax and let them return to their relaxed position. It is important that you relax the hand and allow the fingers to return to the relaxed position rather than close it with the flexors. A good short rub of the palm side of the forearm, the lower half will help relieve tension before any repeat of the exercise again. Each time the intensity of the streach can be increased as you learn about it, but never the time, 10 seconds is good enough. An intense streach held for to long can damage attachments and in some cases bands.

The culprit in any hold it the thumb, that applies to most things in life, not just bass playing, so pay attention to it. Try some practice with the thumb off the neck, you will find it has such a great benefit for touch and to help teach the hand not to grip.

LennyPenny · #18 03-31-2011, 10:23 AM

My guitar teacher recommended this when I was still taking lessons. According to him, it really did help. You can grip it with your finger tips only to strengthen your fingers. I actually bought one too but didn't use it consistently. Now I can't use it anymore because I lost the string

You CAN get it going by flicking your thumb but I never managed to...

Fergie Fulton · #19 03-31-2011, 10:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3506string

I have one of those. It's actually quite soothing to forearms and wrists. For me I use it to break up any tension or stiffness in my arms or wrist after a long rehearsal, practice session or rehearsal.

Once you learn how to start it without the string you are golden.

Great to hear you have one, so tell us all what is involved and in what way you get benefit. I think they are a good thing from the tech blurb, but i just don't have any idea first hand on what it feels like to use one and the difference it makes to the user.
A review of why you started using one and its plus minus points would be a great piece of info to read from a player.

DeclanG · #20 03-31-2011, 01:35 PM

I did actually have one before but as others have said, i didnt use it much. Just thought again recently that the main area that feels the pinch from it is between your elbow and wrist which is also an area that can tire when playing so thought id throw it out there.

Also, for anyone who hasnt seen it used, this is it here:

YouTube - Powerball Ranking Spain España Chicas 7705 MiniYol

Not the best example but you get the idea