PowerBalls and GripMasters
| The Dyna-Flex PowerBall is quite fun to learn and use. It certainly makes a conversation piece sitting on your desk. The operation is mostly isometric so it's perfect for therapeutic exercise. In fact, I would highly recommend it for anyone who has sore wrists. But you don't need to have tennis elbow to use one. It is great for healthy arms too. (The PowerBall is endorsed by the PGA.) |
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I ordered my PowerBall from Overstock.com. It was $30 + $1 shipping. Way cheaper than anywhere else. Believe it or not there is a speedometer add-on for it. Funny. Anyhoo, the speedometer is about $15 on Ebay or stupid Amazon.
On the other hand, if you're like me then you prefer Isotonic type exercise. Check out the GripMaster (I ordered mine from DMM Products via stupid Amazon). It comes in four flavors: Extra Light, Light, Medium and Heavy. So far I like the Extra Light best. It's great for when I'm sitting in meetings or want a break at my desk.
Extra Light does not mean wimpy though. The difficulty (and benefits) comes into play when you exercise just one finger at a time. This is what I found out the hard way -- I first purchased the Medium but found it was actually a bit to difficult on isolated fingers. It's a bit deceiving because anyone can flex the Medium open and close. I went back and purchased the Extra Light and the Light. I want to build better finger coordination. Speaking of which, the GripMaster is great for guitarists and bassists. You'll even find it at many music shops.
No matter which type of hand exerciser you use, keep in mind that repetition is more important than resistance. You're better off using the Light GripMaster 200 times on each finger than the Medium 20 times. Remember the GripMaster and PowerBall are used to build strength, coordination and flexibility. For building muscle mass in your wrists and forearms, stick with barbells or universal exercises...or use a trailer hitch! I'll elaborate on that in my next fitness post: "Cameron's Prison Workout".