What do Blue Balls and Arthritis Have in Common? Medicine
Written: Mar 17 '05 (Updated Dec 15 '06)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Great for those with arthritis or limited hand mobility.
Cons: Expensive and not necessary.
The Bottom Line: I am recommending the Spri Medicine Ball for the purposes mentioned in the review: if you have limited mobility or for ab work. Otherwise I would not recommend it.
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| jo.com's Full Review: Spri Products Xerball Medicine Balls |
None of the classes which I go to in the gym use a medicine ball. However we have several Spri Xerball Medicine Balls at Powerhouse Gym and I use them. I think they are a good tool.
What and Why :
The Xerball by Spri claims to be a versatile training tool for the whole body. Its intention is to develop strength, endurance and stability.
Like all Spri products Medicine Balls are color coded to go along with their weight. The lightest is purple at 2 pounds. This will cost you around $18.00. The yellow Spri Medicine Ball is 4 pounds at $22.00; the blue ball is 6 pounds and will cost around $30. The peach ball is 8 pounds and is around $40. The dark purple ball is 10 pounds and around $49.00 and the gray ball is 12 pounds and runs around $54.00. Each ball comes with an instruction sheet. Many of the exercises done with them replicate those that are done with dumbbells. However they do have some unique uses.
As an aside I have been in physical therapy twice for rotator cuff injuries. Along the way one of the exercises was throwing a medicine ball against a net and catching it again. In general I feel if Physical Therapists use a prop they are a decent tool and a safe tool if used correctly.
Also if for example you have arthritis in your hands or fingers or another hand limitation you most likely have a hard time bending your fingers around a dumbbell. You can hold the medicine ball with both hands and be able to exercise much more comfortably.
If used carefully they are a wonderful way to introduce the couch potato kid to exercise. Few children think that a ball is not fun in my experience.
The Spri Medicine Balls bounce. I have found those at the gym to be really durable. They are made of a very strong rubber. They also do not deflate. They keep their shape certainly for the 6 months that I have been using them and that is in a gym environment where more that a couple of people a day use them.
There are many uses for the medicine ball. Coaches use them in what are called explosive movements which build the core (the transverse muscles that are worked in Pilates). These can be anything from a tossing movement to a passing movement which really works the trunk of the body in a way few exercises can. For my purposes I am not focusing on explosive movement exercises since those are not what I do nor will you do at home. If you have questions about using them outside the home feel free to e-mail me. Explosive movement exercises integrate muscles like a squat integrates all muscles of the legs. This is different than an isolating exercise such as the leg extension machine which works only the quadriceps (thighs). At the end of the review I will give you a couple of exercises to show you the difference.
The medicine ball, although used by coaches, is in my opinion too light to build strength for men. At 12 pounds you will not build your biceps but it can be used for training your abdominal muscles.
Now the How:
Although some of the exercises used with the Spri Medicine Ball are the same as those used with a dumbbell to me they feel very different. Holding a 12 pound dumbbell to do an overhead tricep press feels different to me than holding a medicine ball. The reason is that I have less control over the medicine ball. I find myself holding the ball tighter than I should as I raise it over my head. However it can be done and as a change of pace I use it.
A two handed overhead tricep press is for the back of your upper arm. That is the area that flaps in the wind. Standing up or sitting down hold the ball behind your head with your elbows pointed forward. Lift the ball straight up making sure your elbows stay pointed to the front and that your arms are as close to your head as the ball will allow. Then lower the ball. Do this 12 times. If you can easily do this 12 times, you need a heavier ball.
I mentioned that men can use the 12 pound ball to work their abdominal area. Lie down on the floor with your knees bent. Hold the Spri Medicine Ball against your chest and do a crunch by lifting your upper torso off the ground. Make sure you look up just as you would with any crunch.
Another one for both genders will work your oblique muscles (muscles on the side of your abdomen). Stand and hold the Medicine Ball with both hands against your chest. Then turn in either direction and hold for a moment. I think you will find these effective especially since I do not think that abdominal training with weights should be done regularly or with a lot of weight. This is exactly the same as putting a plate on your chest which many of us do to add resistance. If you do not have a plate or find the metal against you uncomfortable you will like the ball.
I said I would mention isolating exercises versus non isolating ones. The tricep exercise is isolating. Although your chest comes into play, if you do this correctly you should be isolating the tricep muscles. However the squat is working your entire leg and can be done with a ball. Squats are not an isolating exercise.
Stand in an upright position with your feet shoulder width apart. Start by holding the Spri Xerball Medicine Ball in front of you with your arms extended but not with your elbows locked. You will then do a squat. A squat is an exercise that you really need to do correctly. If you have a chair behind you and pretend you are going to sit down but do not actually sit you will be doing a squat. Make sure your knees do not extend over your toes.
Please talk with your doctor before starting any exercise program if you have a medical condition, are a women over 50 or a man over 40.
My final thoughts:
$76 will get you a 12 pound ball and a 4 pound ball. Do I think this is an essential piece of equipment? No I do not. For a lot less you can buy dumbbells or resistance bands.
The only person I would recommend it for and call it essential is someone with arthritis in their hands or fingers. The ball is ideal for you. I would start with the 2 pound ball unless you have weight trained in the past and are used to lifting weights. The balls are deceivingly heavy.
Please feel free to leave me a comment or question.
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Recommended:
Yes
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