Right now the Gyrotwister and the Powerball are sitting on my desk. The only reason I'm not using either one is my arms are so worked that I can barely type let alone attempt another hand workout with either one of them. There is a warning written on the side of the box, and present on both www.gyrotwister.com.au and www.powerballs.com.au that says "Warning! Addictive!" This isn't said lightly at all, these are seriously addictive.
For those wondering what the Gyrotwister is, it's an extremely dense plastic ball containing a metal gyroscope mounted in a rotating track (I would suggest heading to one of the sites above and taking a look for yourself). It weighs in about .200 grams in and of itself. After starting the gyroscope inside with a small start cord you move the Gyrotwister in an ever decreasing sphere, thus speeding up the gyroscope inside. The faster the gyro turns the more the Gyrotwister seems to weigh, although in reality it's the greater forces required to make another turn inside the sphere that's making it feel so heavy.
The Powerball is a slightly larger Gyrotwister with an LED display built into, so that you can count the number of revolutions (among other things, you can also set the LED to measure other aspects of your performance). This makes an already addictive product even harder to put down, especially if you are competing with friends to see who can produce the most revolutions.
At first glance both of these products look like toys, but they are serious strength tools, despite also being fun to use. As you get the balls over ten thousand revolutions per minute, they get extremely hard to hold onto, especially if you are working a pinch grip. While there are many ways to work your grip with regular gym equipment both the Gyrotwister and the Powerball provide a dynamic, moving tension which is hard to reproduce with anything else. They do take practice to use properly, but if you follow the instructions then they are remarkably easy to get the hang of.
If I had to choose one (and only if I had to) then I would go with the Powerball. The LED makes it that much more fun to use and trying to beat your maximum score will keep you working and interested. However the Gyrotwister comes with an instructional DVD that has a mime showing the basic movements and exercises that you can perform which makes starting both the Gyro Twister and the Powerball much easier.
I should also mention that the service and level of support for both products is excellent, if you have a problem with your Powerball or your Gyrotwister then a visit to their respective sites will more than likely provide you with an answer. They also have a repair service on offer for both. Fortunately I haven't had to use it yet but it's nice to know its there.
There is only the one type of Gyrotwister, although it does come in different colours, and with Christmas coming up its well priced at $39.95AUD. The Powerballs however come in several different varieties; from a cheaper version with no LED counter, all the way up to an all metal top end model. The one I tested was the Powerball Pro and I feel it is excellent value for money at $59.95AUD.
With good value, a great product and excellent service both the Gyrotwister and the Powerball would get two thumbs up, if I could move my arms. Highly recommended, in fact these are my favourite MMA toys for 2006.
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