Had it for a week and...

[user]

I have a powerball neon, I've had it for a week nearly. My top so far is only 9527, should hit 10,000 soon! (I might have already if I didn't have a neon, but they look cooler :D). But one thing I need to ask is when getting to higher RPMs I'm not entirely sure how I should speed it up, sometimes I flick my wrist to give it a boost keep it going again for a second or two then flick my wrist, other times I just start getting my arm really tight and and tryin to move my hand in a smaller circle, but the circle gets so small. Also.......the fingerstart technique, I have had no luck whatsoever and am really not sure how to do it, the video of it wont load!

Michael O

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Sorry Michael, we switched servers a short while ago and that little video clip obviously failed to make it across - I'll get that sorted tomorrow.

As for higher speeds, this is purely related to how strong the joint is between the wrist and the arm and the ability of that joint to resist the forces being generated by your Powerball as the speed builds...there is no magic to getting these high speeds other than practice, practice, practice! With regards, Maria

[user]

Moving your hand in smaller and smaller circles is the secret. Watch some of the vidoes of Akis...he hardly moves his arm at all...it just vibrates back and forth.

The best tip is endurance. Get it going as fast as possible and keep it going as long as possible, until your arm muscles are screaming. Do this several times, with a small rest between each attempt, then rest for 10 or 15 minutes then go for a high score. You might be surprised.

Tim.

Tim Brindle

[user]

Moving your hand in smaller and smaller circles is the certainly NOT the secret. In fact, it is detrimental to your score. My friend who used this technique (and told others to do this if they were begginers)realized only yesterday that getting smaller and smaller just maeks it harder for you. I just tried it now. I got 6,390 in small circles. Using my regular technique I can get 12,035 RPM (I'm only 14 w00t).

If you don't gasp for air or grimmace when you try to beat your best record or get a high score (because it is difficult) your technique isn't correct. Mess around with your technique to improve. Try spinning it the other way around to normal. I tried it, it feels weird, but I can get about 2k higher donig it anti-clockwise. Also, look at the movement of your wrist, try to adjust it, try beat your record each time you try a new technique even if it feels unconfortable - just because it doesn't feel right doesn't mean you will not get higher RPM with it! Good luck.

Tony Rose
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Actually, it is necessary for you to move your hand in smaller circles to get those higher scores...tiny circles in fact!

At a certain point in a spin, the work transfers to the arm and this is when the big scores appear - at that point however, you will literally need to lock your wrist in place (so that there is no break whatsoever in the joint) to prevent it from moving while the arm takes the rotor up to the 13K+ scoring level...and that is what separates the men from the boys...! Regards Rory

[user]

I guess this'll be hidden down in this topic, but...

I like the spirit of trying everything that comes to mind.

W/ respect to Rory, I don't know that anyone can tell what he's doing when he gets up into the nether regions of what he can do (re circles or not)

I just noticed it feeling like I was sorta ~waggling~ the rotor insde the ball (as opposed to my previous feel, which was just trying to find a movement that would allow me to inject maximum force against its resistance); coincidentally(?! ;-), I went from 11878 to 12049! (not bad for one who's 57.93 years old, huh?

P. Michael Hutchins