Tuesday 1 November 2011

Like, like, like...nice, nice, nice











I’m sick of being sick of things.  It’s too darn exhausting.  I’ve tried the ranting malarkey and it felt quite cathartic at the time (I can see how people get off on all the fist-waving) but enough is enough. I’m done (for now, anyhow).  So I thought I’d try liking things instead.  
I went back through my blogs looking for nice posts to shove onto Twitter to show my good intent.  Quickly ran out.  Then I sat and wondered.  What do I like?  What do I really like?  Actually, quite a lot of things - y'know, raindrops, kittens, brown paper packages tied up with string...that kinda malarkey....    
But then my eye fell (ouch!) on this little wheel thing, the thing that looks like a Frisbee on steroids, that arrived in the post the other day. The Powerspin, which is apparently ‘a revolutionary new fitness product set to banish ‘bingo wings’.  Allegedly it’s ‘the easy way to fabulous arms’.  
Aha, now that’s something I like.  A lot.  Arms. Fabulous arms. Fabulous? Nah, they don’t even have to be fabulous. Nice arms. When I say nice, I mean firm, long, lean muscles – not the pumped-up horror-shows you sometimes see down the gym.  

Nice.
Not nice.
I am even rather fond of my own pair cos, though I say so myself, they are rather nice: long and lean (if a bit pale and freckly and scarred), and (*has a quick shake*) nope, not even the slightest tremor of a bingo wing.

Anyhow. This Powerspin thing.  You hold it up and gently rotate your arms so the ball ‘runs smoothly around the tube'.  As the ball ‘gains momentum’, you can make the workout harder by increasing the spin.  Hold it by your hip and it tones your forearms. Hold it up at your shoulder and it works the shoulder and triceps (bingo territory). Hold it vertically in front of you and you’re into the biceps. Turn it over and spin it at navel level and it works the core. Stick it up over your head and supposedly you would tremble your triceps again though, try as we might, we couldn't get the ball rolling up there. 
According to the press release it will firm up your arms and abs in just six minutes a day. Hmm. That's one long lean claim. 
Does it work? James and I have been at it since we came back from Wales and yes, if you keep at it long enough, you feel the burn. It certainly isolates the right muscles. I am not entirely convinced by the six minutes a day but, to be fair, I haven't tried it out over a long period of time and I didn't have the bingos to start with.  But what's really clever is that the device is kinda fun.  It doesn’t take a lot of room; it doesn’t require any kind of set-up; mercy me, it doesn’t demand batteries (unbelievable, huh?).  We just leave it lying around and, ten to one, one of us will pick it up and muck around with it for a bit. Yup, Adrian even had a go (muttering darkly all the time that it was a big con).
Actually it's not. Not really. However. Big proviso. Like any of these things, it’s only going to work if you put in the effort.
Is it the only way to get nice arms? Nope. Of course not. You can achieve the same results with free weights or by slinging a kettlebell around. In fact, you don’t even need to use any equipment at all – just rely on your own bodyweight.  Triceps dips will do it though they are boring as hell.  Planking will also do the job nicely, and you’ll get the added extra of rock-hard abs.  Not the low plank so much but upright plank seguing into sideways plank; nice bit of reverse planking.  Pilates will give you great arms (and great abs). Yoga will do the same - but these take time and a heck of a lot of commitment.  And we all want an easy fix, right?  But, to be honest, there is no such thing.  As any fitness instructor will tell you, you can't really spot-reduce. If you have big arms, you'll have to lose weight (pretty much all over) before it will drop off your arms.  But a gizmo like this can't do any harm and it will help to build up some muscle.  And that's nice eh?
reverse plank - in case you wondered.
Powerspin is so new that I can’t show you a pukka official video. We did make our own at home which was very funny indeed but it's refusing to load up (which isn't very nice of it).  But then again you would have had to turn your head to the side to see it (or view while doing a sideways plank) so maybe it's just as well.  Powerspin should be in the shops soon – check out the website for updates.  I might be able to nab a few samples to give away - so let me know if you'd be interested and I'll see what I can do. Cos I'm nice, y'know. 


PS - the fabulous (way beyond nice) Frankie has pointed out that the Powerspin has been seen in an earlier incarnation.  Thanks for alerting me to this clip... :)  Actually this put me into a reverie because the ginger cat looks very much like my old darling, Foot.  






14 comments:

F said...

I have a sneaking suspicion I've seen the Powerspin somewhere else...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3dBLjtEtWFE

Stephanie said...

Hmmmm, well I have that cat toy. Perhaps I can substitue it as exercise equipment until I like my arms? :)

Anonymous said...

Try enjoying being sick of things then your liking will expand. You know....have fun ranting....you can do it!

Anonymous said...

WTF? :o(

Exmoorjane said...

Frankie: Cracking clip...I did post up the other one but then...well...

Sassy: Yup, just make sure you include a cat!

Bud: Well, ranting does wonders for my stats so.... I may have to learn to love it. Have to please the audience huh?

Ma: No! You don't like? The one thing you don't like??? :(

Expat mum said...

Oh jealous - long, lean arms. No fair. No matter how thin I get, my arms are the bain (sp?) of my life!

Zoë said...

I think my arms are beyond salvation.

On a bad day the 'bingo wing' on my right arm can extend past my elbow and wrist to my fingers.

If only a gadget like that could fix it *sigh*

Sarah said...

The problem with exercise is you have to keep doing it on and on or it all falls apart very quickly. I hate that. Exercising is a pain in the arse frankly.

Exmoorjane said...

EPM: I'm blessed with long bones but, trust me, the lean bit took a helluva lot of work! Bane/bain - whatever. :)

Zoe: you're clearly evolving - into a beautiful bird. Next step: you fly!

Suzie: I spent an hour yesterday looking at some quite incredible clips on YouTube for abdominal machines - Frankly (ho ho) I won't be going there!

Sarah: True. Guess it depends how you feel about exercise. If you find stuff you love, it becomes a pleasure, as well as a pain. I used to hate exercise; now I'm a bit addicted.

Helen Spencer said...

I suspect my two bonkers terriers would like it but they don't yet suffer from the Wing of Bingo.

By the way, if I throw it (away), will it come back?!!

Irish Eyes said...

God above woman! would you not be trying to exhaust a poor girl with all that exercise...!

Exhausted after all that! Good one!

Alison Cross said...

I haz bingo wings *shakes arms obligingly* I'll need to get me one of these little whizzo things!

I like when you have a rant. You rant for ALL of us lol!

Tell me about the Mongolian Incense.

Ali x

Anonymous said...

Oh perfection. Something I could fit in to my 'I'm so exhausted I just want to lie down and hit the unconscious button' evenings! I like it. Want.

Consequently, that fluffy ginger fellow in the vid is the spit of one of my fluffballs, Guinness (otherwise known as baby boo-boo and Lion-O (due to the remarkable facial resemblance)). He is the most ridiculously cute (and I mean it is just ridiculous how cute he is, it shouldn't be legal) kitty. They all are. I've taken in four little poppets.

Gosh, I love cats. *looks stupidly soppy*

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