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.