SPIN those balls!

Reposting this entry. Originally posted February 24th 2005. I added some stuff at the end.

Warning: This article may contain afew childish puns. I didn't write it yet, so I don't know.

Programming can be a stressful task. I've often said that debugging a program is one of the most frustrating things you'll ever, ever do. That's why I bought a pair of chinese stress balls (also known as Jingluo balls) several years ago while I was still studying. For those of you who don't know, Jingluo balls are meant to be spun around in your hand. The sensation you get while spinning the balls is rather soothing.



The reason I never played with my Jingluo balls is because they make a ringing noise when you spin them. They sound a bit like church bells, only much softer and at a higher pitch. I was always concerned that spinning my balls might bother those around me, and I didn't want to transfer my stress onto others, so my balls basically sat around in my room collecting dust for the next couple years. I finally decided to bite the bullet and start playing with them last week, and I must admit I'm amazed at the results so far. I also read this article on how to play with jingluo balls, which convinced me to make a habit of this right away.

Playing with jingluo balls has a ton of short, mid, AND long term benefits. It develops finger strength AND dexterity, which is probably why some martial arts instructors recommend Jingluo balls to their students. They give your forearms a surprisingly intense workout. I'm fortunate enough to be able to play with my balls for several hours a day, so I know this firsthand. After a couple days, something as simple as using a mouse, and scrolling with the mouse wheel would flex subtle muscles in my forearm that I was never aware of before.

What's surprising is that, after a while, the workout spreads all the way up to your shoulders and into your back. Every morning I wake up with sore muscles and it feels GREAT (people who work out will understand). I gotta admit that the first day I woke up with a sore back, I was kinda worried. On the chart below, the only muscles that haven't been exercised by my Jingluo balls are the red muscles of the lower back.



I'm thinking that the position of your arm when you spin the balls determines what part of the back is exercised, but enough about short term physical benefits. Playing with Jingluo balls also makes you more alert mentally. I've noticed I have even better balance and footwork. Long term benefits are of a preventive nature. Jingluo balls prevent arthritis and Alzheimer's disease. Basically, all of the theory behind accupuncture can be applied to Jingluo balls to, except you replace the needles with a perpetual massage. The article I referred to at the top is a nice resource for learning more about the benefits of Jingluo balls (sadly, there aren't many sites on the web that tell you anything beyond the OBVIOUS).

I also started teaching myself to play the guitar last week, and I think that playing with my balls has been a great help to get used to switching between chords quickly (something I still haven't gotten the hang of just yet). All in all, making a habit of spinning my Jingluo balls is one of the best decisions I've made in this young year, and I'd recommend it to anyone.

You got something to say? Don't be a stranger and post a comment!

Update: I've been playing with my balls for about a year and a half now on a semi-daily basis. I've reached a point where I can spin 4 balls in one hand (4th on top of the other 3), both directions in both hands. I can also spin them plam downwards, balls seperate. I can definitely vouch for the physical and mental benefits you gain by doing this. The spinning of the Jingluo balls WILL reach the muscles of your lower back after a while. And one thing I never mentionned because it takes a bit longer to set in is a greatly increased sensitivity in my fingers. It's a nice mix to have both the sensitivity to know how much pressure to apply, and the control to apply EXACTLY that pressure when grabbing something... or doing anything else with your hands, for that matter.