The power that you need to break into the 13, 14 &15k barriers will come only as a result of having true strength in your wrist area.

And this (unless you are already naturally blessed with such physical abilities) will only come from diligent use of the shiny little sphere!

The very best way to build speed is to first build endurance; use the ball for 2-3 minute high speed sessions several times each day, gritting it out and holding it at a high speed for as long as you are physically capable! While your arm will feel like it is about to fall right off, the end result is that you will build massive endurance with the ball which will definitely translate into higher revs next time you go all out for a high speed score.

Those high scores you see on the board are a result of an arm that is held almost rock steady and a wrist that is barely breaking about its joint (something that is very difficult to maintain when you have a fast spinning Powerball in your hand for sure) - the ability to hold the wrist steady against the powerful inertia being generated by the gyro is what gives high speed (literally, it will look like there is no movement whatsoever taking place at the wrist joint) - but it's the ability to 'whisk' the ball along with these minute but extremely powerful wrist 'pulses' that get it up to the next level - those 13k or 14k scores - the level where the ball is screaming at such a high pitch that people will stop and stare, thinking that an F1 car has just passed them by :-)

(Note: at all times, we advise that you never exceed your own physical abilities with the product - never lose sight of the fact that Powerball is a sports and fitness instrument first and foremost and should always be treated as such you wouldn't go into the gym and start pumping a 10kg dumbbell for 100 reps without prior experience and so it is with Powerball - build up to these high speeds over a period of time and never, ever overdo it!).

Good luck and may the force be with you!

Reason: Not enough starting speed on the rotor to sustain momentum or poor wrist control at these initial [low] starting speeds.

Solution: Increase the flick start speed by pressing down harder on the rotor before snapping the finger across its surface or practice your wrist control by first starting with the cord and reducing the rotor speed to around 1000rpm and then sustaining it at this level for several minutes each time.

Detailed Explanation: Learning how to finger start your Powerball is the ultimate convenience and will forever liberate you from the task of having to carry a cord around in your pocket as you use the sphere!

And, in truth, there is no magic secret that will allow you to learn this task it is a simple technique which is acquired through a combination of practice and good co-ordination of the wrist.

Please watch the short video footage which clearly shows a finger start in action as you can see, it begins with a smart flick to bring the rotor up to around 1200rpm before the hand is immediately inverted and the wrist rotation begins.

Reason: It is likely that there is foreign matter/dirt on the internal surface area of the sphere over which the rotor support band is sitting

Solution: Open the sphere shell and clean the internal surface areas.

Detailed Explanation: When you first take the ball from its box, you will note the perfectly fluid and silky action with which it operates - the rotor whirr's away and there is no noise, (bar that glorious 'jet fighter' sound as the speed increases..!)

After a few weeks of use however, this lovely fluid movement and silent rotation can end up being replaced by a noisy, gravely movement, which, although still yielding out much the same torque, doesn't offer as much pleasure of use as from when it was new and you probably wonder just what might be wrong with it all?

Well, there are two likely causes for this;

1. The ball is being used in a dusty environment and/or is being discarded on a carpet/fibre based surface which is allowing it to ingest fibres/foreign matter into the rotor support band cavity during use. Other examples of this is where the user is choosing to start the ball by running the rotor along a trouser leg.
   
   While not causing an immediate negative result, the effects of this are cumulative and will harm the friction/smoothness of the ball in the long term - the practice is best avoided.
2. Using the ball for prolonged periods without properly supporting the sphere while the rotor is in motion.

This is the most common cause of the rough sounding Powerball.

A perfect example is as follows;

The Powerballer takes the speed of his gyro up to, say, 12,000rpm.

Having been suitably pulverized by the inertia coming from the ball at such speeds (particularly if you are new to the sport and haven’t yet developed the strength and stamina required to control the ball at these speeds), the hand/ wrist/ arm of our Powerballing friend quickly become tired causing him to back off the run while simultaneously easing his firm grip on the sphere.

Now, despite the fact that the rotor itself is absolutely perfect in its balance, it is still putting out considerable inertia as it slows down. This 'gyroscopic torque' is transmitted directly into the outer sphere, which is now sitting quite loosely in the Powerballers hand and begins to resonate or shake in sympathy with the slowing rotor (which itself will begin to 'jarr' or grate inside the sphere...making that awful rattling noise as the speed is violently scrubbed off as a result!).

The rotor is supported on a hardened steel axle which itself sits into a smooth polycarbonate support ring (see Fig.A - exploded components) - this support ring is then sandwiched in between the lips of the two halves of the outer sphere - in a cavity of about 5 mm in height (this cavity, by the way, is what allows that 'play' in the rotor when the ball is stationary).

Fig A: Powerball Eomponents - Exploded View

Each time the ball is allowed to slow down in this 'unsupported' manner and makes that grating noise as a result, tiny fragments of plastic are shed from that support band as it revolves around inside which, over a period of time will eventually cause that rough noise you are currently hearing in those older or incorrectly used balls.

In this instance, what can also happen is that the metal axle - see Fig B - rotor support band) will begin to enlarge the hole(s) in the plastic rotor support band from perfect circles into larger oval shaped holes which results in an unpleasant play in the rotor and helps to slightly reduce the overall speed it can achieve. 

Fig B: Rotor Support-Band

The key, therefore, is to keep a firm grip on your Powerball at all times during which the rotor is spinning.

There are several solutions to cure the problem:

1. Get a high pressure air source, remove the counter and while the rotor is spinning at around 5k, blast the air jet into the top of the ball - this will serve to dislodge the plastic dust that has built up inside the cavity.
2. Remove the counter and submerge the ball in warm water (make sure there is no soap or contaminants in the water) - rotate the rotor several times to agitate the internal surfaces and help dispel any foreign matter. Remove the ball and all to dry over a radiator - it will speed up the process if you spin the rotor as normal.
3. 3. Open the sphere (using the following technique) and carefully clean all the inner surfaces with a soft dry cloth.

(NOTE, Your Powerball should never be lubricated.... ever! That will kill it instantly!)