What is the opinion on this apparatus. I would definently like to do the explosive ab exercises that only something like it offers. Is there a homemade version? My parents aren’t very willing to let me pay $100 for a ball with a string on it, but I think the benefits would outweigh the costs. They are fat, use food as a drug, and are narrow-minded about letting me buy equipment. Thanks.
Um, isn’t it your money?
man dont waste your money on that thing, $100 is crazy, get yourself a cheap ass med ball from wal mart and a really cheap ass pillow case and make your own, you should only be out about 12 bucks.
freakshow is right except you must make sure you buy a medicine ball that will bounce. the tornado ball is made of a material that bounces which is what makes the whole idea work. But you can just get a bouncy med ball and get some sort of sack, a pillow case will probably tear after one workout but a burlap sack or something like that. You could probably go to a local feed store and they’d probably have one to give you for free that they’d just take out of thier trash
Dr. Michael Marasco
Yes, Steve, it is my money. freakshow, will a pillowcase hold up for the explosive movements? Will I need to do them exercises on smooth surfaces?
You sure explosive movements on a swiss ball are safe? I mean one time I slipped doing a leg raise type movement on a swiss ball and went flying…or is that rolling across the room and banged my head into my workout bench. Good thing I workout at home or that would have been embarassing. 
The pillow case or sack won’t hold up. I just came back from a plyometric workshop at Widner University outside Philadelphia. Their was a demonstration of the Tornado ball and also a smaller version called the Twister ball. I got to try a few reps. Very challanging. Definitly worth the money. These balls are indestructable. The guys that spoke were incredible. I learned so much about plyometric exercise and how to incorparate it into training. I’m still going over my notes and letting it filter in.
Tornado balls are great! I have a couple of recommendations for using them if you come from a backward part of the planet as I do(South London,U.K).#1 If your using a local park make sure that you’re away from dogs, Boxers especially like playing with Tornado balls.#2 Don’t worry about the young mothers grabing their childrens hands and ushering them away from the strange man beating the shit out of the tennis court.#3 Don’t assume that your mate, using a Tornado ball for the first time, knows to get their head out of the way when performing a kneeling A chop. Get one, they’re great fun and give you great functional strength.
be imaginative make your own!!!
Get an old basketball and fill it up with water, it takes time (use a bike pump and hold it under water as you pump the basketball up)
NOW you have a bouncy medicine ball
Now get some rope and get some material put it around the med ball
experiment with some ways of attaching it
half the fun is making the thing.
If the ball bursts youve wasted 20 minutes pumping it up and the cost of a shit second hand ball (you might have some llying around anyway I know weve got about 5 at our place but you could probably buy one for about $2) if the attachment breaks then you need to find a better way to attach it.
be imaginative and have some fun
I good friend of mine who has a tornado ball and a sledgehammer told me that he prefers doing sledgehammer training. Just get a sledgehammer and beat the shit out of an old tire. I plan on experiementing with this and if I like it, get ready for an article on it.
Hell yeah, I just started doin’ that recently after I read an article about it. DEFINATELY a fun and effective workout.
I would definently be interested in that article. Thanks, clintpatty.
There is a 6 or 7-part sledge hammer series at Intensity Fitness. Everyone should be able to get plenty of ideas!
Hammer away…
To Mike Mahler, why do we need your article on the topic when we just read a 7 part series on it?