An insight by Andrew Howie
The Power Balance band has hit the global stage in a big way. It can be seen on the wrists on many big name super stars and they are more than happy to spruik the benefits it offers them on and off the field.
So far, no one has been able to categorically prove that the technology works, nor disprove it either. But there are a few people who are glad that they are selling like hot cakes. According to the parent site for the company, they are now available on five continents around the world.
Take a poke around the Power Balance website and it doesn’t take long to see that there is already a cult following. Big name superstars such as Shaq O’Neal, Andy Irons and Rubens Barrichello have testimonials throwing their weight behind the cause.
The product is designed to work with your body’s natural energy field, using hologram technology to enhance their flow. In a nut shell, it is meant to make you train harder, recover fast and have overall, better dexterity. They list the reason for being as:
Power Balance is Performance Technology designed to work with your body’s natural energy field. Founded by athletes, Power Balance is a favorite among elite athletes for whom balance, strength and flexibility are important.
So does it actually work? I don’t think it really matters. If it is in fact just a placebo effect, then those who believe will still enjoy the benefits that it claims. I for one was given one as a present and enjoyed a marked improvement in my racing times during a recent Alpine skiing competition. It is hard to argue against cold hard facts of data. Whether it was the band, or my self belief, the results speak for themselves.
Meanwhile, there thousands of articles being written about the product and the PR being generated is in itself amazing. I have not seen this much hype around a product since Skins came to market with their compression wear. In many ways, the claims of the two products are not wildly dissimilar. What they have also managed to do is get a huge amount of celebrity endorsement in the form of a good old fashion contra deal. Ill give you stuff for free if you spruik it for me.
Some people swear by the things, others just think it’s a bunch of marketing hype. I say; if it feels good, go with it.