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Old 06-30-04, 10:50 AM  
Corridors
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Haifa, Israel
Duraball Pro - what a difference a great stability ball makes!

As I have been enjoying stability ball workouts I decided to splurge and buy what seemed from my searches to be the best in the market - a duraball pro. Just want to add, I have no commercial connection whatsoever with the duraball company. The only ‘connection’ is the fact that I am Australian though when I bought the ball I had no idea that the duraball pro was made in Australia so I took some personal delight in seeing that once again Australia has produced something world class .

After reading about anti-burst ratings and noting the difference between dynamic weight and static weight on the ball, I realized that it is important to know that no matter what you do on the ball, your stability ball will hold out on you. From the first time I sat on my duraball, I absolutely loved it – possibly the best money I have ever spent on equipment, bar none. This is my 3rd stability ball that I have owned. The first one was just a ball - nothing special about it. I got rid of it, didn't feel 'comfortable' on it. Then I bought a reebok antiburst gym ball. Much happier on this one but still, there wasn't a lot of information about it available on the web, just that it was made from anti-burst material. But what weight would it support?

The more I searched for info about stability balls, the more I became concerned.

Dynamic weight is 2.5 times your body weight on the ball. So, for ease of argument, assuming somebody weighs 150lbs, your stability ball needs to be able to support up to 375lbs of dynamic weight.

Static weight is the total weight pressing down on the ball. Stability balls hold much more static weight than dynamic weight.

The duraball pro is anti-burst and rated to 500kg of dynamic weight and 2,000kgs of static weight. And when you compare this ball to my reebok anti-burst gym ball (which is a good ball too), the difference is night and day.

On my duraball pro, I can do all the exercises (some I struggled to do with my reebok ball) and I feel like I am getting an incredible workout. My abs haven’t felt this worked out since I started working out regularly years ago.

What I know: if the ball is only described as anti-burst, it may only be anti-burst to a dynamic weight of 150lbs. That means you have to weigh 60 lbs for you to use it without being concerned that it will burst on you. Trust me, I doubt that my left leg weighs less than 60 lbs.

Apart from the obvious differences in quality, the difference between the duraball and other balls is about $30 or so. I would rather spend the extra $30 and KNOW that my ball will be safe than to worry each time I use it. My confidence doing moves has sky-rocketed. And with that confidence, my workouts have improved tremendously too. I can feel that I am getting a great workout.

I tried to find more information about the duraball but the duraball website doesn't come up on searches. I came across info about the duraball at a couple of websites that had comparative information. But if you want a LOT of information, the visit: www.duraball.com

Seriously, I know I sound like I have a commercial stake in the company, but I really don't. I am just in love with my duraball pro and think that everybody should have one or two . Hhmmm.... maybe I should see if I can buy shares.

The only negative, in stores in Australia, it seems that they are more expensive to buy than through the internet in the States. Why??? This doesn't seem fair

Colleen
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Old 06-30-04, 12:21 PM  
chrisjeffnick
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
I'm really glad you posted this Colleen. I was considering the Duraball and then several people posted they liked the FitBall so I thought I was being extravagant in wanting the Duraball. I'll have to go back and look at the stats on the FitBall to see what it really supports now that you've given us that 2.5 factor. Silly me, I assumed a 600 lb rating meant 600 lbs of body weight. Why can't they make it easy? :rolleyes:

How easily do you think a Duraball would be destroyed by a toddler? That's been my main reason for holding off. If he can detroy it, he will.

BTW, where did you end up buying the ball? I know its made in AU, but didn't Paul Chek have something to do with it? Is it an American product maufactured in AU? Maybe that's why you can't buy it there for less...?
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Old 06-30-04, 01:23 PM  
cmhazlett
 
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: S.F. Bay Area
BodyTrends sells DuraBall Pros: http://www.bodytrends.com/products/ball/duraballpro.htm

I can't speak to the toddler-proofness of the DuraBall specifically but my FitBall Plus has survived my very active toddler so far so I think you should be fine

Claire
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Old 06-30-04, 02:06 PM  
Fanny
 
Join Date: Nov 2001
Thanks for posting this! When I first started doing TLPs I had to purchase a new smaller 55 cm ball, but did not notice it was anti-burst until I received it. It does kinda bug me, but I thought it should be OK for 3-4 months since it is new and didnt know what ball I would purchase to replace it.

This looks like what I have been putting off searching for!

Thanks again for taking the time to share.
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Old 06-30-04, 03:25 PM  
Emmanuelle
 
Join Date: May 2003
Location: Rio de Janeiro, Brazil ; brittany, west of France
Baby proofness is the question

It's the fact which makes me hesitate about purchasing a stability ball....

Emmanuelle
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Old 06-30-04, 04:55 PM  
Kathryn
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Join Date: Nov 2001
Location: Illinois
I've had the Dura Ball Pro for quite a while (heck, if Paul Chek can do standing overhead presses on it, and they can give it to a baby elephant to play with, it must be sturdy, right?) and it is so much strudier than my previous ball (which I still have, and don't know quite what to do with--every time I think of using it, I end up using my DBP).
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Old 07-01-04, 01:21 AM  
Corridors
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Haifa, Israel
I bought my duraball through Amazon which links you to the bodytrends website. But I got free shipping through Amazon so it was cheaper that way - basic price was the same. I did find another website that sold the ball for $44 but I think the overall shipping meant it came out more expensive than the Amazon price but less than the bodytrends price (including shipping).

Duraball is totally Australian from the website. There is a lot of history about the manufacturing process and the university studies and research behind it (my Australian pride coming to the fore here ).

Paul Chek is certainly involved as somebody who has videos using the stability ball but I don't think he has anything to do with the company but I can't state that categorically.

This ball is one tough ball. I really think it is toddler proof unless of course you let your toddler play with ice picks and other things like that .

Then there is the duraball max which makes the duraball pro look like a child's ball. I would love to have this one but I know that I have no need for it, sadly.

Colleen
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Old 07-01-04, 06:08 AM  
sarayoga
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: new york city area
Corridors, tell us more about the Duraball Max! Is it very hard when you sit on it, or does it feel pretty much like a normal stability ball (depending on the amount of air you put in). I couldn't find a good description anywhere.

Paul Chek sells Duraballs through his site, so I guess that is the relationship.

Thanks!
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Old 07-01-04, 06:47 AM  
Corridors
 
Join Date: Dec 2001
Location: Haifa, Israel
I took the following information from various parts of the website: www.duraball.com which actually forwards you to www.aokhealth.com . It shows the duraball max - it comes in either black or gold. It does look like it has a much harder surface than the duraball pro. If you go to the website you will see some articles showing photos of people using the duraball max in action. It sure is heavy duty but I couldn't be happier with my duraball pro.

And the answer to who is behind the duraball design:

"Designed by AOK's Managing Director, Bradley Wilson(B.Sc. M.S.S), mediBall Pro is the only University designed & tested Swiss ball in the world and continues to out-perform the competition by far.

mediBall Pro is:
· Burst resistant to a load of 500 kg whereas the anti-burst rating of most Swiss balls is only 150 kg
· Manufactured in Australia from the highest quality raw materials
· Durable and non-toxic

With an anti-burst rating of 500kg and independent testing conducted by the University of Newcastle, the AOK Health mediball Pro is reputed to be the strongest and safest Swiss ball in the world - well no more!

AOK's research and development department has surpassed the mediBall Pro technology to introduce the mediBall Max.

The mediBall Max has an anti-burst rating of 750kg, a non-slip surface and is available in black or gold.

Sizes: 55cm & 65cm
Resistance To Deformation: Very High
Static Load: 2500kg or 5500lb
Dynamic Load: 750kg or 1650lb
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Old 07-01-04, 10:45 AM  
sarayoga
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: new york city area
Thanks!
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