Andreas Dietzel | Thu October 13, 2011
filler post? 😉
Do Power Balance Bracelets or Bands Work?
October 10 2011
Power balance bracelets have become wildly popular in the last couple of years. There are dozens of professional athletes, celebrities and musicians wearing these, and some even endorsing these bracelets.
So what are Power Balance bracelets?
As the name suggests, these are just ordinary rubber bracelets made in China. What makes it stand out is they have embedded these bracelets with holograms.
They come at an 'affordable' price of $29.99.
What are the Power Balance bracelet claims?
Hologram: The hologram on the power balance band is supposed to interact with your body frequency and it supposedly reacts differently for different people. Also according to the website, “The thin polyester film hologram is programmed through a proprietary process, which is designed to mimic Eastern philosophies that have been around for hundreds of years.”
Performance: Before thy got sued for false and misleading claims, they advertized power balance to increase strength, power and flexibility by 500% and called it performance technology. Now they cleverly word it as “maximize their potential and live life to the fullest.”
Testimonials: There are lot of testimonials from professional athletes about how power balance bands has helped improve their performance and they just can't take it off now.
Does Power Balance bracelet work?
Nope.
Then why do people think it works?
There are no scientific studies showing that power bracelet balance works. And there is no earthly science even remotely saying that we can capture frequencies and bottle it in a hologram. Then why do some people feel or think it works?
Placebo Effect: If you believe or expect a procedure or a pill to improve you health or behavior, it will. Apparently, the pill or procedure do not have anything to do with is improvement. Watch this cool video about placebo effect.
Flexibility: Power balance band test involves a flexibility test where you try to stretch and reach as far as you can. And then they are made to repeat the stretch wearing the power balance band. This always works since now you have a goal to go beyond. People always do better the second time than the first one even if they wear a band or not.
Strength: Another test the power bracelet band use to have you stand on one leg and have your arm to the side. The sales guy then pushes down on your hand. Almost everyone falls off balance. After they wear the power band, no one falls off balance.
This is just basic physics being abused. The first time the sales person pushes down and out of the body which pulls you out off balance. The second time he just pushes down and 'into' your body which is not pulling you out of balance. This is what is shown in the picture.
Practical Applications
- Power balance band or power balance bracelet do not work. Period.
- If you still wear it, you are just openly endorsing your lack of basic critical thinking skills than anything else.
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hi Andreas
Thanks for the comment.
Nope. The majority of people have questions like these. I thought it was waste when I wrote the shaker weight article, but the highest visit to this website comes from people trying to find if shaker weight works.
Believe it or not, both the shaker weight and power bands had a booth at the Nsca national conference. and when I talk to a couple of people they were convinced that they felt a difference when they wore those bands!
Andreas Dietzel | Thu October 13, 2011
wow!
Either way, keep up the good work! 😊
Did you see my post regarding the ancestral health symposium on your FB page? I will moste likely check out next years event in Boston.
Steve Ocvirek | Thu October 13, 2011
Hi Anoop - I love your observations on the strength test in the commercials. I never noticed that until you pointed it out.
Also, I didn’t have time to comment on your “4 hour body by Tim Ferriss” review, but that was some really great insight on how this was done. You did a fantastic job on picking apart his claims. Although . . . admittedly I wish it were true I could add 34 pounds of muscle in 28 days. Oh well, back the the gym.
FullDeplex | Fri October 14, 2011
“If you still wear it, you are just openly endorsing your lack of basic critical thinking skills than anything else.”
Well said.
Anoop | Mon October 17, 2011
Sorry for the late reply guys. Was at a conference this week.
Hi Andreaz,
No. What is it about? If you want you can start a thread in the forum about. Hope it is not paleo diet :cheese:
Hi Steve,
Thanks for the wonderful comments. I saw our web and your transformation. That is awesome and even awesome when you stick with an evidence based approach to health.
Hi Fulldeplex,
Thanks Fulldeplex!
And honestly that’s what I feel when I see someone wearing those bands. It was just an irony to see the power band booth at the NSCA, and NSCA is all about science!
Andreas Dietzel | Wed October 19, 2011
oh, paleo is a huge part of it as far as I’ve understood, but I’m interested in the movement aspect of it…not the anti-pizza part 😉
Though, I am interested in the paleo diet debate as well, but so far people seem more assertive than scientific…
I believe that this band works, i tried experiments myself and it definitively works, i tried that “law of physics” thing you talk about but it didn’t change the end result. Here: I put the band on my cousin without telling him what it was for, then i tried knocking him out of balance but it didn’t work, now when i took the band of and tried to knock him out of balance he fell. I believe this band works. Don`t believe this guy who wrote the thread.
Anoop | Mon January 23, 2012
Hi Juice,
Sure the experiments tried by an anonymous poster on his cousin is evidence for the validity of power band.
Thanks
wesley lawlor | Tue February 14, 2012
it defenetley works i put it on and boom i was feeling so good i couldnt stop smiling
I just got this band for my 16th birthday today, and I really don’t care whether it ‘works’ or not. It looks cool. It was bought for me with me in mind. And, scientific proof or not, I’ll take that placebo effect. No need to be ragging on people who decide to wear it.
Anoop | Sat March 10, 2012
Hi Garrett,
Thanks for the comment.
Just want people to know that we shouldn’t be endorsing these charlatans even if it looks so cool.
I do not have one. My husband has one. He has MS and has balance issues and one of his buddies told him that maybe he should try one and see if it helped. Neither my husband nor I are athletes…middle aged (I can’t believe I just called myself that) It was laying on the counter in the bathroom and I picked it up to look at it and just holding it made me feel different. Sort of surprised me as I was expecting nothing and was a bit ticked off that we paid that much money for a piece of rubber 😊. But when I put it down the feeling went away, pick it up and I felt different. Sort of like a feeling of all was well. Just visited her to see if anyone else had this reaction. I still do not have one to wear myself.
Anoop | Sat January 05, 2013
It is called placebo effects and confirmation bias.
Also look up words logic and science.
Jonathan Amsden | Sat January 26, 2013
Look they work! Power balance and other bracelets use ion powder in the silicone to produce negative ions! Anions! Look up anions!
Mylar hologram is just for anti theft.
They produced it wrong. Just cuz they can’t explain it does not mean it does not work??!
Do you know how a light bulb works? Why it works? Sure it can be explained by some but does that mean if we cannot explain something it doesn’t work?
For real get with reality!
They work and I know they do! I know 1000s of people personally that benefit from ion/anion bracelets! Power balance, Lifestrength, EFX etc are just some examples!
My bet is you buying all the negative media and news and adopting their beliefs?
My questions are
1. Have you actually tried the bracelets with no biases?
2. Have you tried it for at least 2 weeks strait? Then taken it off for a couple days, to see the difference? Then put it back on?
3. Just cuz you Cannot explain something is it fair to say its a placebo? And if it is then that’s ok cuz it’s still helping people with headaches, back problems, arthritis, fibromyalgia and so much more! Healthy blood flow and oxygen through our meridians and organs!
I know a lady where her blood sugar went down after a couple of days wearing the power balance! She changed nothing but wear the bracelet! Explain that?
So it’s not hurting someone and if it is they can take it off and return it for a full refund so it’s not a scam! Scam does not give you money BACK!! They take it and run!!!
4. Get your facts straight and reblogg about the positive in the bracelets!
Oh and look up positive ions and negative ions!
Thanks!!
Andreas Dietzel | Sat January 26, 2013
Haha! That rant made my day! :D Joke of 2013 and it’s only January!
Jonathan Amsden | Sun January 27, 2013
Also do you know what’s in ion powder?
Tourmaline, rare earth elements(lanthanides), germanium, silica, zeolite, crystals, etc i can give you more all with links!
Do you even know that those big words are??
Why do you gotta hate so much become educated and learn for yourself don’t just buy into someone’s niave stupid lack of research belief! Unless of course you are a drone like so many people that buy into fixed media haha be a free thinker and USE YOUR BACK BONE! Find out for yourself! Your opinion just lets me know where you’re at in life so keep working on improving yourself while I use my heart to help others with their pain and effects of positive ions!
Placebo effect or not it works and placebo effect is real and if a bracelet can unlock someone’s ability or motivate them to overcome pain or win a game or perform better then I guess it’s just as good if not better then going to a motivational speech! Right?
I just know how I felt when I picked it up. Have one ordered for myself and our son.
Jonathan, you want to justify your belief in a rubber bracelet so much it is actually making you angry. If it is too good to be true it probably is. Get over it Mr. “Free Thinker.”
Jonathan Amsden | Fri April 05, 2013
Jason, how is it justifying when it’s the truth? Justifying is not needed here. theres nothing bad to cover up. haha Are you mad bro?
Why don’t you just get over it… that it works for some and some and doesn’t as much??
Do you even know what your talking about?? If you hate this product so much PROVE TO ME THAT IT DOESN’T WORK!!
I can PROVE to you how it does if you want?
Are you sure you can DEFEND YOUR BELIEF??
MAKE A WISE CHOICE AND EITHER IGNORE MY POST OR COME AT ME BRO! Haha 😉
I know my FACTS AND STATS!
What are you going to say?? It’s a scam, placebo, just rubber, the tests are rigged???
I think I answered all those…but tell me this WHY DOES IT WORK THEN? And if it does work why does it? If people are getting RESULTS there is YOUR EVIDENCE!
Can I ask you this? Have you actually TRIED THE PRODUCT? If so which one? For how long? Did you wear it 24/7? Or just a couple of min, hours, days?
What were you wanting help for? Your work out? Back pain?
Or are you buying into what the MEDIA was saying?? Or another person’s opinion/testimony besides YOUR OWN OPINION or EXPERIENCE?
I have been helping people with their life’s for 3 years now and they all love it man! I will admit some people didn’t really like it that much or respond too well to the bracelets but for those it has it’s LIFE CHANGING!! For the BETTER! If only you could see the POSITIVE IMPACT IT’S MADE! The tears of relief from pain or the shock of surprise when they notice the difference or touch their feet for the first time ever or in a very long time!
Jason and anyone else who does not believe or know yet just TRY IT! RISK FREE FOR 30 DAYS!
Buy it from whoever just try it!
It’s your life and choice though…just trying to help! 😊
Just put mine on now
Going to try it out for a while
Hoping for improved sleep, and less achy parts
Thanks
K
Micheal | Mon November 04, 2013
Hey, my sister is extremely disabled with cerebral palsy and she has one from a Dr. that is a pendant. Is this different? It works and she has better stability and balance.
Dakota Chancellor | Fri May 16, 2014
Anoop, I couldn’t agree with you more!
So, I was in Wal-Mart, the Devil’s Store, and I saw a rack of these mysterious “Power Bands”... I’m 14 years old, what do you expect, I opened te package and tried it on. Most people have a sudden rush, and they feel calm, I didn’t feel a friggin thing. These “Power Bands” were in sale, so I bought on for like 2 bucks, white coloured. I’ve worn it for 3 weeks now, not a difference, I can’t believe I fell for this crap. I then decided to look at this page, because I was already skeptical as it is, and sure enough… Well, you typed out the page, I’m sure you understand. xD
I still can’t believe people actually believe this, I’m not calling you stupid, but I’m definitely calling your actions stupid. I’ll admit, I was dumb to actually try this, but now I know, and knowing is half the battle. You can’t bring Science into a piece of Holgraphic Film surrounded by rubber. And, if it worked so well, why do the sales-person have to fake the procedure? I agree fully, this is a charlatan sales product…
Thanks so much for clearing this up for me, Anoop. Keep up the good work!
Anoop wear the band brother stop being such a sook cause you didnt make millions on the idea brahs hahahaha
ashish | Fri September 30, 2016
Hello Friends ,
I have bought this X-power bracelet by seeing ads in the media
but after wearing more than 3 days no effect is there that means it is wastage of money especially for INDIAN we trust on people too fast .
My view do not buy this it is wastage of money and this company is cheater now they do attend my calls .
Anoop | Sat October 01, 2016
Hi Ashish,
Probably not a great idea to believe what an ad says. One more reason to be more science based or evidence based.
Anoop Who cares if it works or doesn’t work, if someone wants to take a chance and they find some positive effects either placebo (I would take a placebo effect that is positive over chemicals that are positive any day) or real scientifically proven effects it doesn’t matter. You don’t have a right to tell anyone what to buy, or make them feel dumb for buying something.
I have magnetic bands and holographic bands, magnets are supoosed to help aid in blood circulation etc, but I don’t feel anything. When I use the holographic band I feel better, I know it’s placebo, and I don’t care as long as I believe it’s working.
