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Hand Workouts with Metal Balls

WEN JIAO

IT IS common in China to see elderly people strolling or chatting while turning two polished metal balls in one hand. The clicking of the balls gives a clear, musical sound. These are what the old folks call "keep-fit balls." The Chinese Premier presented U. S. President Reagan and Mrs. Reagan each with a pair as a gift during their visit to China in 1984.

Keep-fit balls can be traced back to the Ming Dynasty about 500 years ago. They first appeared as solid balls used for exercise and to defend oneself. They gradually developed into hollow balls with something like a clapper inside to produce a sound when turned, and were mainly used for keeping fit. Some elderly people use walnuts or wooden balls instead.
The keep-fit ball exercise is simple and easy to do. Place the balls in the palm of the right hand and rotate them counter¬clockwise with the five fingers. Then change to the other hand and rotate them clockwise. Practice until they can be manipu¬lated smoothly. A skillful exerciser can operate three or four balls in one hand at the same time and perform in several different ways.

The exercise helps to stimulate flood circulation and relax¬es the muscles and joints. If done regularly, some say, it also regulates central cerebral nerves and improves memory. It is helpful in preventing and treating numbness in the hands, trembling, finger or wrist arthritis and hypertension.

According to traditional Chinese medicine's theories on the channels and their collaterals through which the qi flows, on the five fingers of each hand there are a number of acu¬points connected to several channels. These channels link the cerebral nerves with viscera. Symptoms manifested in a certain internal organ immediately reflect along a certain channel.

The keep-fit ball exercise, through regular movements of the hands, is aimed at promoting the normal operation of the channels, regulating the qi and blood circulation, and benefiting internal organs. The friction between the balls in motion and between the balls and the palm produces static electricity and heat which stimulate the channels, and therefore it is be¬lieved useful in treating ailments in many parts of the body.