I began playing roller hockey when I was 10 out in front of my house in the street. A group of kids my age would play every Saturday from the time we got up until it was too dark to see what we were doing. The game became such a regular occurrence that kid’s parents began to play. My dad even donned the rollerblades a time or two and would join in. It got so competitive that mini feuds would break out and neighbors were less than friendly as a result. I loved every minute of it. When I was 12 I graduated to playing in actual roller rinks and did so for the next 5 years. By the time I was 16 my team had made it to the junior Olympics and we even had sponsors. But roller hockey is for dorks.

My freshman year at UT I had a good friend that played for the UT men’s club Ice Hockey team. He would practice regularly at Chapparral Ice on I-35. He randomly asked me to join one night and it changed everything. He let me borrow a pair of skates and supplemented me with any gear I was missing. I could barely stay up the first hour but eventually got the  hang of it. From then on hockey was once again all I could think about. Christmas break that year I returned to Dallas for a month off from school and played just about every single day at the local Starscenter. My girlfriend at the time got so jealous of my preference of hockey over her that she dumped me. To this day I still think I made the right choice. For the next several years any time I was in Dallas I would bust out the gear and play drop-in hockey. I did so until around my senior year until I just didn’t have the time to play any longer.

My hockey gene lay dormant for the next several years until November 2009. I took my then girlfriend to a Texas Stars game www.texasstarshockey.com.

Being around hockey again made me realize how much I really missed playing. When I was home for Christmas later that year I pulled my gear out of mothballs in my mom’s garage and began to play again. I started by going to stick and puck sessions, which is where you can work on skating, shooting etc.. but not actually play.  It was a great way for me to get my skates back under me. One day I was in the locker room after a session when a group of guys were getting ready to play. One of em asked me if I’d like to join sometime. They informed me that they were in a program called “Hockey Lite”, which is a weekly, organized, pre-paid drop in session. They break it down by skill level so you can be competitive and play with those of similar abilities. I bought a new helmet, new socks, a new stick and on my 28th birthday played my first session. It was VERY intimidating that first skate back after such a long break but by the end I was at least hanging with some of the regulars. Since then I’ve been in every hockey lite session for 2 solid years, rarely ever missing a skate. In fact, if I take more than a week off I don’t feel like myself.  Here’s a video and some random shots from Hockey Lite:

Hockey Lite

Hockey lite has become such a regular part of my life that I can’t imagine not doing it. I have a great group of friends that I’ve come to know through hockey and they’ve become a regular part of my life. There’s such an interesting mix of personalities in this group. More than half are migratory snowbirds from Canada, Michigan, Boston, etc..and the rest are native Texans like myself. Most are over the age of 35 and have kids, however there are a few younger, single guys like yours truly.  We always go out to eat and have a few beers afterwards and the conversation is always about the game we just played. Its such an awesome way to play the sport you love and make new friends while doing so. There’s always friendly smack-talk yet for the most part everyone is very positive.  I’ve been playing consistently for several years now, so much so that I’ve started playing in the organized leagues. Which brings me to the Hyper Vest PRO and the SandBells.

Since my time as an employee at Hyperwear my fitness has already improved tremendously. Our daily workouts have improved my core strength, flexibility and overall fitness level. The 10 lb Large Hyper Vest PRO: http://www.hyperwear.com/buy/weight-vest/10-lb-large-hyper-vest-pro.html has become a part of my regular fitness regiment. I try to incorporate it into as many exercises as possible and even wear it around the office sometimes. I recently took my hockey playing to the next level and signed up for the Adult Men’s League at the Cedar Park Center. This is a major step up from the once a week drop-in game I’ve been playing, as such I knew I needed to really get in shape if I wanted to be competitive. I joke with the guys that getting paid to workout at FitMob! events is pretty great. Hyperwear products have already put me on the right path towards a higher plane of fitness, and it’s only going to get better. After last night’s FitMob! event I decided to keep rolling with the vest and give it a shot at an actual hockey game. To prove I’m not B.S.’ing I had a buddy snap a few photos:

Even warming up in the vest is a challenge. The compression and extra weight really forced me to breathe deeply and focus on my strides as I skated. Your average player wears up to 20 lbs of gear so that extra 10 really made a huge difference. I skated several laps, took some shots and stretched and was ready to play. The first shift was fairly normal as my adrenaline was already pumping so I didn’t notice too much of a difference, however by the time I had settled down and began my second shift the weight of the vest was very apparent. I barely made it off the ice that shift. I decided that I had enough extra gear already and ditched the vest in the locker room. The next shift I FLEW down the ice like Sidney Crosby. Just half an hour skating in my Hyper Vest PRO and I could tell a huge difference. I was skating faster, had more energy and just overall felt like I had a step on everyone. I know keeping up with my Hyperwear training will only lead to more gains. Take it from me: If you want to get fit and perform better at any sport, go get some Hyperwear gear.

Chris Remington

Total Body Circuit Exercises:

1. TRX/Hyper Vest Pro one leg squat to hip hinge combination
2. SandBell rotational push-up
3. TRX/Hyper Vest Pro torso rotation
4. SandBell burpee slam

It’s your move! CLICK HERE to watch this week’s Hyper Training Lab video.

As a new employee with Hyperwear I had spent the first few days on the job soaking up information and procedures, learning about our product and getting to know my new co-workers. I wondered why everyone was always dressed in workout clothes. I had never felt over-dressed in jeans.  It soon dawned on me that Hyperwear takes fitness very seriously. I’d find out the hard way. Last thursday I joined the Hyperwear Fit Mob crew on town lake for my first workout. I have a sample Hyper Vest PRO: http://www.hyperwear.com/discover/hyper-vest-pro.html/with 5 lbs in it at the moment so I strapped it on and headed out for a 3 mile jog with the group. My first thought was “hey I play ice hockey, I can knock out 60 miles on the road bike like nothing, why should this be any different?” After half a mile of running in the Hyper Vest and tossing sandbells like footballs I was gassed. The rest of the group kept going and my pace slowed to a crawl. But I kept going. Being the new guy I didn’t want to give the impression I was slacking so I pushed it. My legs were screaming and my chest heaved. But again I kept going. By the time I reached the end my legs felt like jello and I was fairly dizzy. It dawned on me that there really is something to the weight vest as that was one of the tougher 3 mile jogs I’d ever done. I met up with the group and we began the second half of the Fit Mob session: a sandbell workout.

The sandbell portion of Fit Mob consisted of dynamic full body motion exercises and some partnered tossing/slamming ones. It was a killer workout to say the least. The sandbell is so versitale you can do practically anything with it.  We kept the pace high for half an  hour and finished strong. Everyone seemed to enjoy it. Afterwards we snapped a group photo:

As I drove home I could barely use my legs to change gears in the Jeep. I woke up the next morning and practically fell out of bed as I could hardly move. In fact, my legs were sore for 4 days afterwards. Somehow it felt good. Needless to say I’m excited for the next Fit Mob session and look forward to all the punishment my body can handle because I know this: Fit Mob will make you stronger.

Check out http://www.hyperwear.com/community/events.html/ or https://www.facebook.com/hyperwear to find out when the next workout will be held.

Chris Remington

Fun size candy calories:

• Snickers- 72 calories
• Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup- 80 calories
• Almond Joy- 91 calories
• Reese’s Nutrageous- 95 calories
• M&M’s- 90 calories
• Peanut M&M’s- 93 calories
• Butterfinger- 100 calories
• Milky Way- 76 calories
• Skittles- 80 calories
• Kit Kat- 73 calories

Ready to make a B-line for the gym after adding up those “fun sized” calories? Before you lace up your kicks, keep reading to see how you can get the most out your workouts this week.

One easy way to kick start calorie burning without changing your workout routine is to simply throw on a Hyper Vest PRO weight vest.

“…by adding resistance to your workout, you can boost your overall caloric output. Resistance in the form of a weighted vest helps to amplify your calorie burning results of any weight-bearing exercise such as running, jumping rope, or playing your favorite sport,” says Kimberly Butts, author of the Livestrong.com article “Weighted Vests to Burn More Calories.”

Another great way to get more bang for your caloric buck is with circuit training. According to Harvard Health Publications, on average a 155 pound person will burn 298 calories after 30 minutes of circuit training, and a 185 pound person will burn 355 calories. For some GREAT circuit training ideas, view our Hyper Training Lab videos on YouTube, or click here to see the most recent one!

Don’t see your favorite candy on this list above? Read the full article on calories in popular Halloween candy on fitsugar.com.

In her blog, “Run free? Barefoot running gets harnessed by minimalist shoes,” Erin Renzas dishes on the origins of the current barefoot running craze, and the shoes designed to cater to this running niche.

Barefoot running took off in 2009 after Christopher McDougall published his book, Born to Run. McDougall’s book details his struggle with frequent running injuries and journey to find a better way to run, which, you guessed it—resulted in his turn to barefoot running as the injury cure-all.

“Barefoot running, advocates say, allows the runner to feel the subtle changes in terrain and let the feet, legs and body adjust to better prepare itself for impact. This in turn, leads to more efficient running and less injury,” according to Renzas blog.

Now for some, running barefoot just isn’t a viable option, but the thinking that supports this style of running is an attractive option for those suffering from numerous injuries. Nike offers its Nike Free Run+2 shoe that’s manufactured to be much lighter and simplistic than the average running shoe, while still providing some stability and protection.

View Renzas’ blog to get the scoop on some other shoes that offer this middle ground between barefoot running and the traditional running shoe. And for those of you looking to amp up your running routine in a different way, visit our website to read about how the Hyper Vest PRO can add an additional challenge to any workout routine, or how the Hyper Vest COOL can improve your running by chilling you out!

Super-Set 1:  Strength to Stability

1. Dead Lift
2. Step over lunge with one-hand SandBell carry

Super-Set 2:  Strength to Stability

1. Bench Press
2. Rolling push ups with the Hyper Vest PRO

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D9ZIe3t7y5I[/youtube]

Now go out, give these super-sets a try, and let us know what you think!

According to an online article, “Wide waist, narrow mind: How middle age spread can shrink your brain,” those who were obese in their 50s tended to perform poorly on mental tests conducted in a U.S. research study. The study consisted of more than 1,300 men and women in their 50s and 60s, and over the span of ten years brain scans and mental tests were conducted on participants.

Results of the study concluded that even among the healthiest individuals, the brain shrinks with age, but those with diabetes shrank at a faster rate than those without the disease.

Moral of the story, be fit, stay active and lead a healthy lifestyle. If you don’t, not only will your wallet have to pay for the new jeans to mask your expanding waistline, your brain will also be suffering the consequences.

There are endless ways to stay in shape, visit our Facebook page, website or YouTube channel for tons of ideas, or just throw on your Hyper Vest PRO and carry on with your day. Trust us, your body and brain will thank you later!

An article on Livestrong.com, “Benefits of a Weight Vest,” by Andy Chasse discusses how and why weight vests are so effective, and provides some research to back it up. For example, a study conducted at Texas Tech University consisting of two groups of athletes, one training with and one training without a weight vest, revealed that after six weeks both groups improved in various tactical areas, but the one training with the vest improved substantially more.

Weight vests are a great tool to amp up workouts and challenge muscles so they don’t get used to repetitive movements. When you’re pressed for time and can’t come up with new exercises to keep the body guessing, just throw on a vest.

“This unconventional exercise method allows us to throw our systems off whenever necessary,” says Chasse.

Still not convinced? Well then consider the findings of another study in Chasse’s article—a study published in the “European Journal of Applied Physiology” found that of 12 distance athletes, the group running with a weight vest “emerged victorious with improvements in both their VO2 max (a measure of the body’s ability to consume oxygen) and lactate threshold (the exercise intensity at which lactate begins to accumulate in the blood), two crucial factors affecting endurance exercise.”

US Olympic Decathlete, Trey Hardee trained with the Hyper Vest PRO prior to his 2009 season. In a testimonial to Hyper Wear, Hardee had the following to say about the Hyper Vest PRO.

“I have never seen or used a weight vest like the Hyper Vest PRO. It stays tight, comfortable and cool on my body enabling me to increase my bodyweight while training. It makes adding resistance to my workouts effortless…”

So believe the hype! The Hyper Vest PRO is the real deal when it comes to seeing results and improvement. Visit hyperwear.com to purchase your own vest and see why so many people are boasting the great benefits weight vest training has to offer!

Since that time, we’ve have mini-shoots with each new product as it came along, but as more folks find out about our products, we need more good shots of the SandBells, SteelBells, Cooling Vest, and WaterBells in action.  You’ll start to see the results of our photo shoot from this week on the website and other places, but I wanted you, our faithful blog readers, to get a glimpse behind-the-scenes!  These were just some quick shots I took with my phone…

Britny executes a single arm row, split stance, with a WaterBell.

Britny teaches Denver how to do a pike on a stability ball.

Diane shows us a single arm fly with a SteelBell

At this point, Denver had never done this quick-hands drill.  He said to Britny, “Is that hard?  Why are you going so slow?”  So we let Denver give it a 30-second try…he was no longer picking on Britny about going slow…  If you’ve ever done this drill with us at a tradeshow or presentation, you know it is MUCH harder than it looks!

Cosmo instructs Britny and Denver on what exercise he wants to shoot next.

It was a fun afternoon and Cosmo got some excellent shots!  Thank you to our great models, Britny Fowler, Denver Fredenburg, and Diane Vives for your hard work and commitment.  We can’t wait to get these new pics out in the world!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yJItnOqqZ6I&feature=player_embedded[/youtube]

My new firefighter friend was pleased.

I asked how he heard about us and he told me that when he Googled “best weighted vest” a website called “Bestcovery” came up. Their tagline is “Discover the Best of Everything.” On the website, we are listed as the best weight vest out there! We’re so honored, thankful, and humbled to receive this title from this website. We really do work hard to make it the best and hope you think it is, too. Check out the website and see what other cool stuff they recommend!

Today we’re taking to the beautiful outdoors of Austin, TX! We’re talking SandBells and TRX Suspension Training for the next several weeks and you are in for a good time, I promise you that!

If you are familiar with the TRX straps we’re talking about, you might be thinking “How can Bill combine one hands-dominant exercise with another?” Well, start with some good creative thinking, add in some quality pieces of training equipment with no limits to where we can exercise, and you’ve got yourself a training program! Enjoy this opening video on front squatting with the TRX and SandBells!

Key Points – Squatting in the split stance position is great for single leg strengthening and taking your overall leg strength and stability to a greater level instead of always doing a traditional base-stance squat.

Enjoy!

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #44

We’ve reached the final week with CATZ Founder, Jim Liston, putting CATZ Austin Coach, Blake Gould, through the paces of the foundational movements of strength training. With the final progressions being introduced, Jim throws out some heavy hitters to finish the workout in Orlando, FL.

Look out for the SandBell Toss and Chase, Lateral Lunges, Plank Madness, and some great Single Leg Stabilization Exercises. Can Blake keep up with the best that CATZ and Hyper Wear have to offer? You’re about to find out…

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #43

Ok MMM’ers, there’s only 2 more weeks left for you to get your fill of CATZ Founder, Jim Liston, bringing the heat down in Orlando, FL with CATZ Austin Coach Blake Gould trying to keep up!

I think this is the specific video that Blake was telling me about when he got back home from Florida, saying “Man, I thought I was in shape, and then I started training with Jim!!” Take a look at the video for more of the 5 major movements of strength development!!

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #42

Round Three! We’re back in Florida with Jim and Blake for another look at the Hyper Vest and SandBells in action.

Competitive Athlete Training Zone Founder, Jim Liston, takes CATZ Austin Coach, Blake Gould, through another series in the foundations of training here at CATZ. As always, look for the basics: a push, pull, squat, split squat, and single leg exercise.

Have you been keeping up? Are you able to do the workouts with Jim and Blake? Post a comment on the video on YouTube and let us know what you think!

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #41

Round Two!! Get ready for some more Jim and Blake in Florida!

Competitive Athlete Training Zone Founder, Jim Liston, takes CATZ Austin Coach Blake Gould through another series in the foundations of training here at CATZ. To ensure a great training session, you always want to include a push, pull, squat, split squat, and single leg exercise. Once again, Jim comes up with a creative way to use SandBells in this simple, but challenging workout.

This week I challenge you to follow along at home, so grab your SandBell and get started!!!!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #40

So, CATZ President and Founder, Jim Liston, is known for devising workouts that can kick your butt. Last week we saw the warm, but the warm up is officially OVER!!

This week Jim shows Coach Blake a few pointers on training all planes of the body at once, while challenging balance. He moves from basic square stance exercises to split and eventually single leg only. Let’s see how Blake handles the workout this week!

Never Stand Still!!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #39B