Ice hockey is tough. Very tough. Most people in Texas can’t even skate, much less handle a puck and play the game. But I can. Well. Thanks to my Hyper Vest PRO and a few SandBells.

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