Lateral Lower Body Blast:

1. Lateral Speed Squat: Start in wide position, making sure to sit back in proper position, and lunge from left to right without picking up the feet.
2. Lateral Lunge with Reach: With this lunge you introduce a step, be sure to load the SandBell on the outside and pay attention to the grip-strength muscles being activated.
3. Lateral Box Shuffle: It’s important with this exercise to really push off the outside leg. The SandBell load helps emphasize the change in direction when transitioning over the box step.
4. Skaters with SandBell Reach: Make sure to push off each foot and to take the SandBell toward each shoe to load on your basis of support.

Build from 12 repetitions per exercise for 2-3 sets, once a week for beginners, and more advanced exercisers can begin at 24 repetitions per exercise for 3-4 sets, once a week.

This circuit is a great challenge to keep in your arsenal of training tools. Incorporate these exercises, and ones similar to it, to make sure you’re strengthening those lateral movement muscles. Go out, give this a try and let us know what you think!

To view this week’s Hyper Training Lab video with Diane Vives, click here!

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!

In this first video, Diane introduces a routine based on body movements, not just body parts.  The four categories of movement in this circuit are:

1. Level Changes – lower body dominant movements
2. Push/Pull – upper body dominant movements
3. Rotary Stability/Rotation
4. Locomotion and Standing

This circuit is for conditioning and building foundational strength.  The details, so you can do your own circuit at home or in your facility are as follows:

*  Always begin with a proper dynamic warm-up

*  45 seconds of work followed by 15 seconds of rest in each station

*  Four-exercise circuit

*  Three to four rounds or circuits with 60-90 seconds of rest in between rounds for entire workout

And last, but not least, the fun part!  The exercise list:

1. Unilaterally Loaded Squats
2. Prone Row
3. SandBell Exchanges in V-Sit
4. Sagittal Jumps or Hops

Have fun, and let us hear your feedback!

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

As one of Hyper Wear’s summer interns, part of my job has been to familiarize myself with all things Hyper Wear. Being an avid runner, this was much more of an exciting opportunity than a “job.” A couple weeks ago I was given a Hyper Vest COOL to test out during one of my runs. Put simply, words cannot describe how unbelievable running in the COOL vest was!! As soon as I started running I could tell a world of a difference; with each mile that passed by I found myself less fatigued, and running with better form. I didn’t feel sloppy, slow and heavy, it was like a hot weight had been lifted off of my body and replaced with a light, cold sleeve.

The day prior to running with the COOL vest, I went out for a 3 p.m. run and completed 8 miles around Town Lake in 66 minutes. For me personally, that time was nothing to be proud of and also much longer than it normally takes me when the temperature is anywhere below 90 degrees. Granted, running at three in the afternoon was probably not the smartest idea, but it was the only time I had that day.

The next day I ran in the COOL vest and completed the same run at the same time of day. There are not enough adjectives to describe how much better I felt, my energy and attitude were soaring and I was actually enjoying a summer run in this ridiculous Texas heat. Also not only did I feel better, but the time it took me to complete the 8 miles decreased by 6 minutes. I was shocked to say the least, especially considering I was just coasting and reveling in the glorious run I was having, if I had picked up the pace who knows how much time would have been shaved off!

Even if running isn’t your workout of choice, we can all appreciate how miserable it can be exercising when it’s 103 degrees outside. Well, I’m here to tell you that all your reservations about working out in the heat can be completely diminished by throwing on a COOL vest. We shouldn’t have to be punished by the sun for wanting to reclaim our afternoon workouts! Stick it to the man, or the sun in this case, and get a COOL vest of your own so you can reclaim the fun in your workouts this summer!

Hyper Wear would not be where it is today if it were not for CATZ.  Their coaches have graciously and brutally tested our products every step along the way.  We’ll hand them a prototype and tell them to try to break it.  They’ll manhandle and workout with that piece of equipment until it busts or until they decide it is unbustable.  That’s why the Hyper Vest PRO, Hyper Vest COOL, SandBells, SteelBells, and WaterBells (coming soon!) are so amazingly durable – CATZ coaches put them through the ringer before they ever saw the light of day!

Hyper Wear LOVES CATZ!

On a more personal level, Cosmo and I  have had the awesome privilege of participating in CATZ classes since about 2006.  We began taking classes under the direction of Tim Meyer and our bodies have never been the same!  We can both honestly say we are in the best shape of our lives!

Today marks the end of an era – it is Tim’s last day as a trainer at CATZ.  He is moving on to some other great ventures that we know he’ll be awesome at, but CATZ just won’t be the same without him.  If you want to know more about Tim, you can check out his blog.  He promises to start up some outdoor bootcamps in the Cedar Park area, so look him up if you are in the mood for an awesome workout!

Love you Timmy!! 

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=05dpVirpTLw[/youtube]

This is the final week in our Pick Three Series of Medicine Ball / SandBell Sandbag Exercises.  This week is the Hip Toss Combo, a fantastic exercise for all types of athletes.

The purpose of this exercise is to help your athlete develop stability in the legs through decelerating the force of the landing and the weight and velocity of the SandBell. Strength and rhythm develops as the athlete is able to toss while pushing off into the next jump.

Also a great way to create higher levels of proprioception as the athlete cannot focus on their technique so coaches keep those eyes open!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SXRpZXQ_8Io[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach

MMM100

This week we’re finishing up the Pick 3 Series on Kettlebells and SteelBells. The series showcases my three favorite exercises with SteelBells that assist Kettlebell athletes with their training. Today we’re focusing on stabilization in the shoulder and hip with a Single Arm Overhead Isometric Press with a SteelBell.

To train my lockout of the Jerk portion of my Kettlebell series, I often hold the bell above my head and walk back and forth in my backyard, stepping over and around obstacles which tend to make the bell shift, thus forcing a more stable shoulder activation. The SteelBell from Hyper Wear offers even more instability as the weight inside constantly shifts throughout your grip when attempting to hold it still.

After I’m done with my main work sets of my workout, I will utilize this exercise with both a Kettlebell and a SteelBell for at least 90 seconds on each arm. Check out the video and give it a shot!

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

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
MMM94

This week I was visited by some of our new friends from the Dallas/Fort Worth area, the Police Training Group. The PTG’s mission is to provide clinics and workshops all around the country instructing proper techniques of improved law enforcement and self defense.

We met up with them recently in Austin, TX, and showed them a little bit about how the SandBell and Hyper Vest PRO could assist with their goals; as well as the Hyper Wear Team learning more about the needs of combat tactic specialization. The team of guys that came down were ready to train hard from the get go and awesome to work with for 3 hours. We started off at a slow but steady pace, but by the end of 3 hours, these guys were toast! We also exchanged training philosophies, funny stories, and even came up with some new ideas for training together! So, enough talk, let’s get to work! Enjoy!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZNFRzhm2uRg[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #73

This week I’m sending off one of my most long serving athletes to his first year of college, Jack Wallace, and we’re doing it in Hyper-style!!

Jack attended St. Andrew’s Episcopal School here in Austin and is about to begin his collegiate track and field career at the University of the Redlands in California this month.

He is a hard-working, dedicated 400m sprinter that is ready to take his abilities to the collegiate ranks, and I’ve been helping him prepare for that goal since late 2009.

I caught his final workout with me on camera and decided to share it with you! He’s working with a Hyper Vest PRO, 25 lb SandBell, TRX, and other great toys we have here at CATZ!

Good luck Jack!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPeJbaE9RJY[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #71

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yKzzM67DbDY&feature=email[/youtube]

Ok, let’s get down to it. What’s the number one exercise in the weight room you think of when you’re training football players? The Squat. What a fantastic exercise for overall strength and stabilization. Having a strong squat is one of the major exercises to enhance an athlete’s ability to produce force, hold their ground, and be explosive.

In honor of the squat, we’ve decided to do a three-part series on a few variations of the traditional squat using a heavy SandBellâ„¢. Enjoy the simple variations of the exercise, but always remember to think about proper form with each repetition! A heavy squat is nothing to take lightly…!

Be sure to watch the Eagles march into the Capitol to take on the Redskins tonight on Monday Night Football!

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #29

What is a SandBell? Hyper Wear’s SandBell is a cross between a sandbag, a dumbbell, a barbell, a grip bag, a medicine ball, a slam ball, and a kettlebell. Made of tough stretchy neoprene, the SandBell is the most versatile and enjoyable functional weight training tool on the market. Sizes range from 2lb to 50lb. Even more amazing is that the SandBell utilizes a patent pending fill mechanism that allows the end user to fill or empty the SandBell with whatever fill material desired.

Since Hyper Wear has introduced the SandBell, there have been nothing but great things said about the product.  It’s opened the doors to a new form of fitness training.  One of the people who have seen how eye opening this product can be is Jeff “Mad Dog” Madden, associate director for strength and conditioning at the University of Texas.  Muscle and Fitness interviewed “Mad Dog” and asked him how he uses the SandBells in his training.  Here is a tidbit of the interview:

Q: How do SandBells factor into your training?
A: You can use them every way you can use a medicine ball, but because they’re free form, the shifting weight really works on grip strength and wrist torque. And they’re really good for forearm development. We’ve got them from 5 pounds up to 100 pounds.

Q: How do they compare to medicine balls?
A: I’ve been a strength and conditioning coach for 27 years, so SandBells were a great change for us, something a little different for the athletes. One advantage is that we can use them in all kinds of weather. Leather medicine balls get sloppy and seams starting tearing when they get wet, and rubber balls get slippery.

If you’d like to read the entire interview, you can see it here on the Muscle and Fitness Website.

Playground Series……..Round 3. Let’s go with some fun work on the shoulders and also see how good our hand eye coordination is at the same time.

I came up with an interesting twist on how to use monkey bars in conjunction with the SandBell™.  Let me tell you, by the 3rd round through the bars, I was definitely feeling the burn!! This series of exercises would be a great substitute for a simple shoulder press or even a shoulder raise series in the gym.

Enjoy!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=syiWDUtp0GU[/youtube]

WATCH ALL THE WAY THROUGH THE VIDEO TO GET YOUR HYPER WEAR PRODUCT DISCOUNT CODE!

Never Stand Still!

Bill Meyer, SCE, USAW
Head Hyper Wear Coach
www.hyperwear.com
Performance Director, CATZ-Austin

MMM #23

This week we have a different take on the MMM, I guess I would say it’s a little bit “cooler” than our previous videos. We have recently created a new training vest, and everyone at Hyper Wear and CATZ is extremely excited.

By now, you have heard of or even have an original Hyper Vest which is the best vest you can find for adding a little bit more resistance and overall difficulty to your workouts. Now now we have a new vest, one that is specifically designed for aiding in the proper methods of initial recovery from a workout, keeping you cooler during a workout, or even preparing your body for a tough workout in extreme heat.

It’s called the Hyper Vest Cool, and after trying it one time after a tough 90 minute training session, I am definitely backing this one to keep me cool for life! Enjoy the video, and get yourself a Cooling Vest!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yx-IAhegQaI[/youtube]
Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #22

Ok, due to popular demand, we’re continuing with the Playground series.  Hope you’re as excited as I am! I had a blast doing the next several videos, so make sure you’re tuning in each week for the next exercise!

Soon we’ll be introducing a brand new Hyper Wear product.  Make sure you stay tuned for a sneak peak at this fantastically COOL new product!

This week, let’s look at some rotational core training with a child’s swing and a 50-lb SandBell. The beauty of this exercise is that you are forced to accelerate the weight and decelerate it which is definitely the more difficult action for the muscles to produce. Most people tend to forget about the deceleration or “negative” portion of the exercise where your muscles are lengthening and loading for the next repetition. This is really where new muscle fiber can be recruited and the body can be taken out of its comfort zone. Enjoy!!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9hOcaUUsq0s[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #20

Alright, let’s sliiiiiide right into the next exercise on the playground. How else can we use the typical slide except for sliding down it you ask? Grab a SandBell and slide on top of it, that’s how!! I came up with this exercise one night at the local playground in my neighborhood and after doing 4 sets of 1 minute on each side of my body, I couldn’t believe how torn up my core was the next few days.

Enjoy!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1L9Ze-Vnpi4[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #19

This week, we’re taking it back to the oooold school!! Lately, I’ve been experimenting with working out at my neighborhood playground with a pretty heavy SandBell.  I thought I’d show you all some of the crazy antics I’ve been up to.

For me, training in non-traditional settings is what works the best. I feel like it’s not even training, but really just playing around like when you were a kid….except your heart rate is sky rocketing and you’re a little bit more fearful of injury on the playground than when you were 6 years old! Enjoy “The Octagon” and all its twists and turns, bumps and bruises!

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

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #18

By now, summer for our school-aged athletes is almost over, even though the Texas heat and humidity is making me feel like summer is here to stay for much much longer!  This is another great reason to do some workouts in the water.  Since we’re in the water, why not use a SandBell that actually…………..floats!!

Yes, introducing the TsunamiBell (please email Cosmo some catchier names…haha!!), the Sandbell that you don’t have to keep retrieving from the bottom of South Padre’s beach (thank you, Sparrow!).

I look at all types of training as fun, and that’s definitely part of the MMM’s message each week – showing you fun ways to get in shape.  So enjoy this week’s non-traditional game of “Catch”!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oto671ZlQYM[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #17

Who wants great legs? All of us do, right?! Well, today I want you to take a look at the quad bustin’, glute crushin’, calf killin’ total leg workout that Sparrow and I came up with while in South Padre.

This workout not only got the legs burning but definitely increased the heart rate to a point that the other 1 minute videos couldn’t contend with. It really felt as if I just got done running a 800m sprint at full speed!  So for lack of better words……..ENJOY!!! =)

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LOs83CKqSNM[/youtube]
Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #15

So we’re well into the South Padre beach series, and this week I figured it was time to drop the bomb on everyone. Yes, it’s time to hit the Abs!!!

Everyone’s favorite body part to train here at CATZ is the abdominal region, so while we were “working” (errr “playing” I mean) at the beach, I created a new exercise for core training in the water, using a SandBell, of course.

The second exercise in this 1-minute video is a little tougher than I thought it would be and overall, it was definitely my favorite of all the exercises we put together for our summer time series. Enjoy!!!!!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cvzpNhU2uxU[/youtube]

Never Stand Still!

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

MMM #14