Stringing a lacrosse head. Mastering the Art of Lacrosse Head Stringing: Inside Sidewall Technique

How does stringing to the inside sidewall revolutionize lacrosse head performance. What are the key benefits of this innovative technique. How can players and enthusiasts master this advanced stringing method.

Table of Contents

The Evolution of Lacrosse Head Stringing: Introducing the Inside Sidewall Technique

In the ever-evolving world of lacrosse, innovation in equipment and technique is constant. While many new stringing methods come and go, occasionally a breakthrough emerges that transforms the game. The inside sidewall stringing technique, pioneered by Lars Keil, is one such innovation that has taken both men’s and women’s lacrosse by storm.

This revolutionary method involves stringing the mesh to the inside of the sidewall, rather than the traditional outside approach. The result? A whole new realm of pocket possibilities that were previously unattainable.

Origins of the Inside Sidewall Technique

The genesis of this technique came from necessity rather than deliberate innovation. Lars Keil, now considered the “Jedi Master” of this stringing style, initially developed it as a solution to damaged sidewalls. When faced with pulled-through sidewall holes, Keil found a way to utilize the positioning of specific holes while still locking the string into place.

Advantages of Stringing to the Inside Sidewall

Why has this technique gained such popularity among players and stringers alike? The benefits are numerous and significant:

Enhanced pocket shapes
Improved channel control
Greater customization options
Potential for better ball retention and release

According to Keil, “It opens up a whole new world of possibilities for pocket shapes. Stringing to the inside allows for an innumerable number of new pocket shapes that were previously a fantasy.”

Can you achieve a high bag with a tight channel on wider defensive heads? With inside sidewall stringing, this becomes possible, offering players unprecedented control and feel.

Mastering the Inside Sidewall Technique: A Step-by-Step Guide

For those eager to try their hand at this innovative stringing method, here’s a comprehensive guide to get you started:

Materials Needed:

1 Lacrosse Head (men’s or women’s)
1 top string (normal length)
2 sidewalls (36 inches or longer)
1 bottom string
2-3 shooters (as per preference)
1 piece of True Mesh

Step 1: The Floating Top String

Begin with a floating top string, which differs slightly from a traditional top string. The key distinction is that the interlocks won’t pull the diamond to the plastic, allowing for more flexibility in the pocket.

Gopher Tip: Ensure you pull the sidewall as tight as possible, eliminating any slack in your knots and transitions.

Step 2: The Sidewall – Where the Magic Happens

Start with a basic loop on the 9th sidewall hole.
Skip four holes.
Begin your SI (string interlock), but bring the sidewall to the outer side of the head.
Pass back through the open sidewall above and complete the SI.

You’ll notice the mesh now hugs the inside of the sidewall rather than the bridge, creating a unique pocket shape.

Step 3: The Pattern

For the rest of the head, follow this pattern: skip, SI, SI, SI, SI, SI, skip, SI, SI, tie off.

Step 4: The Bottom String

While you can use any preferred bottom string method, here’s one of Lars’ patterns:

Start at the first 10-diamond row after the sidewall tie off.
Make a double overhand knot.
Run it from the bottom of the head on the outer throat hole.
Loop it around the hole.

Overcoming Challenges in Inside Sidewall Stringing

Are there difficulties in mastering this technique? Absolutely. As Lars Keil points out, “You don’t exactly have to start from scratch, but all those old tried-and-true patterns you know have to be thrown out the window and you have to learn an all new set of patterns.”

This learning curve can be steep, but the rewards are worth the effort. Here are some tips to help you navigate the challenges:

Practice patience – it takes time to master new patterns
Experiment with different heads – some may be more conducive to this technique than others
Keep everything as tight as possible for optimal performance
Always cut more string than you think you’ll need – it’s better to have excess than to run short

Impact of Inside Sidewall Stringing on Game Play

How does this innovative stringing technique affect performance on the field? Players who have adopted the inside sidewall method report several improvements:

Enhanced ball control due to customized pocket shapes
Improved shooting accuracy from tighter channels
Better feel for the ball, especially in defensive positions
Increased versatility in stick skills

While individual experiences may vary, the widespread adoption of this technique in both men’s and women’s lacrosse speaks to its effectiveness.

Future of Lacrosse Head Stringing: Beyond the Inside Sidewall

What does the future hold for lacrosse head stringing? Will the inside sidewall technique continue to dominate, or will new innovations emerge?

As with any sport, evolution is constant. While the inside sidewall method has proven its worth, it’s likely that stringers and players will continue to experiment and innovate. Some potential areas for future development include:

Hybrid stringing techniques combining traditional and inside sidewall methods
New materials that enhance the benefits of inside sidewall stringing
Advanced patterns that further customize pocket performance
Integration of technology to optimize stringing for individual playing styles

Regardless of what the future holds, the inside sidewall technique has undoubtedly left an indelible mark on the sport of lacrosse.

Embracing Innovation: The Inside Sidewall Revolution in Lacrosse

The inside sidewall stringing technique represents more than just a new way to string a lacrosse head. It embodies the spirit of innovation that drives the sport forward. By challenging conventional methods and pushing the boundaries of what’s possible, Lars Keil and other pioneering stringers have opened up new avenues for player performance and enjoyment.

As this technique continues to gain popularity, we can expect to see its influence ripple through all levels of play, from youth leagues to professional tournaments. The inside sidewall method is a testament to the fact that even in a sport with centuries of history, there’s always room for innovation and improvement.

For players, coaches, and enthusiasts looking to stay at the cutting edge of lacrosse technology, mastering the inside sidewall technique is no longer just an option – it’s becoming a necessity. As the sport evolves, so too must the skills and techniques of those who play it.

Key Takeaways for Aspiring Inside Sidewall Stringers

Embrace the learning curve – perfecting this technique takes time and patience
Experiment with different heads and patterns to find what works best for your playing style
Pay attention to tension – keeping everything tight is crucial for optimal performance
Don’t be afraid to innovate – the inside sidewall technique was born from creative problem-solving
Share your experiences – contributing to the lacrosse community helps advance the sport for everyone

As we look to the future of lacrosse, one thing is clear: the inside sidewall technique has set a new standard for what’s possible in head stringing. Whether you’re a player looking to enhance your game, a coach seeking to give your team an edge, or simply a lacrosse enthusiast fascinated by the sport’s technical aspects, exploring this innovative stringing method is sure to deepen your appreciation for the game.

Remember, in the words of Lars Keil, “Millimeters are miles” when it comes to stringing. The subtle differences achieved through inside sidewall stringing can make a world of difference on the field. So grab your lacrosse head, some mesh, and plenty of sidewall string, and join the revolution that’s reshaping the face of lacrosse, one pocket at a time.

Stringing To The Inside Sidewall: #TheGopherProject

Every so often something new comes along in the world of stringing. Someone has a new top string set up or something unique with how they string up a head. Truth be told most of these hit a fad phase and then slowly fade away. For example, the Chenango top string anyone? It was all the rage when it first was strung up and is a functional good pocket but is relatively scarce these days. So, when someone creates a style that not only takes a hold of the men’s game but also the women’s? Then they deserve a spotlight on #TheGopherProject. Lars Keil is the Godfather (wait, that doesn’t fit…more like Jedi Master) of stringing to the inside sidewall. Let’s go to Lars himself get some background on this.

Kevin Henry: How did you come up with this idea?

Lars Keil: Honestly, the first few times I did the stringing to the inside sidewall, it was because I had either pulled through the sidewall or someone else had and I had to find an alternative where I used the positioning of that specific hole, but was still have to lock the string into that position.

KH: What is the benefit of stringing to the inside sidewall?

LK: It opens up a whole new world of possibilities for pocket shapes. Stringing to the inside allows for an innumerable number of new pocket shapes that were previously a fantasy. It all comes down to where and how the mesh is pulled to and from. Something that I have said for years when it comes to stringing is that millimeters are miles. And when it comes to stringing some of the wider defensive heads, all of a sudden you can have a high bag with a tight channel that you could never have before with stringing to the outside.

KH: What’s the toughest part of learning this style?

LK: You don’t exactly have to start from scratch, but all those old tried-and-true patters you know have to be thrown out the window and you have to learn an all new set of patterns. It is very exciting!

To be completely honest, I have never strung one of these in my life. Once I started framing out this week’s edition of #TheGopherProject here, I knew Lars would be one of the first spotlights so I figured we’d try this together here. So here we go.

Materials for Our Stringing To The Inside Sidewall Project (What You’ll Need):

1 Lacrosse Head (men’s or women’s). For this, I’m using a True Key (same one I used in the fade tutorial in our previous #TheGopherProject edition)
1 top string (Normal Length)
2 sidewalls (for this I used 36 inches but I suggest adding a few more your first attempt)
1 bottom string
2/3 shooters (your preference)
1 True Mesh (kind of hard to do without a piece)

Lars Tips:

While possible, it is much easier to set up mid to high pockets stringing to the inside than it is to do low pockets
Keep everything as tight as possible
Whatever you think is the appropriate length of string, always cut yourself a few more inches, string is cheap, there are few things more infuriating that having to completely redo a sidewall because you didn’t cut enough string to begin with

Step 1: Lars has been incorporating a floating top string lately so I’m using that. A floating top string is not very different from a normal topstring. The major difference is that the interlocks will not pull the diamond to the plastic.

Gopher Tip: Pull the sidewall as tight as you can and make sure there is no slack in your knots and transitions.

Step 2: Sidewall. Here is where we are the magic happens. Note, for the True Key, there are multiple sidewall holes so if you’re using another head (say the STX Stallion or ECD Rebel) you’ll need to bring the sidewall over the top of the sidewall.

We begin with your basic loop on the 9^th sidewall hole. Skip four holes and then begin your SI but bring the sidewall to the outer side of the head and back through the open sidewall above and complete the SI.

You’ll notice the mesh is now hugging the inside of the sidewall and not the bridge.

Now that we got that set, the pattern for the rest of the head is skip, SI, SI, SI, SI, SI, skip, SI, SI, Tie off.

Since this spotlight is for Jedi, it wouldn’t be complete without a pre/post pounding….

Step 3: Bottom String. You can use whatever one you prefer, for this one, I’ve used one of Lars patterns. Start at the first 10-diamond row after the sidewall tie off. Make a double overhand knot and run it from the bottom of the head on the outer throat hole. Loop it around the hole again and weave the bottom string through 5 diamonds down into the 3^rd throat hole. Take the bottom string back and up through the second hole and weave through the other 5 diamonds and tie off like the other side.

Step 4: Shooters. Rolled or weaved, your call. Just remember if you roll, make sure they are tight and to the proper tension.

Step 5: Now I am going to hit the wall and give some feedback on the pocket.

Thanks for reading! Use #TheGopherProject on your string ups to earn a future spotlight or string up of the week!

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David Cutcliffe Press Conference Quotes: North Carolina

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DURHAM – Duke football head coach David Cutcliffe met with members of the media on Monday afternoon for his weekly press conference.

The Blue Devils travel to North Carolina on Saturday. The game will be broadcast on ESPN2 with Mike Morgan, Kirk Morrison, and Dawn Davenport on the call. Kickoff is set for noon. The game can also be heard on the Blue Devil Sports Network from LEARFIELD through the Varsity app or GoDuke.com

David Cutcliffe Duke Football Head Coach
(Ref.: Opening Statement)
“Well, good afternoon. I really thought we had an outstanding victory, to go back just for a second. I was impressed with Kansas and their effort and their planning. That’s a program that has been under a very difficult circumstance that responded like you would want a team to respond if you’re their coach. I think their coaching staff did a terrific job. It wasn’t easy and that’s good because I think we got better as that game went along. Also, they’re good enough to show you things you better get repaired as quickly as you can.

“That emphasis was part of our practice yesterday. We’re playing an extremely talented team, the most talented team that we’ve seen to this point, probably in a big way. If you’re not sound in every aspect, if you’re not doing the little things well, they will exploit it with that kind of talent. It goes back to focusing on Duke. Both of these teams know each other pretty well, and we’ve got to focus on doing all of the little things that we have to do to put ourselves in a position to compete with these guys. I’m anxious to get on the practice field tomorrow to see what our response will be tomorrow because I thought yesterday’s practice was terrific. They went out with a purpose to get better, and that’s a day after a win and that’s a good test. I like where their minds were. We’ve got to continue that the rest of the week to be able to be successful this week.”

(Ref.: On coming off three wins in a row and the defensive attitude)

“First thing I did yesterday was go in with the defensive staff. I didn’t want to go in with a focus of all the things that were wrong. I went in with a focus of the things we really did well, then we had a great discussion on areas that we know have to be addressed and you have to get better. You have to look at every aspect of. You’ve got to look at your people, then you look at scheme. Then you look again at your people and what do they do best to lead you toward what your scheme decisions are. And then it’s how do you practice them. This isn’t a verbal fix. It’s not something you just sit and talk about and say, ‘OK, it’s done.’ You have to have a practice approach. I know we’re young. I realize that we’re not going to get any older or even that much stronger right now. We’ve learned a lot about ourselves. Now you have an opportunity to adjust some things, and that’s been the approach. I thought the staff after practice yesterday had a great start on that last night, had a great start on it today. I met again with both sides of the ball again this morning and I like the start of our planning and our thoughts and our approach, and we’ll continue that through the afternoon and evening and be ready to go tomorrow morning.”

(Ref.: On the importance to pressure the North Carolina quarterback)

“Well, I think with any great quarterback that’s the case, and he’s a great player. He’s got such arm talent, poise and timing and just a lot of ability, and he can also move and run. He’s an athletic guy. We hadn’t had a lot of success getting to quarterbacks. That’s part of the planning. Their offensive line has four returning starters. They’re big, they’re strong. They’ve given us problems. There’s a lot of work that goes in, to say, ‘how are you going to provide pressure?’ We’ve got thoughts, but I’m not going to talk about them right now. But also, you work really hard on every individual’s ability to get better this week and study an offensive lineman one on one. How do you try to compete and win? It’s just every bit and part of it, and we’ve got to try to get to him or you will have a long afternoon.”

(Ref.: On the inconsistency between halves the last two weeks)

“I think sometimes that’s a good thing because you take it right out to the practice field and I show them practice tape where the same thing happens. If you’re 80-20 at practice, guess what you’re going to be at a game. When you clock in, we are an early morning practice, so they got to get to bed. We’ve talked about that. You’ve got to come in with your best. You’ve got to put something in your body, you got to hydrate, you’ve got to eat a little bit. Your brain needs it, your body needs it. When we hit that practice field at 8:30 in the morning, we need to see, you’re not going to be perfect, but we need to see 90 to 95 percent showing up of what the expectations are. When you start seeing that on a consistent basis, you become a consistent football team. It bothers me and I hear coaches say, ‘well, we’re going to go back and work harder.’ What have you been doing? It’s not working harder. It’s working better. Y’all might hear me say, ‘we’ve got to elevate our level of execution and we’ve got to do it better and better.’ I hope you don’t ever hear me say that in front of our Athletics Director that we got to work harder. No way am I doing that. I don’t know how you guys get away with that. What have y’all been doing?”

(Ref.: On the improvements from week one to now)

“I think the conversions on both sides of the ball, critical possessions, critical situations. I was so concerned that we were situationally unaware and failed in too many critical situations. I felt that’s my fault. That’s how I feel as a coach. I reminded our coaches yesterday when you put a practice plan together, we’ve got a face and a schedule, then you have to execute the plan. You got to put players in situations they’re going to face in the game over and over again. I don’t ever want to be guilty of a player facing a situation in a game that we haven’t put them in on the practice field. Even though you try to do it in August. August scares the heck out of me. We’ve gone down to 25 practice days. We cover every situation. Do you cover it often enough? These wins are precious. You can’t let any of them slip through your fingers. I think that’s the biggest improvement I see is as a team, whether it’s defense, offense and as well as kicking, you’ve got to take advantage of those situational opportunities.”

(Ref.: On how winning builds confidence)

“I think confidence is a unique thing. I think sometimes when I see a lot of swag displayed, it comes from a lack of confidence. You’re trying to convince everybody else that you’re ready. I think the only way that you’re confident is what you do out on that practice field, when you know you’re ready. I’m hopefully seeing more of that with more of our players. You earn confidence. I’ve had a lot of players come to me at quarterback through the years saying ‘I don’t think the team’s confident in me.’ Are you confident in yourself? Have you earned that right? Well, it goes back to that 80-20, 70-30, 60-40, 95-five. I want to see 95-five. I’m not going to ask anybody to be 100 percent right, but I think having proper confidence is a whole lot different than being cocky. This team needs to continue to try to earn some confidence.”

(Ref.: On Charlie Ham in the kicking game and him making tackles on special teams)

“Well, we weren’t real pleased. They didn’t have to wait for the message. We delivered it. It was not our best performance in that area. At the same time, location, location, location. Have you ever heard that? The kicker should really never want to get in on a tackle. So, we got to work together better, hang time and location there and then the punt world. Yeah, we just had a couple of just unique failures at the line of scrimmage. I mean, we had a whole side of our punt team not get out, basically. That can never happen, and it hasn’t really with us. So unique circumstances, we will address those areas as we always do in practice. We already added in a circuit yesterday in practice. But I like our specialists. I have a lot of confidence in Charlie. I have a lot of confidence in Porter Wilson and John Taylor. Jackson Hubbard, in my opinion, is the best holder. Nobody wants to talk about the holder. I think Jackson Hubbard is the best player at his position in the country. I’ve never had a holder that good and that can get lost in Charlie Ham kicking the ball, but it doesn’t get lost on me. We’re always constantly giving people opportunity to catch our eye in the kicking game on that practice field. If you perform well enough out there, you should be in the game. That personnel can be fluid. I want to see better performance in those areas of coverage.”

(Ref.: On if Gunnar Holmberg and Mataeo Durant can get better)

“Got to. There’s no question we have some weapons on offense. There’s very much visual evidence. When I sat down with the staff and reviewed plays with the offensive staff, you can see where we can get better. We have specific things to work on to get better. We got to be hungry to do that. Again, talking about it isn’t going to get it done. We’ll only get better if we go out on that practice field and play football the way it’s intended to be played.”

(Ref.: On if the eight-man offensive line rotation has shown the ability to play in ACC play)

“Absolutely. I want to see more people on our team earn that. I’ve said it early on with this team. I want more people to earn playing time. It doesn’t mean they’re guaranteed to play 50 percent of the time, but that doesn’t matter. If you can come out there and give us five, 10, 15 or 20 outstanding plays and rest someone else so they can give even better effort and play, that’s our best chance to be a really good football team. It’s a work in progress on a weekly basis. I tell them, I see you. I go up to all of them, non-scholarship players included and say ‘I see you.’ I watch every drill and everything we do on Tuesday and Wednesday for that reason. I will go to them individually and let them know if what I see is something awesome, then suddenly they’re going to have an opportunity. If it’s not so awesome, if it’s on Tuesday, you got tomorrow, but I’m not going to guess whether you’re ready to play Saturday. I need to know today. That’s just kind of the way I’ve always believed in doing it.”

(Ref.: On how the Duke-North Carolina rivalry has grown and evolved)

“Well, I mean, it wasn’t really one in football for a while there, obviously for the reasons that we all know. Out here, when we were able to crack that in 2012, that was significant for our program. We’ve won a few of them. They’ve won more than a few. I think the football part of it has become more important. It’s become more intense on both campuses. A couple of years ago over there, what a football game. Didn’t love the way it turned out, but it was a heck of a competitive football game. We didn’t compete with them really a year ago, but it is a great rivalry. Just merely the proximity of the two schools, it’s so unique. I think people around the country have no idea really what this rivalry is until they come to the area and geographically drive between the two schools. I told somebody earlier, we may be eight or nine miles apart, but we might as well be traveling 1,000 miles because it’s going to be that hostile. It definitely will be a hostile environment.”

(Ref.: On the mindset going into Saturday’s game now versus the preseason expectations for the game)

“Well, what people fault really is no importance because the schedules have been different. It’s unimportant. I’m looking at the film. I’m looking at an extremely talented, gifted North Carolina team that is really well-coached and plays hard, and they’re a handful regardless for anybody. We just got to hope that we can play as well as we can play against a team like this. They deserved all the recognition that they had coming in because they are an extremely talented football team with a great player at quarterback, a proven great quarterback. You could go down a long list of guys like that. So yeah, it’s a big challenge for us.”

(Ref.: On a veteran player getting flagged for taunting last week)

“Yeah, it wasn’t a horrific thing. It was talking. It wasn’t taunting in the sense of the word of those two were just jawing back and forth, and he felt really bad about doing that. Our offensive penalties have to stop for us to be successful in ACC play. We have addressed that. We had three holds, we had that penalty, we had an alignment penalty. We had two penalties that stopped drives that I think could have ended up with touchdowns. That can change the game. These are all the things that pile up on your desk. We certainly are addressing all of them every step of the way.”

(Ref.: On if he believes that would have been a taunting penalty last year)

“Probably not, but I thought that Big 12 crew did a really fine job. I tell you what they did do. They were great communicating to me. I didn’t have to wonder what was going on. I let them all know that even though we had more penalties, they were warranted in my opinion. I thought the communication was outstanding, which is important in that process.”

(Ref.: On the victory bell and the importance of it)

“I didn’t have to bring it up. They’ve already brought it up. They’re well aware. We’ve got older guys in our programs that have rung it, and it’s a big difference. And yeah, it’s important. It’s an important part of the process. I love the rivalries around the country for all the different prizes. I’ve been a part of those. We’ve had the beer barrel at Tennessee and Kentucky. The Egg Bowl. I like a bell a whole lot better. So, it’s a big deal here.”

(Ref.: On where the bell stays when housed at Duke)

“Well, we have a perfect place down there, right by our locker room. I’ve enjoyed that when we’ve had it. It’s got a home and it’s well in sight. It’s right by our training room, between our training room and our locker room. When that space is empty, it’s very noticeable.”

(Ref.: On North Carolina’s swings of in and out performance game by game)

“Schematically, they’ve not been that different. In your planning, it’s just sometimes there are matchups against certain opponents that work and sometimes they don’t. I’m really impressed with their offensive line, and Stacy Searels does a great job. I’ve watched his career and coached against him at different institutions and coached against him as a player too, aging myself again. They’re a really good offensive front, so if you look at what Georgia Tech did and what Virginia Tech did you have to say kudos to them. They were able to get it done. We have to take that challenge.”

(Ref.: On the offensive power early in the season and what has gone well)

“The offensive front is playing well. I think this is one of our better offensive lines, no offense, Dave [Harding]. You were a part of maybe what would be considered the best one and they’re bordering on trying to attack that title. A lot of work to do, but it all starts there. I think the offensive staff and their research in the off season, their work in the spring, I think they’ve done a really good job of elevating our approach to running the football. I think that’s going to continue to grow. Then if we’re having success throwing the ball in, particularly when it’s high percentage, that helps your run game because balance is still critical in football, in my opinion. Unless you’re a wishbone team or an option team, I think you have to have some balance.”

(Ref.: On the Atlantic side of the conference and how it is open after Clemson’s loss)

“I would go all the way back in the Southeastern Conference because I was there long enough to see the baton passed. It does change. Clemson, hats off to them. What they’ve done has been phenomenal. It’s not the fact that the league is bad. They’ve been that good, but it’s difficult to transition from all they had and just continue on. Certainly North Carolina State’s been close before with them, and they weren’t close. They got it done. Congratulations to them. That was huge. But I think this league, as I look at what Boston College, Wake Forest, Syracuse, and other folks are doing, it’s not an accident. Our league is better than people think it is. Clemson has made a lot of other ACC teams maybe look average at times. But I think the emphasis that we’ve seen at institutions toward football, when you get the ACC Network kicked in recruiting changes, you’re more visible than we’ve ever been. So, I think it’s going to be harder for any team, I’m not referencing Clemson, to dominate a league like this one. You just go down the roster of programs. There’s a lot of really good programs and then all the rest of us that may be not considered traditionally powerhouses, we’ve got some good players, too. That’s what makes a league strong is that top to the bottom? I think it’s been a terrific start to the year. The first week you could hang your head, don’t hang it long. That’s a mistake in anything you do. You keep striving to grow. I think you’re going to see over the next few years, with the emphasis of less practices, less contact, you’re going to see teams be a little more erratic early than you might think. I think that’s held true this year across the board, if you look at not just our league.”

(Ref.: On Duke’s running game and stringing together longer drives)

“Well, if we can keep converting third downs, it’s huge to keep your defense on the sideline. When you have drives that were five plays, eight plays, 10 plays, you’re helping your football team, much greater than you might think. I think there are a lot of factors that win football games, but when you stay on the field with the ball and you take care of the ball, guess what they can’t do? Score. That’s still one of the better ways to win a game.”

(Ref.: On Duke’s two turnovers on Saturday)

“Don’t get me mad, OK? Neither one of them should have happened. I’m sorry, I just didn’t sleep much Saturday night because of those two turnovers. We have to be better than that.”

(Ref.: On what it takes to be good as a dual-threat quarterback)

“Yeah, I just think that it’s a rhythm. If you look at most really good quarterbacks that are great ball handlers, the run and the fake have the same tempo, if that makes sense. You know the tempo of a golf swing, you’d know it well. The run game has a tempo, the fake has a tempo and when both are the same that’s why they’re real effective RPO team too, because their tempo is good in both cases. And then Sam Howell’s got really quick hands, and he’s accurate, can get it out. So, I’ve always loved play fakes. Had a lot of really good quarterbacks at it and Gunnar is getting better at it. There’s nothing more important than being careful with the ball. You can stick it in there too long and too late and then the ball can come out. It’s a tempo from here to here and then the ball comes out. I don’t want to coach you all. You’re not going to run any play action fakes I don’t think anytime soon, right?”

(Ref.: On Gunnar’s confidence growing and if that gives him more leeway to make decisions)

“Well, he makes his own decisions, that’s what you do in coaching. I’ve heard coaches that want to holler before every play at practice. I don’t believe in that. I believe in coaching on the run after a play. When our coaches are hollering instructions too much before I turn the music up at our practice. They’re out there, they don’t hear us. What you’re seeing is what you’ve coached in practice. For Gunnar, part of really becoming a veteran is knowing when to lay it off. I term that as Drew Brees. I thought he was one of the best that ever played the game at that. When you do that, you win a lot of games. Instead of looking at it as sometimes a guy gets comfortable and he thinks he wants to force it downfield more, maybe that you hadn’t really learned from your experience. I’m being truthful. What he did, he had a couple of layoffs the other day that told me he’s arriving to where you want him to be mentally. To be honest with you, the more he plays, the more he will recognize all of those circumstances and situations. Yes, he had a couple of plays I thought he could have been aggressive down the field that I think he will be if they present themselves again. But that’s playing and learning.”

(Ref.: On Sam Howell as a runner)

“I thought that scoring run against Georgia Tech, I mean, that’s ESPYs stuff. One of the best runs I’ve seen. I know how strong he is. He’s got a really strong core and it shows in how he plays the game and he’s athletic. He’s hurt us before, so it’s just another aspect of their offense and you have to account for the quarterback’s legs. He’s the second leading rusher on the team. Ty Chandler has been a good addition. I coached his dad at Ole Miss. We tried to recruit Ty here when Tennessee signed him. Familiar with both of them.”

(Ref.: Closing remarks)

“I want to mention this before I get through. I got a double shot today. Man, and I’m feeling good. Knock on wood. I got my booster in my right arm and got my flu shot in my left arm. I’m ready. So here we go. I tell you, I encourage anybody that can, vaccinate yourself, make yourself safe, and please try to help others be safe. We all have an obligation to each other. Thank you. God bless you.”

#GoDuke

Upper St. Clair Tennis Development Program

Tennis Experiences Boom During Covid-19 Coronavirus Pandemic, How To Play Safely

Here’s something that at first glance may seem like a bit of a surprise: 2020 has been a good year for tennis.

After all, the words “good” and “2020” don’t often go together, unless you are saying “good grief” or “that home-done haircut is good enough for a Zoom call.” While many people and sectors have struggled during the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic, tennis has actually experienced a boom.

The numbers show how much of a racket the sport has made. Make that how many rackets or racquets. Tennis racket sales are up this year. Compared to the third quarter of 2019, the sales of entry-level rackets in the third quarter of 2020 are up 40.9%, according to the Tennis Industry Association (TIA) Quarterly USA Wholesale Equipment Census. In the same time period, shipments of rackets for adults that are under $50 (the rackets being under $50 and not the value of the adults) jumped by 43.3%. Throw in rackets of all kinds of prices, and shipments have increased by 37.7%. Here’s a graphic from the United States Tennis Association (USTA) showing the numbers:

More tennis rackets being purchased and shipped is likely a sign that more people have started playing tennis. After all, tennis rackets aren’t typically used for other purposes like straining pasta or making the little squares in waffles. Indeed, according to a piece by Arthur Kapetanakis and Victoria Chiesa for the USTA, the Physical Activity Council has reported that tennis participation has bounced up from 6.75% to 10.08% of the U.S. population from the third quarter of 2019 to the third quarter of 2020. That’s a 49.33% relative increase. String together all of these numbers and it looks like tennis has actually been on the upswing during the pandemic while many other things have spun the opposite direction.

So, how is this all possible given what’s happening to other sectors of society? Well, the pandemic has left many yearning for ways to stay both physically and socially active while still adhering to the social distancing and other precautions recommended by public health experts. And tennis in many different ways can naturally “serve” these purposes. It is a non-contact sport, allowing you to stay at least six feet or one Denzel (because Denzel Washington is about six feet tall) apart at all times. If someone is tackling you on the tennis court, something has gone horribly wrong. At the same time, playing tennis can provide fairly extensive social interactions. You can certainly interact with and talk to folks while playing or at least grunt in each others’ general direction.

Additionally, unlike more focused sports such as cheese-rolling, tennis can provide a good full body workout. Playing requires you to use your arms, shoulders, torso, hips, and legs, not necessarily in that order. It also can get your heart rate up and your blood flowing. Finally, the amount of shared equipment and surfaces in tennis is fairly minimal. Certainly, you have to have balls to play tennis, literally not figuratively. And rackets. But assuming that you aren’t sharing rackets, panting on the tennis balls, belting out Kelly Clarkson’s “Since You Been Gone” right at the balls, or using the balls to wipe your face, the chances of sharing contaminated objects doesn’t appear to be that high.

But these natural advantages haven’t been the only reason for the boom. The tennis industry has shown how you can turn a frown upside down, make lemonade out of lemons, create a sandwich out of the wurst, make avocado toast when you are toasted, or any metaphor you may have for turning a tough situation into a positive one. It wasn’t just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. The tennis industry has had to overcome some challenges that pre-dated 2020.

One challenge was perception. Prior to the pandemic, as Mike Dowse, the Chief Executive Officer and Executive Director of the the USTA described one challenge that the sport was facing: “the misconception that it is an expensive elitist sport, when in fact it can be relatively inexpensive. You can buy a great tennis racket for under $50.”

Another challenge was that “the tennis industry had been pretty fragmented with an alphabet soup of different organizations,” according to Dowse. There was the USTA, TIA, USPTA (United States Professional Tennis Association), PTR (Professional Tennis Registry), ITA (Intercollegiate Tennis Association), and ATA (American Tennis Association), among others. Such an alphabet soup may be fine if you are trying to spell the word “apparatus” in Scrabble but can make coordinating activities and efforts difficult, including overcoming any misconceptions about the sport.

Enter the pandemic. Back in March, when many were fighting each other for toilet paper and other things or still trying to downplay the seriousness of the pandemic, the tennis world did the opposite. They united and pro-actively developed a clear strategy. The so-called “alphabet soup” of the USTA, TIA, USPTA, PTR, ITA, and ATA, along with others such as major media partners formed Tennis Industry United, a collaboration designed to assess the situation and determine what to do with the Covid-19 coronavirus coming at the country faster than a John Isner serve.

Their decision-making was based on data and evidence rather than just gut feelings. For example, the USTA convened a Medical Advisory Committee, because, after all, isn’t real medical knowledge pretty darn important when you are trying to deal with an infectious disease? The USTA Medical Advisory Committee consisted of Brian Hainline, MD, the Chief Medical Officer of the NCAA and USTA Board Member, Brian Daniels, MD, who practices Orthopedics and Sports Medicine at Nemours Children’s Hospital in Orlando, Fla., and is Medical Director of the US Open, Mark Kovacs, PhD, the Senior Director of Sports Science and Health for the Cleveland Cavaliers, Bernard Camins, MD, the Medical Director for Infection Prevention at Mt. Sinai, and Mike Rodriguez, the USTA Senior Director and head of US Open Security. “We analyzed the situation with outside experts to determine what the proper safety measures needed to be,” recalled Dowse. “We worked in tandem to put forth the proper safety protocols.”

The Medical Advisory Committee helped put together what now appears on a “Playing Tennis Safely: Player Tips and Recommendations” website. This includes a warning to not play if you’ve been in contact with someone with Covid-19 in the prior 14 days or are experiencing any symptoms of a Covid-19 coronavirus infection. The website also lists the precautions that you should take before playing tennis:

Wash your hands with soap and water (for 20 seconds or longer), or use a hand sanitizer if soap and water are not readily available.
Bring a full water bottle to avoid touching a tap or water fountain handle.
Avoid touching court gates, fences, benches, etc., if you can.
When not actively playing, please adhere to all proper personal protective equipment (PPE) and facemask protocols.
If you need to sneeze or cough, do so into a tissue or upper sleeve.
Arrive as close as possible to when you need to be there.

Then the website provides the following recommendations for when you are playing:

Try to stay at least six feet apart from other players. Do not make physical contact with them (such as shaking hands or a high-five).
Wash your hands thoroughly or use a hand sanitizer before, during, and after play.
Use headbands, hats, towels or wristbands to avoid touching your face during play.
Use a wristband or towel to wipe sweat from your face.
When playing doubles, coordinate with your partner to maintain physical distancing.
Use only your own towel and water bottles.
Avoid sharing food and touching common surfaces such as court gates, fences, benches, etc.
While there is no evidence that Covid-19 can be transmitted by touching tennis balls, sanitary precautions, such as hand-washing, should still be taken.
Maintain physical distancing if changing ends of the court.
Wear a mask over your nose and mouth at all times, except when active on court. Some localities require masks while playing indoors. Be sure to follow local guidelines

Finally, the website relays some tips on what to do once you are finished playing tennis. Basically, one you are done, leave the court as soon as reasonably possible. Don’t go to the locker room or changing area. Don’t shower. (That is, don’t use a shower at the playing facilities. As anyone who lives with you may say, showering, in general, is a good thing.) Don’t hang out around or near the court for any reason. Don’t set up post-match interviews, unless you are a professional tennis player.

The USTA maintains a website to provide Covid-19 coronavirus guidance for tennis facilities as well. This includes advice on how to develop a cleaning and disinfection plan, evaluate and improve the facility’s ventilation system, and maintain social distancing. The guidelines also recommend providing supplies of disposable face masks, hand sanitizer, and disinfectant wipes. Also, water fountains aren’t a great idea unless they are touchless.

Dowse emphasized that safety was the primary concern when Tennis Industry United was planning what to do. “There would be no play unless we could ensure health.” That was then followed by doing what’s in the “best interest of tennis.” If those two were fulfilled then the next guiding question when deciding what to do was “does it make financial sense?”

April was when plans went into full swing. The USTA committed to spending $50 million to help implement plans, such as $35 million towards community tennis programming, $5 million towards facility grants, $2.5 million towards Certified tennis Teaching Professional Grants, and $5 million towards the National Junior Tennis and Learning (NJTL). The NJTL network is comprised of over 250 nonprofit youth development organizations that offer free or low-cost tennis and education programming to youth that may not otherwise have the means to play such sports.

The other thing the tennis industry did was worked closely with Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP) and Women’s Tennis Association (WTA) was re-launch the professional tennis tour. The pandemic led to the postponement of the French Open and the cancellation of Wimbledon in 2020. This meant that the U.S. Open would be the first Grand Slam event of the year. In fact, it would be in many ways the first global sporting event to occur since the pandemic had started.

The U.S. Open went as planned without the Covid-19 coronavirus really joining the main draw. The tournament didn’t have any outbreaks, just break points. Dowse mentioned that 99.97% out of around 13,000 Covid-19 coronavirus tests performed on players and staff turned out to be negative and that the only positives were before the U.S Open. Although the net operating profits were down compared to prior years, “vendors were still able to make money,” Dowse said. “and subjectively the tournament felt great.”

All in all, it’s not super surprising that tennis has experienced a surge in 2020. The surge has shown what proper planning, adaptability, and using science can do to thrive in such uncertain circumstances. And how the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic can shine a light on issues that existed before the pandemic and help galvanize potential solutions. “Tennis Industry United was formed to get us through the pandemic, but aims to continue efforts after pandemic” said Dowse. “We have pivoted to two initiatives: increasing diversity and creating advocacy for the sport. Tennis participation needs to mirror population characteristics.”

For example, the USTA launched the “Be Open” campaign to celebrate the diversity of the sport and to help make potential players from different races, ethnicities, communities, and backgrounds more aware of the sport. Could a silver lining in the pandemic be attracting more and a greater range of people to a sport that can keep people both physically and socially active? It’s certainly helped that tennis industry has been open to having health and science guide decision-making and been open to different possibilities.

US retailer Dick’s House of Sport partners Tennessee Athletics

Dick’s Sporting Goods, a US-based retailer, announced that its Dick’s House of Sport store in Knoxville has been named a corporate partner of University of Tennessee Athletics in a first-of-its-kind partnership. House of Sport will host coaches, assistant coaches, UT spirit squad and others from the university at the store for special events.

“Through this new multiyear agreement, Dick’s House of Sport will become the presenting partner of youth sports day at Tennessee for youth players, coaches and families and the annual Tennessee football spring coaches clinic for middle/high school coaches. The two organisations will work together to create opportunities to expand youth participation in these activities, and to offer clinics and camps for young athletes at Dick’s House of Sport 24,000 square foot field,” according to the American sporting goods retailer.

“There is nothing bigger in Knoxville than The University of Tennessee athletics,” Leroy Tunley, executive director of Dick’s House of Sport in Knoxville, said in a press release. “This is a fantastic opportunity to bring together two organisations that share a passion for sport, youth participation in sport and community and amplify these programmes for Knoxville.”

“We’re incredibly appreciative of Dick’s House of Sport’s enthusiasm in aligning with Tennessee Athletics for this first-of-its-kind collegiate partnership, and we share that enthusiasm,” Danny White, Tennessee vice chancellor/director of Athletics said. “Their new House of Sport here in Knoxville is an extraordinary facility, and this partnership allows us to collaboratively leverage the House of Sport and our Tennessee brand in a way that positively impacts youth throughout our community.”

The relationship with Dick’s House of Sport was secured on behalf of the university by The Vol Network, Tennessee Athletics’ multimedia rightsholder and locally based Learfield team.

Dick’s House of Sport explores the future of retail through multi-sport experiences inside and outside the store and broad integration with the community. The store features an outdoor turf field and running track, a rock-climbing wall, a batting cage with HitTrax technology, golf hitting bays with TrackMan simulators, a putting green, a House of Cleats that seasonally rotates product, a health and wellness destination to help customers with recovery and well-being, and a consolidated service area for breaking in gloves, stringing lacrosse sticks and building/repairing bikes. It also showcases best-in-class athletic and outdoor apparel brands, a vast selection of footwear, the latest gear for team sports and top-of-the-line equipment for golf and fitness.

Fibre2Fashion News Desk (JL)

Utah Softball Dominates in First Fall League Game – The Daily Utah Chronicle

Jibon ASM Asib

University of Utah Softball team player and junior Jordyn Gasper (11) hits the ball during an NCAA dual meet against Stanford University at the Dumke Family Softball Stadium in Salt Lake City on 27 March 2021 (Photo by Abu Asib | The Daily Utah Chronicle)

It was a warm, picture-perfect evening at Dumke Family Softball Stadium on the University of Utah campus, as the University of Utah softball team slugged their way to a dominating 14-1 victory over the Utah Valley Wolverines in their first fall league game.

“It just felt really good to be back. Last year having not played fall games and our season in the spring being cut shorter than we wanted [it] to, it just felt good to be back on the field doing the most for each other” said catcher Katie Faulk.

While this was just an exhibition match, essentially the equivalent of a Major League Baseball spring training game, the Utah softball team played about as close to a perfect game as anyone could ask. The Utes offense was, quite frankly, explosive, going off for 14 runs on 21 hits in Thursday evening’s contest, and the pitching was lights out throughout the entire game, allowing just one run on six hits. Although it is irrational to make any conclusions about what one preseason game might entail for the rest of the Utes season, the Utes showed today that they could be a serious force to be reckoned with going forward.

The Wolverines struck first in the top of the first inning, but from that point on, this game was all Utah. Utah’s pitching staff only allowed one hit after the third inning. Down 1-0 in the third, the Utes put together a two-run third inning, one-run fourth inning, and two-run fifth inning to give them a relatively comfortable 5-1 lead. Because this was an exhibition game, the game lasted ten innings as opposed to the traditional seven. The Utes essentially put the game out of reach with a five-run seventh inning and a three-run eighth inning, turning what would have been an impressive 5-1 victory in a standard game into a 14-1 ten-inning blowout.

Utah’s runs early in the game came primarily through stringing together walks, singles and stolen bases, demonstrating the team’s ability to score runs by playing small ball. Later in the game, however, Utah showcased their ability to hit for power, with many of their runs coming from extra-base hits as well as a home run in the eighth inning by junior Julia Scardina.

Overall, this was an excellent team win for Utah, as essentially everyone did their part. Not only did the starters have a great performance both defensively and offensively, but a large portion of Utah’s onslaught of runs came from the bench, showcasing the team’s depth.

“It was great to see some of our girls come off the bench and be fresh and really square up some balls,” Faulk said. “It really got us going.”

The Utes now look forward to their next fall league game at home against Boise State on Oct. 2.

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@chase_chat

Topic of the Week: What Types of Cues Should Trainers and Coaches Provide?

Lately there has been a lot of discussion on the internet about cueing, attentional focus, glute activation, and related topics. I decided to write an article sharing my thoughts as I have a unique set of experiences and outlook compared to the other researchers and coaches. I confess to having not read up on all of the research from Dr. Gabrielle Wulf, Dr. Keith Lohse, and others (see Sam’s blogpost for these references). However, I have more practical experience in this area than most coaches and employ these techniques daily, which gives me a unique perspective.

Some of my readers like to be thorough so here are some links you can read in order to be up to snuff (my thoughts are in parenthesis).

Stuff You Might Want to Read and Listen to in Order to Get Up to Snuff

Before I provide links, I want to emphasize up front that I have a ton of respect for the folks listed below and am proud to be friends with several of these individuals.

1. Sam Leahey’s article on his blog: The Science & Application of Coaching Cues (I’ve mentioned this before – Sam is one of the brightest young minds in S&C. I feel that this article provided the most balance and I was in agreement with most of what Sam wrote. I especially liked the dialogue between Dr. Wulf and Sam in the comments section. I’m with Sam on this one, but Dr. Wulf presents a compelling case with her references.)

2. Nick Winkelman’s commentary: The Strength Coach Podcast (Nick is speaking from 26:18 – 32:30 – Nick is very well-educated and incredibly passionate about this topic. He’s also a top-notch strength coach for Athletes’ Performance. So I have a ton of respect for Nick. However, as you’ll see below, I don’t feel he painted the entire picture.)

3. Mike T. Nelson’s article on The PTDC: Stop Telling Your Clients to Activate their Glutes (Mike is very intelligent and I always value his insight, but I do not agree with this particular article at all. My experiences have led me to feel quite differently. But it’s okay to disagree as long as both sides have science in mind and are open to findings from future research.)

4. Mark Rippetoe quote: Sleepy Muscles (Mark is a legend in our field but I disagree with what he wrote in this article. I see his point, but I could provide a much more elaborate and in-depth explanation based on my understanding of biomechanics and I don’t feel he’s painting the entire picture.)

5. Jon Fass’s commentary: Fitcast (Jon talks about this at 39:15 – Jon is freaky smart and is a true evidence-based practitioner, but I don’t feel he painted the entire picture.)

6. Kenneth Jay’s “The Big 10 to Avoid in Kettlebell Training” PDF: See Mistake #10 (I don’t know Kenneth Jay, but he seems to be very intelligent. I disagree with his point as I don’t feel he’s telling the entire picture. I’m skeptical of some of the Z-Health stuff as I feel some of it is based on improper extrapolations from research.)

Some Quick Things You Should Know Up Front

1. Dr. Gabrielle Wulf, a Kinesiology professor out of UNLV, is known for being the leading research in the area of attentional focus. Her CV is incredible!

2. In Dr. Wulf’s words, attentional focus, or focus of attention, refers to:

This area of research examines how the individual’s focus of attention affects the performance and learning of motor skills. In numerous studies, we have shown that instructions and feedback that direct the performer’s attention to the movement effect on the environment (e.g., an implement) (external focus) facilitate performance and learning compared to those that direct attention to the movements themselves (internal focus), or no attentional focus instructions (control conditions). The adoption of an external focus promotes the utilization of relatively automatic control processes – making performance more effective and efficient. These findings have important implications for practical settings, such as sport, music, and physical or occupational therapy.

3. The Constrained Action Hypothesis, which is the current best hypothesis for explaining the superiority of external attentional focus over internal attentional focus, discussed in this LINK, goes like this:

The performance and learning of motor skills are enhanced when performers employ an external focus relative to an internal focus of attention (3-5). Wulf et al. (2001) explained this benefit of an external focus of attention by postulating the “constrained action hypothesis”. According to this view, individuals who utilize an internal focus constrain or “freeze” their motor system by consciously attempting to control it. This also seems to occur when individuals are not given attentional focus instructions (2). In contrast, an external focus promotes the use of more automatic control processes, thereby enhancing performance and learning (3,5).

4. In this blogpost, I’ll use the term “internal cues” to refer to “internal attentional focus,” and “external cues” to refer to “external attentional focus.”

My Thoughts

1. Knowledge of the Importance of External Attentional Focus is Paramount

This is a very important area of research and personal trainers, coaches, and physical therapists should be aware of it. Let’s say you’re testing broad jumps with your athletes – you wouldn’t want to tell them to feel the glutes or quads maximally contracting, or to make sure they achieve triple extension. Instead, you might mark their previous best and tell them to focus on the mark and clear it, or you might tell them to pretend that there’s a pit full of lava and if they don’t make it past that distance they’ll fall in…or at least something along those lines. But you definitely don’t want them thinking about internal mechanics as that will not maximize their performance nor will it enhance their motor learning.

2. Internal Goals are Legitimate Goals

Often our goals as coaches are external in nature. For example, the NFL Combine Test contains a bunch of tests where the coach would want to utilize external attentional focus strategies during training and testing periods. However, there are also times when a coach has internal goals in mind, and this is where internal cueing is valuable. Dozens of world class coaches and clinicians have recognized the value of internal cueing.

For example, Stu McGill cues individuals to feel the glutes as prime movers in a glute bridge rather than the hamstrings. Louie Simmons instructs powerlifters to keep the chest up and knees out in a squat. I believe that these internal cues should NOT be disregarded and replaced with external cues.

I’m extremely passionate about this topic due to my focus on the lumbopelvic-hip complex (LPHC) and proper spinal, pelvic, and hip mechanics during squats, deadlifts, back extensions, hip thrusts, and other exercises. Form on these exercises is horrendous with beginners. Sedentary individuals simply do not move properly and you have to spend considerable time teaching them how to move at the hips while keeping the spine in neutral and properly positioning the pelvis to assist in keeping a neutral spine.

Imagine trying to teach individuals proper LPHC mechanics without having internal cues at your disposal. This is an area where internal cueing is of huge benefit and more research needs to be conducted to determine its effectiveness. My hypothesis is that internal cueing for this purpose would greatly outperform external cueing in terms of motor learning and skill acquisition.

3. Cue Specificity: A Time and Place for Internal and External Attentional Focus

I want to mention up front that this is just my hypothesis and requires future research. I am of the belief that cueing, like many other things in the field of Strength & Conditioning, should be specific to the goals of the coach.

If the coach is seeking an internal change in movement, such as activating a certain muscle to a greater or lesser extent, or preventing an energy leak, then an internal cue is most appropriate.
Conversely, if the coach is seeking optimal performance for an external goal requiring strength, power, or precision, such as performing a max deadlift, jumping for max height, shooting a free-throw, or putting a golf ball, then an external cue is most appropriate.

It is my understanding that Dr. Wulf, leading research in this area, would argue that the chart listed above isn’t correct and that external cues are always superior to internal cues.

4. Evidence from Lewis and Sahrmann

In 2009, Cara Lewis and Shirley Sahrmann published an excellent article titled, Muscle Activation and Movement Patterns During Prone Hip Extension Exercise in Women. Click HERE to download the full paper. This research showed us several very important things. Here’s a summary in the authors’ words:

We found that during prone hip extensions, women without hip or back pain displayed a consistent and distinguishable order of muscle activation that began with the medial hamstrings muscles, was followed by the lateral hamstrings muscle, and concluded with the gluteus maximus muscle. Compared with the no-cues condition, the glut-cues condition resulted in nearly simultaneous activation of the gluteus maximus and hamstrings muscles, decreased activation of the hamstrings muscles around the initiation of movement, increased activation of the gluteus maximus throughout the movement, and decreased knee flexion.

Here is a chart showing muscle activation according to the cues:

Notice you get double the glute activation when cueing glutes in a prone hip extension, and equally important is that this is achieved with less hamstring activation. I believe that this study is incredibly important!

5. New Research from Tateuchi et al.

A brand new article titled, Balance of hip and trunk muscle activity is associated with increased anterior pelvic tilt during prone hip extension, linked HERE, concluded the following:

In conclusion, increased activity of the hip flexor (tensor fasciae latae) relative to the hip extensors (the gluteus maximus and semitendinosus) and delayed onset of firing of the bilateral multifidus and contralateral erector spinae were associated with an increased anterior pelvic tilt during prone hip extension. Furthermore, a decrease in the activity of the gluteus maximus relative to the activity of the semitendinosus was related to increased muscle activity of the ipsilateral erector spinae. We propose that alterations in the balance of muscle activity in hip-joint muscles and relative timing of the activity of the hip and trunk muscles may lead to increased motion in the lumbopelvic region.

Clients are not showing up on personal trainers’ doorsteps knowing how to use their glutes. They substitute lumbar hyperextension and anterior pelvic tilt for end-range hip extension, they substitute lumbar flexion for hip hinging/flexed-range hip extension, they rely too much on hamstrings, their erectors are on overdrive, and their glutes are soft. I can’t imagine that external cueing would be more effective in teaching proper hip extension mechanics compared to internal cues.

6. More Evidence

There are other studies in the literature that provide a case for internal cueing. A recent study showed that cueing glute activation in a squat increased glute activation during the concentric phase of a bodyweight squat. A prior study showed that focusing on getting a stretch in the lats and squeezing them during the movement increased lat activation in a pulldown. Bodybuilders refer to this as forming a “mind-muscle connection,” but this is of great relevance to coaches and clinicians simply because certain muscles like the glutes typically shut down and need to learn how to activate properly. Last, a study last year showed that telling runners to feel their glutes contracting during ground contact led to improvements in knee valgus in runners exhibiting valgus collapse (but they also envisioned the legs moving in a straight line).

Not trying to “appeal to authority” and commit logical fallacy, but Vladimir Janda, Stu McGill, Mark Verstegen, Pavel Tsatsouline, and just about every other notable expert I can think of has recognized the phenomenon of weak, atrophied, and poorly-activating glutes during movement. McGill refers to it as “gluteal amnesia.” The glutes might learn to reactivate just by squatting, lunging, sprinting, etc., but if the glutes aren’t being used and the hamstrings are the dominant hip extensors, then individuals could simply continue to get stronger by relying on the hammies for hip extension without using much glutes. People can and do get extremely strong without really using their glutes much – I’ve personally witnessed this via EMG testing. This is not ideal and sets the body up for injury, for example anterior hip pain, knee pain, or back pain.

Many experts (including myself) feel that progress can be fast-forwarded tremendously by employing glute activation cues (internal cues) and relying on specific low-load exercises to entice a shift in recruitment away from the hammies toward the glutes. This is the essence of Shirley Sahrmann’s “synergistic dominance” perspective.

Not good

Finally (this doesn’t make me “right,” but it’s worth mentioning), I have many clients, former clients, trainers/coaches/therapists who have attended my seminars, and colleagues who are highly skilled in LPHC mechanics/glute development, and pretty much everyone agrees that internal cueing is HUGE for getting people to move correctly and teaching the glutes to engage optimally. Most of us couldn’t imagine being nearly as effective without the availability of these cues.

7. Value of Glute Activation

Lately I’ve been performing low-load glute activation and having my clients do it as well. I used to not be a huge fan as long as one’s glutes were up-to-par, but one of my clients saw such dramatic results in terms of glute development and low back pain improvements, which he attributed to glute activation drills especially the PPTHT (posterior pelvic tilt hip thrust). Before this he wasn’t able to hip thrust without experiencing back pain, but the frequent practice quickly allowed him to go heavy on hip thrusts pain-free, and within two months he was using 500 lbs!

I receive several emails per week from folks around the world informing me that the glute exercises I recommend have helped them achieve new PR’s in the squat or deadlift, have helped them grow their booties, have increased their speed, or have decreased their low back pain. There really is something to glute-activation and hip strengthening, and we need more research demonstrating its utility.

To me, the glutes are special, and they really are “that important.” Of course I don’t feel that we should be cueing “squeeze the glutes” or “feel the glutes” during explosive and technical “on the field” skills, but I do feel that we should be doing so during low load glute activation work and even heavy hip extension exercise, and this will lead to improvements in athletic performance via increases in glute muscle CSA, neural drive to the glutes, glute muscle moment arms/leverage, etc.

8. Value of Cueing the Glutes

Getting people to think “glutes” during hip extension exercises is crucial in my experience if the goal is to maximize gluteal activation and hypertrophy. This is what a vast majority of my clients approach me for, and I try my best to deliver maximum results.

I tested a female squatter who could full squat 185 and lunge with 50 lb dumbbells, and her mean glute activation was around 10% of MVC on each movement. She was relying on the quads to squat and lunge, and her form appeared excellent. It’s no surprise that this same individual tended to hyperextend her spine when performing back extensions and struggled to dissociate her pelvis from her spine and couldn’t hold a posterior pelvic tilt.

Glute activation and glute cueing has done wonders for this client over time. This female isn’t the exception; she’s the norm! Most people don’t use the glutes optimally. Most advanced individuals don’t even use their glutes to their fullest extent in my opinion, and many leave room on the table for increased performance.

Some clients learn how to fire their glutes during various exercises rather quickly, whereas others can take two months to learn how to really feel their glutes working during various exercises. This occurs following consistent internal cueing and attentional focus toward feeling the glutes maximally activate during resistance resistance training.

9. Value of Internal Cueing for Technique Purposes

When I train beginner clients, it takes me considerable time to get their lumbpelvic-hip complex working ideally during squats, deadlifts, back extensions, and glute bridges. In my opinion, external cueing is not ideal for improving form in the most rapid manner possible. My belief is that internal cueing will get the individual to where you want them to be in a much more efficient manner.

This applies to preventing lumbar flexion in a deadlift, preventing valgus collapse in a squat, or preventing lumbar hyperextension and anterior pelvic tilt in a back extension or hip thrust.

Let’s take a hip thrust for example, when a client is hyperextending their spines I take a multi-faceted approach involving:

1) Palpating different regions of their body to make them aware of the various parts involved and what those parts are doing,

2) Personally demonstrating proper form and having the clients palpate my lumbar spine, poke the glutes, etc. to see how proper form is supposed to look and feel,

3) Having them stop approximately 3/4 the way up on a hip thrust and practicing anterior and posterior pelvic tilt so they can understand how to prevent anterior tilt from occuring,

4) Using video analysis so they can see if they’re keeping a neutral spine and achieving full hip extension,

5) Being “hands-on” during their performance and manually helping place their pelvis in proper position, manually setting the core in neutral, manually pushing the hips upward to ensure full ROM is reached, and poking the glutes to make sure they’re on and the hammies to make sure they’re not overly activated, and

6) Using internal cues such as “squeeze the glutes,” “push the hips upward,” “keep that core in neutral,” “tilt the hips forward,” etc.

I don’t believe that this heavily “internal” approach can be improved-upon by a purely external cueing approach.

10. The Maximization of Long-Term Performance

This is an important consideration worthy of discussion. Let’s say you’re trying to have an athlete set a PR in a squat, deadlift, hip thrust, or vertical jump. You wouldn’t yell at the, “knees out” or “chest up” in the squat. You’d let their knees cave and allow for tremendous forward lean as this is how the individual is strongest (which is why their bodies are going there). You wouldn’t tell them to keep an arched back in a deadlift, you’d let the back round if need be so they could lift heavier loads. You wouldn’t tell them to squeeze the glutes in a hip thrust, you’d allow as much lumbar hyperextension/APT as needed so they could hoist the heaviest loads. You wouldn’t try to fix knee valgus when they jump as they’ll jump higher simply focusing on reaching as high as possible.

This lady is going to need some internal cues over time to get her jumping and landing correctly.

However, these strategies are not safe and will lead to injury over time. A good coach knows that keeping his athletes healthy will lead to the greatest performance over the long haul, and this is why we provide internal cues during training. Cues such as “chest up”, “knees out”, and “squeeze the glutes”, remind people to use good form so they stay healthy and can continue to make gains.

In the short-term, a purely external focus will yield the greatest results, but in the long-run, a blend of internal cues (utilized predominantly during the training period) and external cues (utilized mostly during times of testing) will yield the best results for heavy resistance training purposes.

Of course, once mechanics are sound and knees are no longer caving, backs are no longer rounding, and torsos aren’t leaning too far forward, then the frequency of internal cues can diminish, but even the top powerlifters consistently internally-cue each other during training. So it seems that even the best need constant reminding during training to use good form, which allows them to get stronger over time due to decreased pain/injury.

11. Kudos to Dr. Wulf, Mr. Leahey, Mr. Winkleman, Mr. Nelson, Mr. Fass, and Mr. Jay

I’d like to thank all the people who have helped bring external attentional focus to the forefront. As previously mentioned, this research is extremely important and can only result in increased athletic performance. Their feedback on this article is welcomed and would be appreciated by the author.

12. I’m Open-Minded to Being Wrong

I’m open-minded to changing my mind and one day learning that external cueing always trumps internal cueing. However, I’m having a hard time figuring out external cues for certain instances such as trying to get the glutes more active in hip extension relative to the hammies, or preventing lumbar hyperextension in a back extension. It seems to me that trying to come up with clever external cues would not be as effective in this regard as internal cues.

Since I’m not well-read in this area, I’m open to learning that I’ve misinterpreted certain things or failed to grasp the entire picture. I’m sure that there’s a ton of info that I’m unaware of regarding motor learning as I gravitate toward biomechanics research for my focus.

13. Future Research

It is my hope that Dr. Wulf, or other researchers such as Dr. McGill, or even Nick Winkleman or myself, down the road, continue to research this area to determine if there are instances where internal attentional focus leads to better outcomes than external attentional focus. An example of a study that could be performed would be to take a group of individuals with poor hip extension mechanics during a glute bridge or prone hip extension pattern. One group would be cued to use the glutes and revolve around the hip joint while keeping the core stable, whereas the other group would be given external cues. After 8 sessions or so, kinematics could be reassessed to determine which group saw better improvements in lumbopelvic-hip complex mechanics during hip extension activities.

Conclusion

The way I see it, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” I, and many other trainers and coaches, am seeing incredible results by cueing the glutes. Other internal cues such as “knees out” and “chest up” have been so beneficial in my personal training practice that I can hardly fathom not employing them. For this reason, I’m going to stick with my utilization of internal cues. If quality studies emerge down the road showing that my hypothesis is incorrect, then I’ll change my mind. But my hypothesis is that internal cueing trumps external cueing for the situations described above.

How to restore your lacrosse stick ⚙️ [Instruction with photo]

Stringing in your lacrosse head affects your playing much more than many people realize, and it can be extremely difficult to play well and consistently with a poorly stretched stick. There are many different methods and techniques for stringing your own stick, and they all create a different end result. Finding the string method that’s best for you is a matter of practice, but this guide will provide the basics for experimenting with strings to find the method and circuit you prefer.

Unbutton the current lacrosse mesh on the head and gather the required threads. You can trim the current strings, but I recommend keeping the grid in time for future strings.

Stretch a new piece of mesh for about 30 seconds.

Fold the mesh over a couple of rows so that 9 diamond rows are on top.

Cut your strings to the appropriate size.I usually cut the top column a little over a meter long, and both sidewall strings a little less than a meter long.

Melt the ends of the thread to prevent fraying. After melting, I lick my fingers and pinch the ends of the string to create a pointed tip that is easier to pull on. Be careful when pinching the tip; if your fingers are not salivating, you could burn yourself.

Tie a double knot at one end of the upper thread and wrap the thread around the first hole in the net and the first hole in the sidewall.

Pass the hole in the net, pass the string through the back of the top hole of the head, up through the hole in the net, and around the back of the string.

Continue with the rope down through the mesh hole, up through the plastic hole and through the hole created in the string.

Tighten all parts of the knot securely so that the knot looks as shown.

Skip the mesh hole and repeat this knot. The upper thread will have 4 of these knots, so separate the plastic holes to string them evenly. Different heads will need different spacing. On this head, while walking, I missed 2 holes in the head.

Repeat this knot 4 times along the top of the head / net.Pull the cord tight between each knot.

Attach the last hole to the plastic as you did when tying the net. Secure the rope with a simple single or double knot.

Fix the same mesh hole in the plastic with a side string.

Start tying the first knot on the sidewall.Go down through the net and go down through the side wall. Pass a hole in the side wall or two in the plastic while on top of the stick.

Pro tip: When pulling on the sidewall, remember: “From above”. Go over the mesh and through the hole in the side wall in the plastic.

Continue going through the mesh opening and tightening the knot tightly.

Pro Tip: This node is known as a lock, and will sometimes appear as an “i” in the string pattern.Coming back through the hole in the mesh, you essentially “fix” the mesh to the hole in the plastic sidewall and create much more tension in the mesh that would otherwise be loosened.

Leave some space in the side wall and fix the next mesh hole on the side wall as before.

Begin stringing regular sidewall knots.To do this, you keep going “off-screen”, but you do not come back through the hole in the grid.

Pro Tip: When you’ve reached the point where the width of your head narrows, you want to start creating a pocket with a sidewall. Since you need a pocket, you want to stop blocking to relieve tension and create sag where you want your pocket to be.

Tighten the knot and go through the next hole in the mesh, then through the next hole in the side wall.

Continue to “run over” with your simple sidewall knots. Use them until you reach the bottom of the side wall. Make sure to pull the cord between the knots. Tie the string at the bottom of the stick with a simple single or double knot.

Connect the side wall on the other side in the same way with exactly the same knot.If you use a different knot pattern on this side, your mesh will not be flat.

Cut off the extra string from the side.

Create a bottom row from an additional sidewall row, if available. The bottom line should be about 6 inches long.

Melt the ends of the lower thread, tie a knot and insert the thread into the plastic at the bottom of the rod.

In a row of 10 diamond meshes, pass the bottom string through the mesh, entering and exiting each hole in the row.

Pull the bottom rope tightly and tie it through the plastic hole.

Pro tip: You can adjust the pocket depth by loosening or tightening the lower string.

Start pulling the shooting strings towards the top of the stick, passing through the hole in the net.Leave only a couple of inches of cord outside the stick as shown.

Weave a shooting string across the row of net.

Once woven, go around the plastic sidewall and weave the yarn through the same row above, then under the current weave.

Pro Tip: For the cleanest looking arrows, be sure to interlace them on the opposite side of the net to cover any part of the net in the row.You can see this difference on the right and left in the picture.

Finish braiding the arrowhead and tie it where you started braiding.

Add to the desired number of shooters. This picture is an example of a shooter known as “nylon,” which is essentially a sidewall string instead of an arrowhead.

Tip: Arrows placed in different rows create a different feel when shooting.It’s all about trial and error, as well as personal preference when choosing a location for your shooters.

Pro Tip: Stretch the arrows in different directions to avoid distorting the mesh / pocket over time. Notice how the arrows in this pocket are tied to different sides.

Go play with your new strings!

Pro tip: Finding the right job for you depends on your personal preference.Modify your sidewall and arrow pattern to find the stringing flavor you prefer.

Pro Tip: String Arrow takes a lot of practice. If this is your first string job, your nodes are most likely not as clean as you would like. Exercise, pull knots and exercise more. You will become like a pro in no time!

Pro tip: Look for new knots, new patterns, new pocket ideas and add some personality to your strings! Once you get the hang of the basics, experiment with all kinds of sidewall knots to find the perfect pocket.

Tom Wolf – I – Charlotte Simmons »Page 192» Every day read books online for free without registration

Instead, Hoyt gets out of bed, heads to the bathroom, and his voice comes from there:

“Give you a towel?”

“No thanks,” Charlotte says in a trembling voice.

She shivers all over – from the inside. She no longer feels pain, but what happened inside her? Something is clearly going on with her. She needs Hoyt with her. Now he will return to her and tell her something wonderful, something that both of them will never forget, and most importantly, from which her soul will become brighter, and the pain that she had to endure will seem like a mere trifle. Perhaps Hoyt will tell her with a sly smile that here, in this room, she entered a beautiful girl, and now she has become a beautiful 90 095 woman.

Hoyt left the bathroom and, without looking at Charlotte, immediately began to pull on his panties. Tying them at the waist, he suddenly raised his head, glanced over her … but not over her face, but lower, even lower, over her still bare thighs … and frowned in dismay.

– Your mother, is that blood?

Charlotte looked in the direction he was looking and found a circle of several bloodstains between her legs. She glanced at Hoyt, but he did not look at her.His still worried gaze was fixed on the drying drops of blood.

“Sorry,” she said. – What should I do now?

– I have no idea, but if these goats think that they will take extra money from us for this, then fuck them – let them break off. Fuck what they get – hell with a hole.

He continued to look at the blood on the bedspread.

Then he lifted the shirt from the floor, from which he had recently so violently pulled out, and began to look for the T-shirt, which ended up on the floor at the foot of the bed …

Why, why is he standing in the middle of the room now – when Charlotte misses him so much? And in general – why does he dress? Where is he going? Or does he think that they should go somewhere together?

Her own nakedness suddenly began to weigh on her.She sat up, lowered her feet to the floor and sat on the edge of the bed. She felt nauseous, ached and dizzy. She instinctively bent over and tilted her head to her knees, expecting that in this position the brain would be better supplied with blood. Alas – after a few seconds she began to vomit much more … I had to unbend. Hoyt was completely occupied with his wardrobe: he buttoned the buttons on his shirt, pulled on his trousers and fastened the belt with that disproportionately large buckle. During all this time, he never once looked at her.

Charlotte was so bad that she no longer wanted anything at all – she dreamed of only one thing: to collapse on the bed again, cover with her body the traces of her own shame – unforgivable, sticky red spots, fall through the sheets, mattress and floor and disappear in the fourth dimension … or in the fifth … or somewhere else, it doesn’t matter, but in such a parallel world, where no one would look for her … She felt terrible. She suddenly realized that her body was still experiencing the strongest effects of alcohol.No, of course, Charlotte knew from the very beginning, she understood that she was drinking an awful lot, but she tried not to pay attention to the reproaches of her conscience and the warnings of her mind. For some reason she decided that she could drink on a par with the others, if not even more, and at the same time not get drunk, which means stay higher and better than those around her, and who would have thought that she, Charlotte Simmons, could get so drunk … so get drunk.

It’s terrible, it’s all terrible – but you can’t sit naked on the edge of the bed forever. Her panties, a wet, crumpled piece of cloth, lay at the foot of the bed.Dirty? So what, what does it matter now? She pulled them to her feet, still sitting, but to put them on completely, she had to stand up. It was much more difficult to do this than usual, but at least she still managed to keep her balance and not fall back on the bed. The head was unbearably heavy, Charlotte felt pain somewhere behind her eyes; the brain seemed to have moved somewhere. She felt that she might just pass out. This was not enough yet! She sat back down on the bed and dropped her head to her knees.Nothing, nothing, now everything will pass. Will hurt, hurt and stop. The main thing is not to lose consciousness. The main thing is not to pass out.

A sharp, deafening knock on the door.

– Hey, dude, are you there? Open it, I need a room too!

It was Julian.

Without risking getting up anymore, Charlotte reached for the crumpled, crumpled dress – what is that? – yes, bra; both lay at the head of the bed. As quickly as she could, she put on her bra, buttoned it up, and desperately tried to unravel the nearly knotted dress … frantically trying to find a hem to pull it over her head.

To her horror, Hoyt, already in his shirt, trousers, socks and even shoes, pushed the bolt open, unlocked the lock, threw open the door and, making a broad welcoming gesture, asked:

– Why are we making a noise, bro?

With these words he let Julian in, and after him came … no, not Nicole at all, but Gloria – the girl of the IP.

The newcomers, as if nothing had happened, cast a short glance at Charlotte, but did not say anything or even nod to her. She herself was ready to die of shame. A last desperate attempt – and finally, a wrinkled dress slid over her shoulders and covered her nakedness.

Julian, with a greasy smile, asked Hoyt:

– I hope we’re not at the wrong time?

– Come on. – Hoyt waved his hand and grinned just as obscenely, ambiguously: – We just decided to catch up. Will you be with us?

Without waiting for an answer, he stepped to the bureau and poured vodka into two glasses, one of which he handed to Julian. Gloria stood at the door for the time being, silent. Nevertheless, from the way she held herself, from her posture, from her straightened shoulders, her chest proudly exposed in front of her, it was clear that the guest was not at all shy and was not going to shame.What was her smile alone – an alluring and lustful smile on her sensual lips. Taking a sip from his glass, Hoyt handed it to Gloria, while he casually winked and smiled at her. No, no, there was nothing special in this smile, it was just friendly: they say, hold it, drink it – but it was still a smile. But since everything happened … Only now it began to dawn on Charlotte that from the moment Julian and Gloria appeared, Hoyt remembered her existence only once, saying that “they were just about to catch up.”More – not a word, not a gesture, not even any, even a disgruntled grimace. Struck, Charlotte sat on the edge of the bed, refusing to believe what was happening in front of her eyes, unable to move. But then I felt the tears welling up in my eyes, hurriedly jumped out of bed and ran – yes, literally running – rushed past all three, just a few inches from them, along the narrow aisle between the beds and the bureau – there was no other way – trying by all means to be in time, to have time to get to the bathroom, so as not to finally break down and burst into tears right in front of their eyes.The last thing she heard before slamming the bathroom door behind her were Julian’s words:

– Oooh … how everything is running …

The whole bathroom was littered with wet towels – large and small, for the shower, for the hands and for the legs. They were lying around and hanging everywhere: on the floor, on the edge of the tub, on hooks, on the shower curtain. Even through the closed door, Charlotte could hear Hoyt and Julian laughingly discussing some girl – 90,095 must be her! – no, it seems like some other girl, judging by the dress with sequins mentioned in the conversation … Then the cheerful chatter turned to what kind of moron Harrison was and what crap he gave out as a toast, and in the end they came to the conclusion that it would be better for him to stay in the lacrosse field all the time, there he belongs, but he is healthy as an elk, and if someone else drank so much, he would have been carried out of here with his feet.Gloria, a beautiful “dark lady”, participated in the conversation in a rather monotonous way: she greeted every new word with a giggle, and every new phrase with laughter.

Charlotte felt dirty – physically and spiritually. It felt like she hadn’t washed for a week. She took off her dress and underwear again, found a clean towel, wetted it, soaped it and wiped everything between her legs, and then repeated this procedure again, again and again, as if to make sure there were no more traces of blood.Then she felt dizzy again. She swayed one way and the other. I even had to put my feet wider and lean against the wall. Just not to fall, just not to fall. The brain refused to work at full strength. It was hard to stand. She sat down, naked, on a lidded toilet bowl … goosebumps ran through her body … tears choked her … streamed from her eyes … She shuddered convulsively from sobs, but did not make a sound … for no reason in the world did Charlotte want these people to know, how bad she is now, painful and insulting, how deeply she is wounded.After a while, with an effort of will, she nevertheless forced herself to rise. Leaning on the edge of the sink with both hands, the girl stood in front of the mirror. This time, her own body did not cause any positive emotions in her. Before her in the mirror was a weak, pitiful, tortured, decayed piece of human flesh. The skin seemed pale and clammy … unhealthy – that’s the right word. The eyes were swollen and reddened. The head … was just splitting from the inside. The pulse pounded in my temples with a hammer. From time to time, the image in the mirror even began to double.What was happening on her head – it was better not to look: the crow’s nest looks neater and more aesthetically pleasing. Just getting out of the bathroom and fetching a bag with a hairbrush was beyond her strength. Those in the room right now are having a good time already, and Charlotte had no intention of giving them another reason to have fun. It was impossible even to imagine that she would come out of the bathroom – barefoot, most of all like a victim of a car accident, and take … a canvas bag.

Fitted safety helmet with integrated attachment system and removable eye shield

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a helmet.More specifically, the present invention is directed to a close-fitting safety helmet with an integral attachment system and a removable eye shield.

BACKGROUND

Millions of people are involved in a variety of physical activities and sports. In the United States, fifteen percent of all sports-related injuries are head injury-related concussions. Some sports involve contact between participants (for example, contact sports) such as American football, hockey, rugby, boxing, kickboxing, football, water polo, wrestling, and other sports.An estimated three million people around the world, between the ages of five and twenty-one and older, practice amateur wrestling. However, there are no approved standards for wrestling helmets. Ear protection is usually a type of helmet, but this name is misleading because the ear protection only protects the ears. Although contestants are allowed to use a variety of ear protectors, these ear protectors are designed to protect the outer ears, but do not provide protection against head injuries and, as a result, ear protectors are ineffective in providing protection to the participants’ head, face, eyes, jaw and brain.In terms of standards maintained, ear protection is mandatory in US high school and college curriculum and competition, but ear protection is optional in international competition.

Ear protectors are usually made of molded plastic or vinyl coated energy absorbing foam, which is sandwiched between two hard plastic earbuds. Usually, the ear protector has a number of straps that pass between them in order for the competitor to attach the ear protector to the competitor’s head.For example, ear protectors usually have multiple straps that run under the chin or along the chin. In addition, ear protectors are usually secured using Velcro or snap fasteners. Not only does the ear protector fail to provide protection against head injury, the harness also does not properly secure the ear protector to the competitor’s head, even when tightly tightened on the competitor’s head, and thus does not properly prevent the ear protector from sliding or dislodging during contact, which could cause injury to the competitor’s head.More specifically, although some belts are continuously pulled in different directions during contact, the ear protectors do not provide protection against head rotation, which can significantly strain the neck muscles that support the competitor’s head.

Wrestlers, like other contact sports, have a greater risk of head injury compared to other non-contact sports due to the strength levels associated with the types of impact that are common in wrestling.In this regard, the rules of the game in wrestling award a victory to the participant if he knocks the opponent out of the rack onto the mat, and, in addition, keeps the opponent on his back for several seconds. The above can be accomplished with a variety of techniques, most of which require significant strength and acceleration. However, unlike other contact sports such as American football, hockey and some other sports, not all wrestling organizations have approved helmets, and in addition, equipment manufacturers do not produce helmets that would protect participants, in particular youth and amateur participants. levels, from various head injuries such as head, face, eyes, jaw and brain injuries.

Thus, it is desirable to provide a lightweight safety helmet that can be easily slipped on, fastened on, and removed from the competitor’s head, while providing a protective function that reduces the likelihood of head injury.

DISCLOSURE OF THE INVENTION

According to an embodiment of the invention, a safety helmet is disclosed. The protective helmet includes a first shell section, a second shell section, a third shell section, and a fourth shell section.

The first section of the casing is configured to pass around the user’s head and includes a first center portion, a first strap and a second strap that extend from the first section of the casing.The first center portion includes a first backing layer and a second backing layer overlying the first backing layer.

The second section of the shell is configured to pass around the jaw of the user and includes a second central portion, a third strap and a fourth strap that extend from the second section of the shell.

The third casing section is connected to the first casing section by a first belt and a third belt, and the fourth casing section is connected to the second casing section by a second belt and a fourth belt.

The first center portion may include at least one opening in the first center portion.

The first protective layer can be trapezoidal. The trapezoidal shape has curved upper and lower bases.

The second backing layer may be in the shape of a butterfly, the butterfly shape including a first section, a second section, and a middle section that connects the first section and the second section. The opening in the second backing layer may be located along the middle section and may separate the first section and the second section.

The second backing layer may include two sections that are positioned over the backing layer. An opening in the second backing layer can separate two sections overlying the first backing layer.

The belt of the first belt and the second belt may include two or more belt sections. The belt sections of said belt may have sloped walls that form a V-shaped notch between the belt sections. In addition, at least one section of the belt may include an opening in the belt.

The helmet may further include a first lace, a second lace, a first connector, and a second connector. The first string passes through the first channel in the first section of the casing, the first string having a first end and a second end. The second string passes through the second channel in the second section of the casing, the second string having a third end and a fourth end.

A first connector is positioned over a third shell section, the first connector receiving a first end and a third end.A second connector is positioned over the fourth section of the shell, the second connector receiving a second end and a fourth end.

The helmet may further include a first hitch and a second hitch. The first coupler may be located in the first connector and can couple the first end and the third end. The second hitch may be located in the second connector and may engage the second end and the fourth end.

The helmet may optionally include a back section and a third lace.The back section includes a clasp. The third lace has a fifth end and a sixth end. The third lace is connected to the fastener, the first connector additionally receiving the fifth end and the second connector additionally receiving the sixth end. In addition, the first coupler can further couple the fifth end, and the second coupler can further couple the sixth end.

The fastener is rotatable in a first direction that pulls on the third string, the third string in turn pulling the first string and the second string through the first hitch and the second hitch.In addition, the fastener is further rotatable in the second direction, which relaxes the tension on the third lace, the third lace in turn releasing the tension on the first lace and second lace through the first hitch and the second hitch, respectively.

The helmet may further include an eye shield that has a first strap and a second strap. The connector may further include a first belt buckle, the first belt buckle receiving and securing the first belt.The second connector may further include a second belt buckle, the second belt buckle receiving and securing the second belt.

In addition, the first belt may include a first set of ramps, and the second belt includes a second set of ramps. The first belt buckle may include a third set of mating slant protrusions, the third set of protrusions engaging the first set of protrusions. Likewise, the second belt buckle may include a fourth set of reciprocating ramps, the fourth set of ramps engaging the second set of ramps.

Additionally, the first belt buckle may include a first hole configured to receive the first belt therethrough, and the second buckle may include a second hole configured to receive the second belt therethrough.

These and other objects, objects and advantages of the present application will become apparent from the following detailed description of exemplary embodiments, read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

Some embodiments are illustrated by way of example and are not limited to the figures of the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG.1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an exemplary form-fitting safety helmet with an exemplary integral attachment system and an exemplary removable eye shield;

Fig. 2A-2E illustrate an exemplary flexible shell of the protective helmet illustrated in FIG. 1;

Fig. 3A-3C illustrate an exemplary connector base of a retention system associated with the protective helmet illustrated in FIG. 1;

Fig. 4A-4C illustrate an exemplary connector coating of a retention system associated with the protective helmet illustrated in FIGS.1;

Fig. 5A-5C illustrate an exemplary stabilizer for the attachment system associated with the protective helmet illustrated in FIGS. 1;

FIGS. 6A-6C illustrate an exemplary detachable eye shield of the protective helmet illustrated in FIG. 1;

Fig. 7A-7C illustrate an exemplary chin guard of the attachment system associated with the protective helmet illustrated in FIG. 1;

Fig. 8A-8C illustrate an exemplary fastener holder of the attachment system associated with the helmet illustrated in FIG.1;

Fig. 9A-9C illustrate some views of an assembled, form-fitting safety helmet with an integral attachment system and a removable eye shield as illustrated in FIG. 1; and

Fig. 10 illustrates the integration of the exemplary fastener holder illustrated in FIG. 8A-8C, with the exemplary fastener illustrated in FIG. 9A-9C.

IMPLEMENTATION OF THE INVENTION

This document discloses a form-fitting safety helmet with an integrated retention system and a removable eye shield.In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding of the exemplary embodiments. However, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that exemplary embodiments may be practiced without all of the specific details disclosed.

FIG. 1 illustrates an exploded perspective view of an exemplary form-fitting safety helmet 100 with an exemplary integral attachment system and an exemplary removable eye shield.Safety helmet 100 includes a flexible shell 102, connectors 104, a frontal stabilizer 106, an eye shield 108, a chin guard 110, a buckle holder 112, laces (illustrated in FIGS. 9A-9C), and a buckle (illustrated in FIG. 10) …

Safety helmet 100 is configured to provide a combination of protective functionality in an aesthetic, easy-to-use lightweight form factor that can reduce the likelihood of head injuries such as head, face, eye, jaw and brain injuries.In some embodiments, the safety helmet 100 can be used with or without an eye shield 108. In addition, in some embodiments, the frontal stabilizer 106 may be omitted.

The flexible shell 102 is contoured to fit accurately and aesthetically to the user’s head and chin, and is also configured to provide protective functionality against head injuries caused by various activities in which the participant is involved. The flexible shell 102 is a monolithic, multi-layer, dual-molded construction that is lightweight and provides flexibility so that the helmet 100 can be easily donned and removed from the user’s head.The flexible shell 102 is made of a double cast in two pieces that are generally mirrored to one another with respect to the center line 101.

The flexible shell 102 is made of a highly resilient polymer that allows the flexible shell 102 to be soft and flexible. The highly elastic polymer can be, for example, ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), which is also known as polyethylene vinyl acetate (PEVA). Other materials can be used, including rubber, PVC, HDPE (high density polyethylene), and silicone, and various combinations thereof.The structure of the flexible shell 102 is described in more detail later herein in connection with FIG. 2A-2E.

Connector 104 is a center connection that facilitates the connection of multiple laces, such as frontal, jaw and back laces, to tension and loosen (for example, joint and / or simultaneously pull or release multiple laces) the attachment system associated with helmet 100. Although the left and right connectors shown on opposite sides of the flexible sheath 102 have the same reference numerals, it should nevertheless be understood that these connectors 104 are mirror images of each other.However, in different embodiments, the connectors 104 on opposite sides of the flexible sheath 102 may also be different, as desired. For example, the left and right connectors 104 may be different to allow for head deformation, or for one or more other reasons.

Connector 104 can be made of plastic or thermoplastic, which, while being lightweight, exhibits high impact resistance and mechanical strength. For example, the thermoplastic can be acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), polycarbonate, polyether ether ketone (PEEK), polyetherimide, polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (e.g., one or more of the others) materials, as well as a combination of materials.

Connector 104 includes a connector base 104a and a connector cover 104b. The base 104a of the connector aligns with a similarly shaped recess of the flexible shell 102. While the base 104a of the connector may be adhered to the groove of the flexible shell 102 using an adhesive, the connector cover 104b includes a combination of multiple tabs and projections so that the connector cover 104b can be snapped into place. with connector base 104a. In various embodiments, the connector base 104a may alternatively or additionally be riveted to the flexible shell 102.The structures of the connector base 104a and the cover 104b of the connector 104 are described in more detail below in this document with reference to FIG. 3A-3C and 4A-4C, respectively.

Frontal stabilizer 106 stabilizes the frontal portion of the frontal lobe of the flexible sheath 102 so that the eye shield 108 can be held in conjunction with the flexible sheath 102. The front stabilizer 106 is aligned and adhered to a similarly shaped recess in the flexible sheath 102.

In addition, the frontal the stabilizer 106 includes a channel that facilitates the passage of the frontal cord over (eg, over) the frontal portion of the flexible sheath 102.The frontal stabilizer 106 can be made of plastic or thermoplastic, which, while lightweight, exhibits high impact resistance and mechanical strength. For example, the frontal stabilizer 106 can be made from the same material as the connector 104, as described hereinabove. The design of the frontal stabilizer 106 is described in more detail below in this document with reference to FIG. 5A-5C.

The eye shield 108 is designed to provide long-term optical clarity without distortion over the entire visible range.Additionally, the eye shield 108 provides ventilation slots or openings to reduce fogging, and may be coated with an anti-fog or anti-fog coating.

The shield 108 for the eyes is made with the ability to outline the structure of the participant’s face from a general flat configuration to a curved structure, easily attached and removed from the connectors 104 of the protective helmet 100 by fastening the belts, to provide clear peripheral vision of the participant in all corners.To this end, the eye shield 108 is double-molded from a pure plastic, such as polycarbonate, which provides flexibility, impact resistance and an unbreakable form factor.

In view of the above, the eye shield 108 can easily protect the eyes from a variety of intentional and / or unintentional accidents such as finger poking, knocking out or scratching, as well as punches, hands, elbows, legs, knees and / or head. The structure of the eye shield 108 is described later herein with reference to FIG.6A-6C.

Chin guard 110 is configured to protect the chin from damage caused by contact, such as contact with a contestant and / or mat. The chin guard 110 generally has a curved shell shape. The chin guard 110 can be made of plastic or thermoplastic, which, while being lightweight, exhibits high impact resistance and mechanical strength. The chin guard 110 coincides with a similarly shaped recess in the flexible shell 102. The chin guard 110 may be adhered to the recess in the flexible shell 102.In addition, the chin guard 110 includes a channel to facilitate passage of the jaw cord over (for example, over) the chin portion of the flexible shell 102.

The chin guard 110 may be made of plastic or thermoplastic, which at its lightness exhibits high impact resistance and mechanical strength. strength. For example, the chin guard 110 may be made from the same material as the connector 104 described above herein. The structure of the chin guard 110 is described in more detail below in this document with reference to FIG.7A-7C.

The fastener holder 112 is configured to connect to and hold the fastener with respect to the helmet 100. In addition, the fastener holder 112 is further configured to receive the rear lace from the connectors 104 and further facilitate the passage of the rear lace through the fastener holder 112 so that it could connect with a clasp. The fastener holder 112 is generally butterfly shaped and coincides with a similarly shaped recess in the flexible sheath 102. The fastener holder 112 may be adhered to the recess in the flexible sheath 102.In various embodiments, the fastener holder 112 may alternatively or additionally be riveted to the flexible sheath 102.

Laces include frontal, jaw and back laces that unify and unify the attachment system associated with the helmet 100. The laces can be made as a single lace (such as a single lace), or can be joined or joined together, for example by fusing, gluing, tying and / or using a connector (such as the y-connector illustrated in FIG.9C). In addition, the laces are non-stretchable and able to withstand significant pulls such as 300 lbs. – 400 lbs (136 kg – 181 kg). The ability to resist stretching mitigates damage to the flexible shell 102 as well as other components of the protective helmet 100.

Laces can be cables, cords, threads and / or ropes. The laces can be metal, plastic, or a combination of both, such as plastic-coated metal or braided metal. The metal can be hard, twisted, twisted and / or braided.The thread or rope can be natural or synthetic, such as nylon, polypropylene, high modulus polyester polyethylene (HMPE), aramid, and / or combinations thereof. The laces are described in more detail later in this document with reference to FIG. 9A-9C.

The fastener is designed to be received and secured by the fastener holder 112. The fastener is further configured to connect and fasten the back lace from the connectors 104. In addition, the fastener is also configured to contract and fasten the back lace at a predetermined amount by rotating in a first direction (e.g., clockwise) so that the front and rear the laces were cut, each cut approximately evenly by half the size of the back lace, for pulling on the built-in fastening system.

[0054] Likewise, the fastener is also capable of being rapidly loosened by rotating in a second direction (eg counterclockwise), which loosens the back lace to loosen the front lace and jaw lace, allowing the competitor to easily remove the helmet 100 from the head. The clasp provides improved performance, accuracy, comfort, strength, and quick and easy use. The clasp is described in more detail later in this document with reference to FIG.10.

Physical activities in which the safety helmet 100 will find use may include, for example, wrestling, rollerblading, cycling, hiking, skateboarding, American football, soccer, field hockey, women’s lacrosse, water polo, rock climbing, alpine skiing and snowboarding, and other sports and / or activities. The above list of sports and activities is not exhaustive, and people involved in other sports or activities not listed can take advantage of the protective features in the aesthetic form factor provided by the 100 helmet.For example, helmet 100 may find use in activities such as controlling a remotely piloted aircraft (eg, a drone).

Fig. 2A-2E illustrate an exemplary flexible shell 102 of the protective helmet 100 illustrated in FIG. 1.

The flexible shell 102 is contoured to fit accurately and aesthetically over the user’s head and chin, and is further configured to provide a protective function against head injuries caused by various activities in which the participant is involved.In this regard, the flexible shell 102 provides a form factor that is lightweight and flexible so that the helmet 100 can be easily put on and removed from the participant’s head through opening 201.

The flexible shell 102 is configured, at least in part, to cover the participant’s head, including the frontal, parietal, temporal, occipital and cerebellar parts of the user’s brain, as well as the participant’s jaw, including the chin. The flexible shell structure 102 includes several shell sections 202, 222, 244, 262, 282, and 290 that are generally associated with the aforementioned head and jaw portions.More specifically, the frontal sheath section 202, the parietal sheath section 222, the occipital sheath section 244, the cerebellar sheath section 262, and the temporal sheath section 282 are generally associated, respectively, with the frontal, parietal, occipital, cerebellar, and temporal brain regions of the participant’s head. Additionally, the jaw shell section 290 is generally associated with the jaw portion of the user’s head. For clarity and brevity of description, some sections 202, 222, 244, 262, 282 and 290 hereinafter in this document will be referred to simply as shell sections.

Sheath sections 202, 222, 244 and 290, extending radially from left temporal sheath section 282 in a curved or arcuate direction to right temporal sheath section 282, are generally central to subsequent sheath sections and facilitate the formation of flexible sheath 102. Sections 202, 222 and 244 shells are configured to extend over or around the head, and shell section 290 is configured to extend over or around the jaw. Although the left and right temporal sheath sections 282 shown on opposite sides of the flexible sheath 102 (FIG.2B) are designated with the same reference numerals, it should nevertheless be understood that these shell sections 282 are mirror images of one another. However, in different embodiments, the temporal shell sections 282 on different sides of the flexible shell 102 may also be different, as may be desired. For example, the left and right temporal sheath sections 282 may be different to allow correction of head deformity, or for one or more other reasons.

Cerebellar section 262 of the shell is configured to extend in a curved or arcuate direction downward from the occipital section 244 of the shell.More specifically, sheath section 262 is configured to extend downward and behind the head and toward the neck.

The flexible shell 102 generally has a monolithic and multi-layer structure that is lightweight and provides flexibility so that the helmet 100 can be easily slipped over a competitor’s head. More specifically, shell sections 202, 222, 244, 262, 282 and 290 are positioned in relationship to each other and create an expandable opening 201. Expandable opening 201 allows the flexible shell to be easily slipped over and removed from a competitor’s head through opening 201 so that sections 202 , 222, 244 and 262 shells were positioned over and around the head, left and right shell sections 282 were located over and around the ears, while shell section 290 would be located over and around the jaw.When the flexible casing 102 is worn over the participant’s head, the participant’s face is positioned in an opening 203 that is formed between sections 202 and 290 of the casing section.

Flexible shell 102 generally includes a three-layer structure that includes a first base layer, a second middle layer, and a third topsheet. The base layer is generally shown as layer 200. The layer structure, as well as the number of layers, may vary in the shell sections, as will be described in more detail later in this document.In addition, the flexible shell 102 is not limited to a three-layer structure, and the structure of the flexible shell 102 may thus include more or fewer layers.

Front shell section 202 includes a base layer 200, a middle layer 204, a topsheet 206, a recess 208, an air vent 209, and flexible belts 216 on opposite sides of the flexible shell 102. The shell section 102 is generally formed by a middle layer 204 located over the first base layer 200.

Middle layer 204 is formed by center section 205 and left and right tapering end sections 207. More specifically, tapered end sections 207 extend from center section 205 towards opposite sides of flexible sheath 102 and taper into flexible straps 216 that connect the front shell section 202 with temporal shell sections 202 on opposite sides of flexible shell 102.

Topsheet 206 includes sections 206a, 206b that are located along central section 205 of middle layer 204 and which are separated by a vent 209.More specifically, sections 206a, 206b are generally located at frontal bulges, which are frontal sections (ie, frontal portions) located over the eyebrows above the eyes of the participant. The sections 206a, 206b generally have an irregular trapezoidal shape and extend along the middle layer between the flexible belts 216. The sections 206a, 206b have lower portions (bases) that extend in the direction of the flexible belts 216 and provide a contour that tapers towards the narrowing of the extreme sections 207 of the central section 205.Of course, various other shapes of sections 206a, 206b can be envisaged, such as rectangular, circular, square, other geometric shapes, and combinations of geometric shapes.

The recess 208 extends arcuately or curvilinearly along the middle layer 204 between the flexible straps 216, and is configured to receive the frontal stabilizer 106. A plurality of slots 215 are provided along the inner part of the main layer 200 of the front shell section 202, which are configured to receive the tabs of the flap 108 for the eye so that the eye shield 108 can be secured along the forehead with respect to the flexible shell 102.

Vent 209 is provided to remove heat generated by the participant. The opening 209 generally has a trapezoidal shape that is inverted with respect to the irregular trapezoidal shapes of the sections 206a, 206b of the topsheet 206. Of course, various other shapes of the opening 209 such as rectangular, round, square, other geometric shapes can be provided. as well as combinations of geometric shapes.

Each of the flexible belts 216 includes belt sections 218, 220 and 221.Belt sections 218, 220 and 221 are generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) and are sequentially tapering along flexible belts 216 towards the frontal shell sections 282 on opposite sides of flexible shell 102. One or more walls of belt sections 218, 220 and 221 are inclined down towards the base layer 200, forming v-shaped recesses 219. The recesses 219 generally extend approximately to the base layer 200. In addition, similar v-shaped sections 218 are provided between the section 207 of the center section 205 and the belt sections 218 of the flexible belts 216 on opposite sides of the flexible sheath 102.This design of the flexible belts 216 provides and improves the flexibility of the flexible shell 102 while maintaining a substantial protective function.

Frontal shell section 202 includes a first channel 210 that extends arcuately or curved along the frontal shell section 202 between temporal shell sections 282 on opposite sides of flexible shell 102. For clarity of description, the first channel will sometimes be referred to herein as the frontal canal. The first (frontal) channel 210 includes a slot 212 along the middle layer 204 and a plurality of openings 214 along the flexible belts 216.At the same time channel 210 receives a frontal lace that runs along channel 210 of shell section 202 between, and to left and right temporal shell sections 282, slot 212 receives cylindrical sections of frontal stabilizer 106.

Parietal shell section 222 includes base layer 200 , middle layer 224, 240, topsheet 226, vents 228a, 228b, and flexible belts 230 on opposite sides of flexible shell 102. Shell section 222 is generally formed by middle layer 224 overlying first base layer 200.

The middle layer 224 is generally rectangular (or trapezoidal), the sides of which taper from the front to the back of the flexible sheath 102 to outline the head of the competitor. The base of the trapezoidal shape is curved outwardly approximately in the center and tapers towards the temporal sections 282 of the shell in order to outline the head of the participant. Of course, various other shapes of middle layer 224 can be envisaged, such as rectangular, round, square, other geometric shapes, and combinations of geometric shapes.Middle layer 224 further includes vents 228a, 228b.

Middle layers 224, 240 are spaced apart. Likewise, the middle layer 240 is generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) in shape, the sides of which taper from the front to the back of the flexible shell 102, defining the head of the participant. The base of the trapezoidal shape is curved outwardly approximately in the center and tapers towards the temporal sections 282 of the shell in order to outline the head of the participant.Of course, various other shapes of the middle layer 240 can be envisaged, such as rectangular, round, square, other geometric shapes, and combinations of geometric shapes. The middle layer 240 likewise includes a vent 242.

In addition, the base layer 200 of the middle layer 224 extends from the middle layer 224 towards opposite sides of the flexible shell 103 and tapers into flexible straps 230 that connect the shell section 202 to the temple sections. 282 shell.

The topsheet 226 is generally located along the center of the middle layer 224. In addition, the topsheet 226 is generally butterfly-shaped and extends along the middle layer 224 between the flexible belts 230. The butterfly shape has wide side portions connected by a narrow middle portion. Vents 228a, 228b are located along the narrow middle portion of the butterfly, thereby separating the wide side portions.

Flexible straps 230 connect the shell section 222 to the temporal shell sections 282.In addition, each of the flexible belts 230 includes belt sections 232, 236. The belt sections 232, 236 are generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) and are arranged in series, tapering along the flexible belts 230 towards the temporal sheath sections 282 on the sides of the flexible sheath 102. The belt section 232 is spaced from the belt section 236. This design of the flexible belts 230 provides and increases the flexibility of the flexible shell 102 while maintaining an essential protective function.In addition, belt sections 232, 236 include corresponding vents 234, 238.

The occipital shell section 244 includes a base layer 200, a middle layer 246, a topsheet 248, vents 250a, 250b, and flexible belts 252. Section The shell 244 is generally formed by a middle layer 246 overlying the first base layer 200.

The middle layer 246 is generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) in shape, the sides of which taper from the front to the rear of the flexible shell 102, outlining the head of the participant.The upper base of the trapezoidal shape curves outward approximately in the center and tapers towards the temporal sections 282 of the shell, while the lower base extends approximately directly towards the temporal sections of the shell 282 in order to outline the head of the participant. Of course, various other shapes of middle layer 246 can be envisaged, such as rectangular, circular, rectangular, other geometric shapes, and combinations of geometric shapes. Like other middle layers, middle layer 246 includes vents 250a, 250b.

Flexible straps 252 connect the shell section 244 to the temporal shell sections 282. In addition, each of the flexible belts 252 includes belt sections 254, 258. The belt sections 254, 258 are generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) and are arranged in series, running along the flexible belts 252 towards the temporal sheath sections 282 on the sides of the flexible sheath 102. This design of the flexible belts 252 provides and increases the flexibility of the flexible sheath 102 while maintaining at the same time an essential protective function.In addition, belt sections 254, 258 include corresponding ventilation holes 256, 260.

Cerebellar sheath section 262 includes a base layer 200 that extends up to a flexible belt 272 that is configured to extend in a curved or arcuate direction backward from head towards the neck. Flexible belt 272 includes belt sections 264, 268, 273. More specifically, belt sections 264, 268 are generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) and are arranged in series, tapering along flexible belts 272 towards the participant’s neck.More specifically, belt sections 264, 268 include corresponding vents 266, 270. Belt section 273 is a rear section that has left and right portions that extend around the head / neck in an arcuate or curved manner toward the temple shell sections 282 on the sides. flexible shell 102. The back section 273 includes walls 274, 276 that define a recess 278. The recess 278 receives a fastener holder (FIGS. 8A-8C). The walls 274, 276 of the recess 278 slope inwardly towards the recess 278 and provide a height so that the fastener holder can be secured in the recess 278 of the rear section 273.Channels 280 extend externally towards the sheath temporal sections 282 on the sides of the flexible sheath 102. These channels 280 will guide a rear cord extending from the sheath temple sections 282 to a fastener holder that can be secured in the rear section 273. This flexible strap 272 design provides and improves the flexibility of the flexible shell 102 while maintaining a significant protective function.

Although not shown in detail, the inner surface of the rear section 273 may be smooth or textured (e.g., grooves, bumps and valleys, etc.)NS.). Texturing can provide better anchoring to the participant’s neck.

The temporal section 282 of the sheath is the center section that connects to flexible straps 216, 230, 252 and 290 (described below) and further facilitates the reception of connector 104 and some laces – such as the frontal, jaw and back laces – for tightening and loosening an attachment system associated with the helmet 100. While the left temporal sheath section 282 is shown, it should be understood that the right temporal sheath section 282 is on the opposite side of the flexible sheath 102.As described herein, the left and right shell sections 282 are mirror images of each other. However, in different embodiments, the shell sections 282 of the opposite sides of the flexible shell 102 may also be different as needed (eg, deformation correction).

Shell section 282 includes y-shaped recess 283, guides 284, 285, 288, vents 286, recess 281 and riveted holes 287. Y-shaped recess 283 includes guides 284, 285, which are connected to corresponding channels 210, 211 (described below) of the shell sections 202, 290, and a guide 288 extending towards the guide 280 of the rear section 272.In addition, the guides 284, 285 have corresponding openings from the channels 210, 211. It should be noted that the guides 284, 285 and 288 facilitate the reception of certain laces, for example, the frontal, jaw and back laces, and further facilitates the connection of the laces to the connector 104.

Vents 286 are configured to remove heat generated by the participant. The recess 281 facilitates receiving the eye shield fastener of the connector base 104a and the eye shield strap 108 so that the eye shield strap 108 can be positioned within the connector 104, as will be described in more detail herein.In embodiments that use rivets to secure some of the connectors 104 to the flexible sheath 102, rivet holes 287 may be provided to receive respective rivets. In embodiments that do not use rivets, rivet holes 287 may of course be omitted.

Vents 239, 241 and 271 are provided between sections 202, 222 and 282, sections 222, 244 and 282, and sections 244, 262 and 282, respectively.

The jaw sheath section 290 includes flexible straps 292 that extend along the jaw to the chin and the central chin section 296 to the left and right sections 282 of the flexible sheath 102.Flexible straps 292 can be of varying width so that they are wider near the cheek regions (providing cheek protection) and taper to narrower sections along the jaw towards the chin section 296. Flexible belts 292 include a plurality of sections that may have varying widths as described above, such as sections 293, 294. Belt sections 293, 294 are generally rectangular (or trapezoidal) and may be sequential or tapered toward the section. 296 chin flexible shell 102.

Although not shown in detail, the inner surface of the chin section 296 may be smooth or textured (eg, grooves, bumps and valleys, etc.). Texturing can provide better anchoring to the participant’s chin.

One or more walls of belt sections 293, 294 are angled downward to form a v-shaped notch 295. The notch 295 generally extends approximately to the level of base layer 200. This design of flexible belt 292 provides and improves flexibility of flexible sheath 102 while maintaining an essential protective function.The shell section 296 includes a recess 298 that is configured to receive the chin guard 110.

The jaw sheath section 290 includes a second duct 211 that extends arcuately or curvilinearly along the jaw sheath section 290 between the temporal sheath sections 282. For clarity of description, the second canal 211 will sometimes be referred to herein as a jaw canal. The second (jaw) canal 211 includes a plurality of holes 297 along the flexible straps 292 so that the jaw canal 211 can receive a jaw cord that runs along the canal 211 of the sheath section 290 between and to the left and right temporal sections 282 of the sheath.

As shown in FIG. 2C-2E, flexible shell 102 includes a plurality of recesses on the inside of flexible shell 102 along sections 202, 222, and 244 that can receive shock absorbing inserts 299a-299e. For example, section 202 may receive inserts 299c, 299d, section 222 may receive inserts 299a, 299c, and section 244 may receive inserts 299e. Inserts 299a-299e are positioned to cover a substantial portion of the bottom surface of sections 202, 222 and 244, which can absorb and disperse sudden impacts from above the flexible shell 102.

Inserts 299a-299e can be glued into the recesses of the flexible sheath using glue. Alternatively or additionally, the inserts 299a-299e may be formed as part of a double-molded flexible shell 102. In some embodiments, the inserts 299a-299e may be oval in shape. The inserts can be made of viscoelastic foam (eg memory foam), which can absorb sudden impacts against the flexible shell 102, providing slow compression and shock dissipation.Tall inserts 299a-299e can facilitate ventilation of the heat generated by the participant under the flexible shell so that heat can be dissipated and removed through flexible shell openings such as openings 209, 228a, 228b, 234, 238, 239, 241, 242, 250a, 250b , 256, 260, 266 and 270.

Of course, various other shapes of the inserts 299a-299e may be envisaged, such as rectangular, circular, square, other geometric shapes, and combinations of geometric shapes.

As further illustrated in FIG.2C-2E, the flexible shell 102 includes a plurality of slots 215 along the interior of the base layer 200 of the front shell section 202. The slots 215 are adapted to receive the tabs of the eye shield 108 so that the eye shield 108 can be secured along the forehead with respect to the flexible shell 102, for example, stabilized by the frontal stabilizer 106.

FIG. 3A-3C illustrate an exemplary base 104a of a connector 104 of an attachment system associated with a helmet 100 of FIG.1.

As described above, the base 104a of the connector coincides with the recess of the flexible sheath 102. More specifically, the base 104a may be glued and / or riveted to the recess of the temporal section 282 of the sheath of the flexible sheath 102. In this regard, the base 104a of the connector has a similar shape the temporal sheath section 282 of the flexible sheath 102 to facilitate smooth mating or connection between the connector base 104a and the temporal sheath section 282. While FIG. 3A-3C show the right base 104a of the connector, however, it should be understood that the left base 104a of the connector is a mirror image thereof.However, in various embodiments, the connector base 104a may also be different based on the shape of the sheath temporal section 282 of the flexible sheath 102, as may be desirable for certain adjustments (eg, head deformation), or for one or more other reasons.

Connector base 104a includes slots 302, 304, snap tabs 306, 308, eye shield fastener 310, y-shaped connecting notch 316, vents 336, 338, and rivet holes 340, 342.

Slots 302, 304 are formed in connector base 104a and receive tabs on connector cover 104b. Likewise, latching tabs 306, 308 are formed in the connector base 104a and engage the latching tabs of the connector cover 104b. Thus, the connector cover 104b can easily be positioned relative to the connector base 104a using the slots 302, 304 and further snapped against the connector base 104a using the snap tabs 306, 308.

The eye shield clasp 310 includes stepped projections 312 and an opening 314. The projections 312 are angled or oblique (for example, towards the notch 302) so that the eye shield straps can be received in the opening 314 and the mating projections of the straps can hook and buckle in eye shield clasp 310.

The Y-shaped connecting recess 316 is designed as a connection that facilitates the reception of the frontal, jaw and back laces, and the connection of the aforementioned laces, such as through a y-connector (Fig.9C). As previously described, the laces can be made as a single lace (e.g., a single lace), or can be joined or tied together, e.g. by soldering, gluing, tying, and / or using a connector (e.g., the y-connector shown in FIG. 9C). In addition, the recess 316 facilitates the containment and smooth operation of the laces while tightening and loosening the helmet attachment system 100. In this regard, the y-shaped connecting recess 316 includes guide sections 318, 324 and 330.

Guide sections 318, 324 and 330 include combinations of holes and guides, respectively. More specifically, the guide section 318 includes an opening 320 and a guide 322, the guide section 324 includes an opening 326 and a guide 328, and the guide section 220 includes an opening 332 and a guide 334. The guide sections 318, 324, and 330 facilitate guiding the laces during operation of the safety helmet attachment system 100.

Ventilation holes 336, 338 generally cover ventilation holes 286, 286 of a similar shape in the temporal section 282 of the shell of the flexible shell 102.

Rivet holes 340, 342 allow rivets to pass through holes 340, 342 and overlap holes 287 in temple section 282 of flex shell 102 so that rivets can be used to secure connector base 104a to flex shell 102.

Sections 344 and 346 are used to illustrate the outline of the connector base 104a in relation to the participant’s temples and ears. More specifically, section 344 is generally a flat section that outlines the participant’s temple, while section 346 is generally a projecting section that arcuately or curvedly outlines the participant’s ear.Section 344 merges seamlessly into section 346.

FIG. 4A-4C illustrate an exemplary cover 104b of a connector 104 of an attachment system associated with a helmet 100 of FIG. 1.

Cover 104b includes tabs 403, 404, latch tabs 406, 408, recess 410, and one or more ventilation holes 412.

Tabs 402, 404 extend generally outward from the periphery of connector cover 104b, and latch tabs 406, 408 (eg, L-shaped protrusions) generally extend downwardly from the connector cover 104b.While the tabs 402, 404 are slidably received into the mating slots 302, 304 of the connector base 104a, the protrusions 408, 408 deflect and then engage the mating latching tabs 306, 308 of the connector base 104a.

As described above, the connector cover 104b can be easily positioned relative to the connector base 104a, and further snapped into position relative to the connector base 104a. In addition, the latching projections 406, 408 are releasably secured (for example, the L-shape includes a lever and a locking extension that are angled to each other), which allows the latching projections 406, 408 to be disengaged from the latching tongues 306.Thus, the connector cover 104b effectively covers the seam and connection of the frontal, jaw and back laces through the connector base 104a, while allowing access to the seam if and when needed.

The recess 410 of the connector cover 104b partially overlaps the opening 314 of the connector base 104a. This facilitates the receiving of the eye shield straps into the opening 314 and retaining the belts in the opening 314 when the projections of the straps engage with the projections 312 of the eye shield fastener 310.

One or more ventilation holes 412 are located above the ventilation holes 336, 338 of the connector base 104a. This allows ventilation and heat dissipation from the competitor to the outside of the helmet 100.

Sections 414 and 416 are used to illustrate the outline of the connector cover 104b in relation to the competitor’s temples and ears. These sections are generally the same as the outline of section 344, 346, with section 344 generally being a flat section that outlines the participant’s temple, while section 346 generally being a raised section that arcuately or curvedly outlines the participant’s ear.Section 414 merges smoothly into section 416.

FIG. 5A-5C illustrate an exemplary stabilizer 106 of the attachment system associated with the protective helmet shown in FIGS. 1.

Stabilizer 106 includes a top edge 502, bottom edges 504, 506, a recessed edge 508, side edges 510, 510, openings 512, and channel sections 514. The stabilizer 106 has a generally circular or curved section A-A, so that the stabilizer 106 can be positioned in the recess 208 of the flexible sheath 102.

The upper edge 502 has an oblique outline and extends along the front section 202 of the sheath of the flexible sheath 102 between the flex belts 216 …The lower edges 504, 506 are separated by a recessed edge 508 and extend arcuately or curvilinearly towards the side edges 510, 510, defining the tapered end sections 207 of the shell section 202. The recessed edge 508 is generally straight and engages a similarly shaped protrusion of the recess 208 so that the stabilizer 106 can be positioned and / held precisely in the recess 208.

Channel sections 514 have openings 512. Channel sections 514 are configured to be positioned in reciprocal troughs sections in the recesses 212 of the recess 208 in the shell section 202 of the flexible shell 102.Channel sections 514 cooperate with channel 210 to allow the frontal lace to extend or protrude around the front sheath 202, between and towards sheath section 282.

Fig. 6A-6C illustrate an exemplary detachable eye shield 108 of the protective helmet 100 shown in FIG. 1.

Eye shield 108 includes a frame 600, straps 602, lenses 606 and ventilation slots 608, ventilation holes 610, protrusions 612 and tabs 614.

Frame 600 is configured to outline the shape of a participant’s face from a general flat configuration to a curved structure easy to slip on and off the connector 104 of the protective helmet 100.

The straps 602 are adapted to receive the eye shield fastener 310 into the opening 314 of the fastener 310. The straps include slots 604 and stepped projections 612. The slots 604 allow a participant to pull on the straps 602 to engage and loosen the straps against the visor buckle 310. Specifically, the stepped projections 612 are angled or inclined (e.g., toward the rim 600) so that the straps 602 of the eye shield 108 can be engaged and released from the engaging projections 312 of the fastener 310 by pulling or pushing the straps 602 using slots 604.

As described herein, lenses 606 are configured to provide long-term and undistorted optical clarity over the entire visible range, ensuring clear peripheral vision of the participant from all angles. Lenses 606 are also configured to delineate from a generally flat configuration to a curved structure. In addition, the lenses 606 are removable and thus frictionally mounted in channels (not shown). The lenses 606 are shorter on the peripheral sides of the bezel 600 to provide ventilation holes 610.Ventilation slots 608 and ventilation holes 610 facilitate air ventilation in order to reduce fogging. As described above, an anti-fog coating may also be applied to the inner surface of the lenses 606 to further resist fogging.

The tabs 614 are designed to slide into slots 215 provided along the inner base layer 200 of the front shell section 202 so that the flap 108 can be secured to the relatively flexible shell 102.As described herein, the frontal stabilizer 106 stabilizes the flexible shell 102 so that the eye shield 108 can be held more securely in conjunction with the flexible shell 102.

FIG. 7A-7C illustrate an exemplary chin guard 110 of an attachment system associated with the helmet 100 shown in FIG. 1.

Chin guard 110 generally has a curved shell-shaped structure to protect the chin. The outer periphery 702 of the chin guard 110 is generally oval with curved edges 712, an arcuate top surface 716, a lower edge surface 718, and a concave interior 714 that serves to outline the chin.The chin guard 110 includes channels 704, 706 that include recessed channel sections 710 and end openings 708. Channel sections 704, 706 cooperate with channel 211 to allow the jaw cord to extend or protrude around the sheath jaw section 290, between and towards the shell section 282.

Fig. 8A-8C illustrate an exemplary fastener holder 112 of an attachment system associated with the helmet 100 shown in FIG. 1.

The fastener holder 112 is configured to connect to and hold the fastener (Fig.9B and 10) relative to protective helmet 100. The fastener holder 112 is generally butterfly-shaped, with peripheral sections 802, 812 connected by a recessed center section 822. The left peripheral section 802 of the butterfly includes a wall 804 with holes 808, 810 and an inclined surface 806 with hole 807. Similarly, the right peripheral section 812 of the butterfly includes a wall 814 with holes 818, 820 and an inclined surface 816 with hole 817.

The recessed center section 822 receives and secures the fastener (FIG.9B and 10) using the respective tabs of the fastener that slide into and engage the holes 810, 820. The back lace from the shell sections 282 runs along the guide channels 824, 826 through the corresponding holes 808, 818 to the center section 822 so that the lace can be connected with a fastener that is located in the center section 822.

Rivet receiving holes 807, 817 may be provided, which may be used to reinforce fastening of the fastener holder 112 to the rear section 273.In embodiments that do not use rivets, holes 807, 817 may be omitted, and fastener holder 112 may be adhered to rear section 273 of flexible sheath 102. In addition, rivets may be used as an alternative to or in addition to gluing fastener holder 112 to rear section.

Recesses 828 may be provided in the respective inclined surfaces 806, 816 through which the holes 807, 817 can secure the rivets in the fastener holder 122 and the flexible sheath 102.Although only two holes are shown, there may be more or fewer holes (eg, four (4) holes) in the recesses 828 to receive rivets (eg, four (4) rivets).

Fig. 9A-9C illustrate some views of an assembled, form-fitting safety helmet 100 with an integral attachment system and a removable eye shield as shown in FIG. 1.

As shown, the frontal cord 902 extends through channel 210 and channel sections 514 of stabilizer 106 from left temporal sheath section 282 to right temporal sheath section 282, and is received in a y-shaped connecting recess 316 of connectors 104.Likewise, the jaw cord 904 extends through the channel 211 and channels 704, 706 of the chin guard 110 from the left temporal section 282 of the sheath to the right temporal section 282 of the sheath, and is received in the y-shaped connecting recess 316 of the connectors 104. In addition, the rear cord 906 passes through channels 824, 826 of the fastener holder 112 and engages the fastener 910 in the rear section 273 from the left temporal section 282 of the shell to the right temporal section of the shell 282, and is received in the y-shaped connecting recess 316 of the connectors 104.As shown, the fastener 910 is attached to the fastener holder 112.

Y-link 909 is used to connect the ends of the frontal, jaw and back laces 902, 904 and 906, respectively. Y-hitch 909 is located in connector 104 in y-shaped connecting recess 316 between guide sections 318, 324 and 330.

The straps 602 of the eye shield 108 are received in the buckle 310 of the eye shield, and the tabs 614 of the shield 108 for the eyes are received in slots 215 provided along the inner surface of the front section 202 of the shell so that the flap 108 is secured relative to the flexible shell 102.The forehead stabilizer 106 stabilizes the flexible shell 102 so that the eye shield 108 can be held more securely in conjunction with the flexible shell 102.

FIG. 10 illustrates the connection of the exemplary fastener holder 112 shown in FIG. 8A-8C, with the exemplary fastener 910 shown in FIG. 9A-9C.

Clasp 910 is configured to be received in and secured by the clasp holder 112. Specifically, the fastener includes tabs 912, 914 that are received in corresponding openings 810, 820 to secure the fastener 910 to the center section 822 of the fastener holder 112.

Clasp 910 is further configured to connect a rear lace 906 that extends from left and right connectors 104. Clasp 910 wraps the rear lace around a spool (not shown) and can shorten (and fasten) the rear lace 906 to a predetermined amount by rotation wheels 916 in the first direction (for example, clockwise) so that the frontal and jaw laces 902, 904 can be shortened, each shortening approximately half the size of the rear lace, in order to tighten the integrated attachment system of the helmet 100 so that the helmet 100 tightly was located around the head of the participant.

Likewise, fastener 910 is also designed to be rapidly loosened by rotating wheel 916 in a second direction (e.g. counterclockwise), which can loosen the back lace 906 in order to loosen the frontal and jaw laces 902, 904, allowing the participant to easily remove the protective helmet 100 from the participant’s head. The 100 helmet with integral 910 buckle and other features described in this document provides significantly improved performance, accuracy, comfort, durability, and speed and ease of use.

As further illustrated, rivets 1002, 1004 can be inserted through holes 807, 817 into recesses 828, 828 of ramps 806, 816 so that fastener holder 112 attaches more securely to flexible sheath 102. Although only rivets 1002, 1004 are shown, more or fewer rivets may be provided through the holes in the recesses 828, for example above or below the rivets 1002, 1004 shown.

Thus, a close-fitting safety helmet with an integral attachment system and a removable eye shield has been described.While specific illustrative embodiments have been described, it should be apparent that various modifications and changes can be made to these embodiments without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Accordingly, the description and drawings are to be considered in an illustrative and not limiting sense. The accompanying drawings, which form a part of this document, show, by way of illustration, and not limitation, specific embodiments in which the subject matter of the invention may be applied.The illustrated embodiments are described in sufficient detail to enable those skilled in the art to implement the ideas disclosed herein. Other embodiments may be used and derived therefrom so that constructive and logical substitutions and changes can be made without departing from the scope of this application.

The foregoing detailed description is thus not to be construed in a limiting sense, and the scope of the various embodiments is defined only by the appended claims, together with the full range of equivalents to which such claims are entitled.

While specific embodiments have been shown and described herein, it should be understood that any designs designed to accomplish the same purpose may supersede the specific embodiments shown. This application is intended to cover any and all adaptations and variations of the various embodiments of the invention. Combinations of the aforementioned embodiments and other embodiments not specifically described herein will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon reading the foregoing description.

The abstract will allow the reader to quickly understand the essence of the technical disclosure of this application. It is presented with the understanding that it will not be used to interpret or limit the scope or understanding of the claims.

In the foregoing detailed description, various features may be grouped together into a single embodiment in order to streamline the description of their applications. This method of description should not be interpreted as reflecting that the claimed embodiments have more features than is expressly indicated in each claim.On the contrary, as the following claims reflect, subject matter lies in less than all features of one disclosed embodiment.

In addition, it is intended that the features or elements of the various embodiments described herein may be combined in different combinations that are not specifically listed in the foregoing detailed description, and such combinations may be stand-alone separate exemplary embodiments that may be declared.

35 best gifts for athletes of the season

Gear

Holidays give you the opportunity to stock up on gear, shoes, and other goodies that could boost your productivity in 2015. Here’s what should be on your list. Tell your loved ones that the holidays are truly the most wonderful time of the year.

Sure, this is just a cotton T-shirt, but with a cute logo, and this shirt goes well with the Jordan Warm-Up Jacket. $ 35, nike.com

Clothing

Air Jordan Foil Front Tee

Sure, it’s just a cotton tee, but with a cute logo, and the shirt really goes well with the Jordan Warm-Up Jacket.
$ 35, nike.com

Air Jordan Warm-Up Jacket

The perforated front panel looks cool and helps you stay dry. A hidden inner pocket holds your smartphone with a dedicated headphone loop.
$ 120, nike.com

Air Jordan S. Print Shorts. Flight Sonic

Baggy, comfortable and stylish – with two internal pockets for keys and phone – these shorts are great on the court and behind its limits.
$ 50, nike.com

Air Jordan dominate the skinny

Stretch fabric keeps your feet warm when you’re on the bench, and DRI-FIT technology keeps you dry as you play.
$ 60, nike.com

Nike Hyperwarm 2.0 Men’s Crew

When temperatures drop sharply, use this base coat to keep warm and wick away sweat.
$ 50, nike.com

adidas Team Issue Hoodie

Stay warm between workouts or just relaxing in this soft, fleecy hoodie.
$ 60, adidas.com

adidas Team Shorts Issue

Comfortable baggy workout shorts. The warm sweat-wicking material makes them a great option for winter training. 90 450 90 095 $ 45 adidas.com

adidas Team Pants Issue

Put them on before heading home from the gym so your legs don’t get fry.
$ 55, adidas.com

Nike Elite World Tour Men’s Full Zip Basketball Hoodie

This hooded sweatshirt made especially for pickup enthusiasts is designed for outdoor courts.
$ 75, nike.com

Nike Element Men’s Thermal Running Gloves

Smart idea: The tips of these gloves work with smartphone screens so you can browse playlists while you workout.
$ 25, nike.com

Puma PR Pure NightCat Shorts

Reflective materials keep you visible when jogging in the early morning or evening. Throw them over your pantyhose and forward.
$ 40, puma.com

Under Armor ColdGear ArmourVent Leggings

These quick-drying, moisture-wicking tights will keep you warm in cold weather.

$ 70 underarmour.com

Under Armor ClutchFit Compression Leggings

Supportive compression garment that allows you to exercise without limits.
$ 80, underarmour.com

When Should I Take Creatine

Under Armor Storm Infrared Running Vest ColdGear

This windproof vest keeps you warm during outdoor workouts, but allows your arms to move freely.Three layers of fabric: the outside repels the wind, and the inside creates a cozy atmosphere.
$ 100, underarmour.com

Shoes

Air Jordan CP3.VIII

Chris Paul’s signature kick, now available in the bold Challenge Red colorway (pictured), features a responsive low top that allows you to cut as fast as you want. A plush interior and padded heel cup accentuate it. 90 450 90 095 130 dollars, nike.com

Adidas Energy Boost 2.0

The durable midsole houses proprietary Boost technology to help you put more energy into your strides. Seamless Techfit upper creates a wearable feel.
$ 160, adidas.com

New Minimus Balance 20v4

Delivers a barefoot feel and great ground contact for lifters who want to feel the platform when they squat.Gripping and durable Vibram outsole provides serious traction.
$ 100, newbalance.com

Nike Air Max 2015

Fade color scheme will give you a look; the huge air cushion underfoot ensures an incredibly comfortable ride.
$ 190, nike.com

ASICS Gel-Exert TR

Exert is designed for any workout. The outsole is thick enough for running, but thin and flat enough for instep and explosive dynamic movements.
$ 100, asics.com

Under Armor SpeedForm Apollo

Super flexible and almost lightweight, Apollo adjusts to your foot thanks to a breathable upper and a seamless heel (the part that holds your ankle in the shoe).
$ 100, underarmour.com

workout program for a quick set of muscles

In-Game Equipment

Wilson A2000 Gloves 1786 Team Logo Infield

Wear gloves with your favorite team logo and colors, as preferred by professionals.You can also customize the glove by entering your name and number. $
$ 350, wilsoncustom-gloves.com

Age MMXV Gen.5 C30 Dragonfly and Hawk

Strong yet very light lacrosse stick with incredible grip. The Hawk’s head has a relaxed profile for easy scoop handling.
Dragonfly (shaft) $ 140, Hawk (head) $ 100, Otter (net) $ 40, epochlacrosse.com

Uneven halo

This is not just a headband, it is Kevlar reinforced impact protection designed for football and lacrosse players.Made from lightweight, breathable fabric, Halo gives you peace of mind in tough competition.
$ 40, unequal.com

CCM RBZ Superfast

Lightweight, well balanced, stiff shaft said to deliver the fastest shot ever made by CCMs.
$ 260, CCMHockey.com

Point 3 DRYV Baller 2.0 Shorts

Many basketball players, including Michael Jackson himself, pull on their shorts while playing.Brilliantly at Point 3, hand towels have been added to the sides so that shorts can now improve ball grip.

$ 45, point3basketball.com

Tech

NBA LIVE 15

Play as your favorite NBA superstar or try the Dynasty and Ultimate Team modes to build your dream team from the ground up.
$ 60, easports.com

When the game is at altitude

Inspirational film about the incredible 151 winning streak of the De La Salle High School football team in the 1990s.
Whenthegamestandstall.com

GoPro HERO 4 Silver

This rugged little camera records all your adventures in stunning widescreen HD video. Works anywhere, even underwater.
$ 400, gopro.com

3-Way GoPro Mount

This is a tripod. This is a counterweight. It’s an extension cord that lets you record killer selfies on the go. Three-sided is everything, and you can use it to capture stunning footage in endless ways.
$ 70, gopro.com

Adidas miCoach FIT SMART

Record your heart rate without the awkward chest strap! The FIT SMART is equipped with an optical heart rate monitor and technology that records your speed and effort as you work out, synchronizing them with an app that allows you to track your progress and set new goals.
USD 199, adidas.com

Recovery

Zamst ZK-7 Kneepad

Support critical ACL and other knee ligaments with a strong brace.Made from comfortable, breathable fabric, the ZK-7 will keep you moving in any direction.
$ 90, zamst.us

Zamst A2-DX Brace

Prevents high ankle sprain by reducing the space between the two shin bones and the ankle. The hard plastic Exo-Grid makes it nearly impossible to roll the ankle.

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