Sports Product Review

There’s a saying in NASCAR that “rubbin’s racing.” But if you’re racing on two wheels (or two feet) instead of four, rubbin’ is the last thing you want. Friction, or rubbing, is a root cause of blisters, chafing, saddle sores, rash, and other forms of skin irritation while riding a bike. Body Glide (www.bodyglide.com) is anti-friction, anti-blister skin formula.

Body Glide and new Foot Glide help guard against friction – and help moisturize skin and protect it against dryness, cracking and chafing. It works in dry, hot, cold, humid, and even wet conditions - and it stands up to wind, fresh and salt water. Year after year, and around, the world, marathon runners, cyclists, triathletes, and adventure racers depend on Body Glide to see them through the toughest competition. The formula combines all natural plant-derived triglycerides (waxes), with aloe and vitamin e – and it’s packaged in a convenient stick. Body Glide is not messy and it does not evaporate - which sets it apart from all the products made with petroleum, mineral oil, lanolin, water or alcohol. It works with surface skin cells to create an invisible barrier. It feels soft, not oily, sticky or wet, it’s invisible, and it doesn’t fly away like a powder. We applied some to tough calloused heels and even felt the difference the rest of the day just walking around.

Apply Foot Glide or Body Glide skin protectant stick directly onto your feet or any part of your body where annoying irritation may occur. If blisters or chafing have ever prevented you from running or riding that extra mile, now you can “glide” through your next race with ease.

Source: Body Glide

Aetrex (www.aetrex.com) is the essence of foot science. They created the iStep F.I.T. digital foot scanning device which analyzes your feet and instantly emails you recommended shoe selections based on your individual foot length, width, arch type and pressure points. They developed informational web sites www.foot.com and www.myfeet.com, the leading foot health sites on the internet.

So when Aetrex develops a shoe, you can bet some thought went into its construction. The Aetrex X532 Athletic Runner provides unmatched cushioning, shock absorption and motion control to protect and comfort your feet while you run. The unique removable insoles enable these shoes to fit many different foot types and make them an ideal choice for those who wear orthotics. The high density external stability enhancer and heel counter provide support and control pronation while the triple-density midsole preserves the balance between your body and the ground. The lightweight, removable Aetrex orthotics and Pressure Relief System insoles provide optimum comfort and shock attenuation while running.

All I know is that while running in mine I felt like my feet were in charge of my legs, not the other way around. Instead of the usual jolting shock each time I came down on the pavement, it was more like I was gliding across a smooth lawn. Each turn I made, especially when gaining speed on a downhill slope, was reminiscent of cornering in a high-performance sports car with brand-new tires and heavy-duty shocks. Now, months after this review first ran, these shoes have warranted follow-up praise due to their durability. They still look and feel like new despite their miles.

From the Carboplast footbridge for added motion control and stability to the strategically placed medial and lateral flex grooves and highly slip-resistant rubber outsole for increased traction and flexibility, these shoes hugged the road...gently. And when pushing yourself up that final hill, you’ll take every bit of science and engineering you can get.

Source: Aetrex

If you’ve been relying on the curb for pre-run stretches, the folks at Medi-Dyne Healthcare Products want you to know there’s something better. That’s why they’ve developed the ProStretch lower leg stretching device, (www.prostretch.com).

ProStretch reaches tough spots like the achilles, and provides support for controlled stretching. This increases flexibility, range of motion and performance while helping reduce the risk of injury.

Curbs are for tires, not feet. If you want to run and play with confidence, you want to stretch like a pro. ProStretch foots the bill.

Source: Medi-Dyne

If you’d like to bring a little Star Trek to your outdoor activities, Navman (www.navman.com) is extending its line-up of satellite-based personal trainers with Sport.Tool X300. The sleek, attractive and futuristic device tells you at a glance how fast you’re moving and how far you’ve come, with global positioning systems (GPS) accuracy. It is made for those who enjoy a wide variety of sports, such as skiing, running, rollerblading or cycling.

The X300 is a math whiz. It pings satellites thousands of miles away, and calculates how far it is from each. It does this by multiplying the time it took for each signal to reach the receiver by the speed of light. Once it has done this for each of the satellites it has found, it typically establishes your position to an accuracy of within just fifteen yards.

The X300 will provide you with distance traveled, cumulative altitude, speed, lap distance, lap time and much more. It boasts a fabric strap for fitting comfortably on to the upper arm, while an easy-to-read personal display gives the user performance statistics at a glance. It even comes in optional colored covers, including black, blue, green and white. Captain Kirk would be jealous.

Source: Navman

In this era where any improved performance cast suspicions of artificial enhancement, the serious athlete who improves dramatically will almost certainly be viewed with suspicion. Better tell them up front you’re on the PowerLung, (www.powerlung.com).

PowerLung provides a serious workout at a high level of resistance. It has been proven to increase endurance and performance by training the muscles you use to breathe. Although running increases lung capacity, most runners don't breath deeply enough to use all the their available lung capacity. PowerLung trains the muscles used to bring air into and out of the lungs and studies on performance athletes showed as much as a 30% improvement in lung muscle strength and endurance with the type of training PowerLung offers.

Your heightened performance might raise a few eyebrows, but PowerLung will be your clean little secret.

Source: PowerLung