If your local tennis court has a backboard, then you’ve doubtless experimented with practicing your strokes against it. While it can be a somewhat helpful experience (especially if you can’t get anyone to come out and play with you), you may have had mixed results. Even if you can refrain from hitting the ball over the wall (innocent whistle), you’ll notice that the balls don’t come back the same way they would if you had a partner hitting them to you over the net.
Well, this dual-curved and tilted Ralley Champion backboard from Tennis Express may be a better training option. Its features are supposed to make your ball rebound with “extraordinary realism, as opposed to the typical non-tilted backboard where balls bounce downward at an unrealistic angle.” An optional sound-reduction kit can keep the noise down too.
Of course, the fancy backboard costs more than $2,000, so if this is just going to be for personal use, you might be better off buying a ball machine.
When we Seattle folks go skiing, we rarely have to worry about frigid temperatures (whether the snow is going melt under our boots is another story), but for those braving the colder elements, this gadget takes ski masks to the next level:
The ColdAvenger is a cold weather mask that’ll put that scarf Granny knitted you to shame. Designed to hug your nose and mouth beneath your goggles, the mask employs a unique ventilation system to protect your face and respiratory system. It mixes cold air you inhale with warm air you exhale to create a perfect temperature inside the mask (40º to 60ºF warmer than outside).
Strap the ColdAvenger on before you head out for a day in the snow, and you’ll never have chapped lips and numb cheeks again.
$50-$60
via Uncrate
If you like to run outside in the winter, you’ve probably noticed how fast daylight can disappear on you. Maneuvering trails and sidewalks in fading light can be treacherous, so why not illuminate your path with a solar-powered baseball cap?
It’s a little more subtle than those I-want-to-be-a-coal-miner flashlight headbands, and the solar cells mean there’s no need to replace batteries. The collectors are in the bill and can be charged in as little as two hours of daylight, and two LED lights shine forth from beneath the bill to unobtrusively illuminate your way. You could even use the cap for reading or doing things around the house if the power went out (hands-free, unlike a flashlight), though, since it’s solar powered, you’d have to make sure to store your hat on a sunny windowsill rather than a dark closet.
There are several versions of the 2C solar light cap, including a mesh “racer” that would be ideal for jogging and other sweat-inducing activities you may pursue after daylight hours. The fast-drying microfiber mesh gives you more ventilation than with a typical baseball cap.
The racer cap is $40 at the company’s store:
Safety is important so a batting helmet is a must for a young (or not-so-young) baseball player, but these helmets need not be boring. You can get all sorts of custom helmets if you check around online.
This “Fear This” girl’s batting helmet is from MecaBrush, and you can get your name painted on it and choose the colors for the flames, words, and lightning. It’s just one of many designs the outfit does, so you can really get a custom job that reflects your personality.
If you’ve already got a perfectly good batting helmet, you can also get inexpensive decals (one pictured below) to stick on it to add a bit of fun. An easy way to spice up your game!
After looking at the pictures of the OSIM uCrown 2 Head- and Scalp-Massager, I’m not sure whether it’s brilliant or just strange. Did I mention that it plays music?
Strange or not, if you’re someone who enjoys a good scalp massage, but your partner gets tired of giving you the goods, then perhaps it’s time to switch to a machine for help.
The device uses a combination of air-pressure, vibration massage, magnetic therapy, gentle heat, and soothing music to relax you at the end of the hard day. Either that, or it’s some strange new technology to let aliens brainwash you and take over the planet. You’ll have to let us know after you try it.
Portable and cordless, the brain-washing massaging device can be taken anywhere. Grab one for $200 at Amazon:
Stuck in a small office all day? Chained to your desk? That makes it hard to lose weight and get in shape, unless… you have a cardio kung fu program meant to be preformed in a small space.
This non-impact exercise program can give you a good cardiovascular workout, and you never need to leave your office. Why go to the gym when you can push back your computer chair, step away from the desk, and get right into your routine?
“Cardio Kung Fu is based upon Shou’ Shu, a soft style form of Kung Fu. Because it is based upon a soft style it’s motions are soft and flowing rather than jerky and erratic. Having soft and flowing motions while using predominantly larger muscle groups, allows for a fantastic workout without the harmful effects of typical aerobics.”
This is one of several workout programs offered by the folks at Break Pal, a company that specializes in keeping office and computer workers healthy. Aside from Cardio Kung Fu, they offer Desk Yoga, Office Yoga, and Qi Jong. These programs are all designed to get people active, even if they usually sit at desks all day.
How are your feet and calves feeling today? A little tight? A little sore? A little beleaguered from your last training session? Then perhaps you should slide the Human Touch CirQlation Power Foot and Calf Massager under your chair.
At $400, it’s not exactly an inexpensive health gadget, but if it’s heaven for your lower extremities, it might be worth the cash.
The device uses figure-eight technology to massage your calves in an upward, rolling, or wave-lice fashion. This moves the blood away from the feet and toward your body’s core, which is supposed to improve overall health and fitness. Oh, and it probably feels pretty good too. The machine promises to “rejuvenate and revitalize tired feet and legs so you can get back to the things you love in life.”
According to the product description, benefits include relaxation and reduced stress, better sleep, lessened back pain, relief for sore muscles, better circulation and blood flow, and improved wellness.
