Sometimes serendipity turns a mundane moment into a milestone. Just ask Mike Kadar, strength and conditioning coach for the Pittsburgh Penguins. He was digging fence post holes with his father on the family farm when perspiration lead to inspiration.
“I had to take a long metal bar that weighed roughly 30-35 pounds, drive it into the ground, and rotate it until the hole was big enough to place a post,” remembers Kadar. “It was then that the idea came to me. Why not fix the rod to the ground and have it flex in any direction?”
Flash forward twelve years, and from those humble beginnings comes Core Stix, an innovative training tool that truly stands apart.
“It trains your core in an upright position. Even when you’re working on isolated muscle groups, the core is constantly engaged through the low-impact exercises that are also easy on the joints,” explains Kadar. “I train professional hockey players that have an 82-game season. Core Stix gives them a demanding full-body workout with less stress on the body.”
Core Stix consists of a base platform with three arc supports—providing 53 rod anchor points—and a pair of light, medium, and heavy rods for varying levels of resistance. An exercise chart on the base illustrates basic, intermediate, and advanced exercises and the rod positions recommended for each. But while the concept may appear simple, the engineering behind it is rocket science…really.
“We’ve been working on developing and perfecting Core Stix for over seven years now,” says Kregg Koch, a former engineer for NASA, patent attorney, and designer of the product.” We went through dozens, if not hundreds, of different design variations in order to find the right range of angles and locations for the 53 anchor points, as well as the right combination of strength, rigidity, ease of use, and style.”
The results have received rave reviews. “I have professional athletes from the NFL and NHL who use and love the product,” says Kadar. “Celebrity trainer Gunnar Peterson was the first to use our final design with his clients and is now filming our instructional DVD.” Also singing its praises is Janet Jackson—first introduced to Core Stix by her trainer Tony Martinez—who is having one tailored for travel. But it’s not just the already fit and famous flocking to it.
“Any person, whether an athlete, stay at home mom, young adult, weekend warrior, or someone who is rehabilitating an injury or confined to a wheelchair can benefit.” says Kadar. “Core Stix hits all parameters of fitness—strength, cardio, flexibility, stamina, balance, and power.”
Core Stix comes in two styles. The Core Stix Pro version weighs under 52 pounds and has 53 anchor points while the group-fitness focused Core Stix Pro PGX weighs under 40 pounds and offers 37 anchor points. For facilities that want something more permanent, a floor mount system is also available. And all allow for nearly limitless variations in routine.
“We’ve come up with over a hundred different exercises, and are constantly learning new ones from our community of users and trainers,” says Koch. “It’s really exciting to know that the workouts will keep progressing and expanding.”
Core Stix Pro and Core Stix Pro PGX retail for $1,649 and $1,099 respectively. For more information, visit: corestix.com
To purchase Core Stix visit here
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Viju Mathew
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