Hyperice launched a new more technologically-sophisticated vibrating roller on Tuesday that’s meant for pro athletes in addition to fitness enthusiasts, such as yogis, cyclists and physical therapists.
Two-and-a-half years after launching the original Vyper on Kickstarter, Hyperice has grown rapidly and its influence has expanded to impact the way hundreds of athletes train. Last year, the company landed in spot number 96 on Inc.’s list of the 5,000 fastest-growing companies.
The Vyper 1 is now in 58 countries around the world. It has infiltrated more than 95 percent of the NFL, MLB and NBA, with major athletes from four-time World Cup alpine skiing champion Lindsey Vonn to the Golden State Warriors’ Draymond Green using it to roll out muscles so they can heal faster and return to training or game-playing sooner.
Vyper 2.0, which goes on sale at the same $199 price point, is a newer generation model that combines both grooved sections of the roller (like the first one) that alternate with smoother portions, which is designed to be better for athletes in lower-impact sports.
It’s built with more sophisticated technology than its predecessor, but is at the same time more sleek and smooth in design. Hyperice CEO Jim Huether, with a laugh, said it was “kind of like a Tesla” for foam rollers. The grooves are curved at the edges, helping them to better conform to the body.
“As company grew bigger and scaled, we wanted to design something that was for elite athletes and also for the yogi or physical therapist or cyclist,” Huether said in an interview with SportTechie. “We wanted to come up with something that was a little more universal but still credible for elite athletes.”
The company received feedback from a number of pro-athletes before going live, including Vonn, Green, Los Angeles Clippers players Blake Griffin and DeAndre Jordan, and the Arizona Cardinals’ Patrick Peterson.
The first 100 units were due to arrive Tuesday on the doorsteps of the world’s most elite athletes — or as Huether worded it, “pretty much every big-name athlete,” from LeBron James to Cristiano Ronaldo. It is targeting them, in part, to receive their continued feedback.
The Vyper products feature a vibration sequence that provide up to a 40 percent increase in range of motion when rolling, according to a study commissioned by Hyperice and conducted by the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill last month.
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The vibration is effective because it actually helps to penetrate the body, rather than just aimlessly rolling over muscles. That helps to reduce soreness and leads to higher muscle activation so athletes can get back on the court or on the mountain quicker, Huether said.
“With the sports industry, everybody is looking for a competitive advantage — whether it be performance or nutrition,” he said. “So if they can increase their range of flexibility by 40 percent, it’s really going to help them gain that competitive advantage.”