Reebok reveals the athlete within Lewis Hamilton

Canton, MA, July 1, 2008 - Today, Reebok and driving ace Lewis Hamilton announced a multi-year partnership at a spectacular 3-D holographic media event in Amsterdam, home of Reebok’s European Headquarters. At the event, Reebok unveiled “The Athlete within the Driver,” giving media a rare insight into Hamilton’s demanding fitness regime. Hamilton revealed how Reebok’s new Smoothfit training footwear and apparel range is helping him to train better than ever before.
 
“Lewis is one-of-a-kind, a true challenger and this perfectly reflects the spirit of the Reebok brand,” said Reebok’s President and CEO Uli Becker. “He's an individual; we're a brand that celebrates individuality, in sport and life. We encourage people to do it their way; Lewis does it his way. We make products that fit people's lives; Lewis is the perfect fit for Reebok. We look forward to a long and happy partnership.”
 
At the event, Reebok and Hamilton presented a visually spectacular glimpse into Hamilton’s precision based training schedule, revealing how each muscle Hamilton uses is affected in competition and the performance benefits of Reebok’s Smoothfit technology.
 
According to extensive research commissioned by Reebok*, Hamilton’s cardiovascular system faces enormous pressures during competition so an advanced training regime is vital. For example, in an average race, his heart rate will maintain a level equivalent to playing two football games back to back. Also, Lewis’s blood pressure will rise to and stay at a level that is the equivalent to riding a “white knuckle” roller coaster ride non-stop for an hour and 50 minutes.
 
“To be a top driver, you have to have exceptional cardiovascular fitness and muscle endurance,” said Hamilton. “I work very hard to be as fit as I can be and have a precise training routine that involves running and muscle specific drills. When Reebok talked to me about how Smoothfit can help me train better, I was very interested to try the technology out. I am pleased to say its true how incredibly comfortable Smoothfit is, and it feels completely different to any training gear I have used before.”
 
SmoothFit is a unique technology that eliminates all exposed stitching and bonding in shoes and apparel to reduce the amount of abrasion against the foot and body. This delivers the ultimate in comfort allowing the wearer to train for longer without the risk of blistering or irritation.
 
Commenting on his global partnership with Reebok, Lewis said: “I am very excited to be the newest member of the Reebok family, joining top athletes like Thierry Henry, Yao Ming, Allen Iverson, Amir Khan, Carolina Kluft and many more. The athletes from around the world who make up the Reebok family do it their way, and are not afraid to stand out from the crowd. Also, the products Reebok creates for these top athletes provide them with a real competitive advantage.”
 
Lewis Hamilton is the latest sporting icon to join the Reebok roster which includes basketball superstars Yao Ming and Allen Iverson, FC Barcelona striker Thierry Henry, Indian cricket sensations MS Dhoni and Rahul Dravid, women’s tennis star Jelena Jankovic, NHL star Alexander Ovechkin and legendary Swedish heptathlete Carolina Klüft among many others.
 
Reebok’s Smoothfit collection is currently at select retailers worldwide and also available on www.reebok.com.
 
 

*Research conducted by SAQ International – SAQ are a team of sports scientists, physical conditioning experts, nutritionists, movement consultants, and physical education experts, based in the UK.