Snapchat, Under Armour Create Game Where Users ‘Train Like Curry’
Dallas, TX – March 18, 2016 – American Airlines Center: Stephen Curry (30) of the Golden State Warriors during a regular season game
(Photo by Allen Kee / ESPN Images)
Steph Curry doesn’t drain pregame half court shots by accident, he trains like crazy. A techie himself, Curry has been linked to multiple training tools that he uses regularly. He’s backed virtual reality, tested out sensory deprivation tanks and focuses on training his hand-eye coordination through FITLIGHT.
FITLIGHT trains reaction time and improves function between the eyes and brain. It’s a series of palm-sized discs that are either placed on poles, a wall or the floor.
In Curry’s case, it helps with sensory overload when he’s on the court. He’ll practice with discs positioned around the floor. Each one lights up a different color meaning Curry has to make a decision based on what he sees.
Snapchat recently teamed with Under Armour to create a game allowing fans to ‘train like Curry.’ It uses the FITLIGHT system where users are prompted to tap lights in the order which they go off.
“Under Armour took a really cool approach,” said Snapchat’s Global Head of Creative Strategy, Jeff Miller, to Advertising Week. “They wanted to replicate what it was like to be Steph Curry doing his training drills. So rather than going to the gym, the intent of this drill is to replicate reaction speed.”
This is something that is intrinsically connected to the Under Armour brand,” continued Miller. “Connected to one of their star athletes, Steph Curry, and done in an incredibly fun and playful way. So, whether it’s a game, whether it’s a video, you can drive that engagement.”
Check out the game here:
With each successful round more lights are added and things speed up. With the game being on Snapchat it allows users to compete with their friends.
Just know that if you get frustrated, you’re not unlike Steph. “That’s a pretty tough drill that frustrates him,” said Curry’s trainer Brandon Payne in a February 2017 interview with Bleacher Report. “I know when I’ve frustrated him, I’m doing my job, because he is not gonna stop until he beats it. And trust me, frustrating that guy is getting tougher and tougher to do.”
