Abstract: The apparatus for sports training includes a vertical bar attached to the front of a vest or other garment. The bar is attached to the vest by brackets, which may be resilient and may include a releasable mechanism. The vest is configured to be worn so that the bar has a vertical orientation in front of the user. The vertical bar may be covered with foam padding or other material less rigid than the bar itself. The bottom portion of the vertical bar may be generally straight and oriented substantially parallel to the user's torso. The top portion may be curved to extend away from the user. When used to train a football player, the apparatus encourages a player to catch a football with the player's hands as opposed to trapping the football against the player's body.

Abstract: There was a need for a process for thickening liquid, pourable or squeezable foodproducts without the disadvantages as mentioned above, preferably independent upon temperature during manufacture or use. In other words, the so obtained thickened food products should be thickened but preferably not gelled, be free of a starchy flavor or smell, be at least reasonably stable under heating and cooling conditions, and preferably provide a thickening effect both in hot (e.g. sauces, soups) or cold (e.g. sauces, dressings, mayonnaise) applications.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for preparing a thickening agent in dry form suitable for application in foodstuffs. Also, the invention relates to the thickening agent itself and the use of such thickening agent for thickening foodstuffs, in particular thickening liquid, pourable, spoonable, or squeezable foodstuffs. The thickening agent can be prepared by a process which involves subjecting fruit or vegetables to a homogenisation treatment and drying the obtained homogenate to obtain a particulate product.