Patent ID: 8397962

Claim:
A hydration method employing a handheld drinking vessel, the method comprising the following steps: providing a handheld drinking vessel comprising: a compressible bladder for being received within a hand of a user wherein the compressible bladder has an open inner volume for retaining a volume of liquid and wherein the compressible bladder is compressible between a non-compressed configuration and a compressed configuration; an inlet member with a fluid flow path, a proximal end in fluidic association with the compressible bladder, and a distal portion; an outlet member with a fluid flow path, a proximal end in fluidic association with the compressible bladder, and a distal portion; an inlet valve arrangement in fluidic association with the inlet member wherein the inlet valve arrangement is configured to permit a flow of liquid into the compressible bladder through the fluid flow path of the inlet member; and an outlet valve arrangement in fluidic association with the outlet member wherein the outlet valve arrangement is configured to permit a flow of liquid from the compressible bladder through the fluid flow path of the outlet member; disposing the handheld drinking vessel in a hand of a person participating in an athletic endeavor; procuring a beverage container with a volume of liquid retained therein wherein the beverage container comprises a cup procured by an athlete from a water stop provided by an organizer of the athletic endeavor; inserting the inlet member into the volume of liquid; decompressing the compressible bladder to draw liquid from the volume of liquid into the compressible bladder through the inlet member whereby a volume of liquid is then contained in the compressible bladder of the handheld drinking vessel and in the hand of the person; and retaining the compressible bladder and the volume of liquid drawn from the beverage container during participation in the athletic endeavor and drinking liquid that was drawn from the beverage container from the open inner volume of the compressible bladder through the outlet member at a pace selected by the athlete.