Abstract:
A training apparatus with a main body, a first member securable to the main body, the position of which is adjustable relative to the main body, a brace connected to the first member that has a substantially planar top surface inclined at an angle relative to the surface when the apparatus is being used, and a means of securing and unsecuring the first member from the main body so that the position of the brace may be adjusted. The apparatus substantially improves batting skills and pitching and throwing skills with emphasis on control of lower body movement. The apparatus builds on muscle memory by requiring the user to properly distribute his/her weight to the rear leg and foot while in a batting stance or a pitching position and forcing the user into the correct hitting position and the proper throwing or pitching motion.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCES TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This nonprovisional application relates to the content of, and claims priority to, U.S. Provisional Application No. 60/758,970, filed Jan. 13, 2006, which is incorporated by reference herein. 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0002]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0003]    The present invention relates to a training apparatus for sports swings, and, more particularly, to a training device designed to assist with improving one&#39;s batting skills and pitching and throwing skills, thereby reducing frustration for the user while simultaneously increasing his or her confidence level. This device substantially improves skills by emphasizing control of the lower body movements in order to obtain the correct hitting position and the proper throwing or pitching motion. This invention is also applicable in training golfers with their swing. 
         [0004]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0005]    Athletes constantly need to improve the fundamental skills of their sport. Baseball is no exception. However, it is often difficult to explain the proper turn technique and correct hitting position, not only to young players, but also to older, more experienced players. Game play is an inefficient way of improving one&#39;s skills. Moreover, without the proper training, a baseball player may never realize his or her full potential. In particular, there may be hitting problems associated with improper weight distribution of which the user is unaware. Additionally, users that improperly turn while hitting a baseball tend not to hit the ball with maximum power. There is also an increased chance of injury associated with improper batting techniques. 
         [0006]    There exist in the art various training devices relating to baseball, golf, and other swing-reliant sports. Several patents relate to this field. U.S. Pat. No. 3,633,967 to Timmins discloses a support device for use by leg amputees in maintaining balance when not wearing a prosthetic. The device comprises a base portion comprised of three legs which form the feet for the base. The legs extend in an upwardly direction and are affixed to a plate at their upper ends. An elongated screw traverses through the plate and allows the supporting member to be vertically adjustable. The supporting member that is the portion on which the leg amputee rests his knee may be padded for greater comfort. This patent device is not used as an aid to teach the proper turn while hitting or aids with muscle memory. 
         [0007]    U.S. Pat. No. 3,767,204 to Bryson discloses a device for teaching, learning or practicing a correct golf swing. A horizontally elongated member is affixed to a sliding member where the sliding member can slide along the horizontally elongated member in the direction of the golfer&#39;s target. The device includes a pair of thigh rests in which the golfer rests his thighs during his golf swing and is extremely cumbersome and relatively complicated. This device is not used to assist a baseball hitter with the proper turn while batting. 
         [0008]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,055 to Richie discloses a baseball and golf hitter&#39;s training device comprised of a base assembly, a height adjustable stanchion with spring built in, and an adjustable seat. The baseball hitter sits on the seat which automatically adjusts to the user&#39;s rotative movement through the use of a ball joint and forces the user to maintain a proper stance. The base assembly is of a tri-foot configuration, having two longer feet extending rearwardly and one shorter foot extending forwardly, and must be secured to the ground. This device requires that the hitter sit on the assembly with thighs secured in order to properly use this device. Further, although the adjustable seat is used to steady the hitter so as to help the hitter to perform a proper weight shift through the execution of a swing, both feet need to be on the ground. 
         [0009]    U.S. Pat. No. 5,591,090 to Kauffman, Jr. discloses a golf training device consisting of a platform for the golfer to stand on and an upright with a footing mounted on the platform. The upright has an upper rest overhanging the footing to provide foot clearance and upper rest engages the golfer&#39;s leg to prevent swaying during a golf swing. The upright is telescopically fitted inside a post allowing for the adjustment of the elevation of the upper arm by sliding the arm inside the post. To fix the upper arm position, a plurality of selectable bolt holes in the arms allow for a bolt to pass completely through this upper arm, forming a locking device to fix the upper arm position. This does not disclose aiding with muscle memory or assisting one to keep their weight on their rear foot while hitting. Both legs of the user remain in contact with the ground. 
         [0010]    Finally, U.S. Pat. No. 5,769,741 to Richie discloses a sport swing training device. This patent is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Pat. No. 5,470,055 to Richie as described above. Essentially, this patent extends the previous &#39; 055  patent to include the use of device for use in practicing a tennis serve. 
         [0011]    The prior art discloses training devices that are bulky and expensive and do not contemplate a baseball hitter maintaining only one foot on the ground as a proper stance. In fact, all these devices require that the user have both feet on the ground as a proper stance. None of the prior art teach a training device where the user rests one knee on a device while hitting. 
         [0012]    The present invention overcomes the disadvantages of the prior art. Through the use of muscle memory, users reinforce the proper maneuvers necessary to consistently hit and throw a baseball. The lower body is an essential part of batting or pitching. A user who keeps his weight back and distributed over the rear foot has better contact with the ball while hitting pitches that move, such as a curve ball. This is because the user no longer needs to concentrate on his or her lower body, thereby being able to focus concentration on other aspects of the game, such as hand-eye coordination. An additional benefit of keeping one knee on the training device during batting practice is that it teaches the user to be cognizant of the position that the resting knee should be in when hitting a baseball without the use of the training device. Another benefit is that the present invention naturally places the hands in the proper hitting position while swinging, and thus benefits the user with better and more powerful hitting. 
         [0013]    Accordingly, there is a need for a light-weight, simple-to-use, yet highly effective and inexpensive, portable training device which assists baseball players of all ages in keeping their weight on their rear foot while hitting and throwing baseballs. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0014]    The present invention substantially improves and solves the problems discussed above. In this era of an “instant gratification” mindset, users will be extremely surprised at how fast they can see positive results using the present invention. Moreover, because of the reduced time period from which users begin seeing positive results from the present invention, dramatic results can often be seen in less than one month and, at times, in as little as half an hour. A user will increase his or her batting average and have a more enjoyable experience with the game. The final result is a dramatically improved batter or pitcher with increased levels of confidence and self-esteem. 
         [0015]    The present invention includes a training apparatus for teaching a sports swing comprising a main body having a bottom for placement upon a surface, a first member securable to the main body, a brace connected to the first member, and a means of securing and unsecuring the first member. The position of the first member is adjustable relative to said main body so that the brace connected thereto may be appropriately positioned relative to the user. The brace has a substantially planar top surface inclined at a first angle relative to said surface. The apparatus may be manufactured out of any strong, rigid material, including stainless steel, aluminum, hard plastic, fiberglass, and the like. The present invention also contemplates a method of teaching a sport swing comprising providing a training apparatus and positioning said training apparatus relative to a user&#39;s leg such that during the course of the sports swing the user&#39;s leg contacts the brace, thus requiring the preferred weight distribution. 
         [0016]    Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to assist both children and adult players with improving batting skills by making better contact with the baseball and hitting the baseball with more power. 
         [0017]    It is another object of the present invention to assist the user in developing sound pitching and throwing skills. 
         [0018]    It is yet another object of the present invention to improve the user&#39;s balance while the user is hitting or throwing a baseball. 
         [0019]    It is a further object of the present invention to provide consistency and muscle control throughout the lower body and to allow a user to develop a feel for the proper swing or throw through the use of muscle memory. 
         [0020]    It is another object of the present invention to teach the proper turn while hitting by teaching the user to distribute his or her weight on his or her rear leg and foot. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0021]    The present invention, as well as further objects and features thereof, are more clearly and fully set forth in the following description of the preferred embodiment, which should be read with reference to the accompanying drawings, wherein: 
           [0022]      FIG. 1  is a side perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in use by a baseball player; 
           [0023]      FIG. 2  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment; 
           [0024]      FIG. 3  is an exploded, perspective view of  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0025]      FIGS. 4 ,  5 , and  6  are elevation views of the preferred embodiment of the present invention; 
           [0026]      FIG. 7  is a sectional view of the preferred embodiment along line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 ; and 
           [0027]      FIGS. 8A ,  8 B, and  8 C illustrate a baseball swing using the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0028]    A proper swing must be initiated by the lower body. The most important part of a baseball swing is the turning of the hips, and a batter with superior hand-eye coordination can suffer at the plate because of improperly turning the hips. If a batter does not properly turn his or her hips, an otherwise fundamentally-sound swing does not help. In a proper turn, the batter&#39;s weight transfers into the ball in the hitting zone at contact. 
         [0029]    Many players incorrectly use their shoulders to drag the hips through the strike zone. This, in turn, pulls everything else out of the strike zone, including the head, and this fundamental misalignment decreases the likelihood of contacting the ball as it moves through the strike zone. If the hitter does make contact, he or she will do so without creating maximum power to drive the ball. Indeed, learning not to let the shoulders drag the hips through the strike zone is the most difficult aspect of learning to hit. 
         [0030]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of the preferred embodiment of the present invention in use by a baseball player  10 . The player  10  is contacting a knee  15  against the training apparatus  18  while maintaining weight distribution on his rear hip  14  and rear foot  16 . While this illustration describes a right-handed batter, the present invention can be used by both right and left-handed individuals, and thus either falls within the contemplation of the present invention. 
         [0031]    As shown in  FIG. 2 , the preferred embodiment of the training device  18  is composed of a main body  20  attached to two support legs  22 . A first member  26  is secured to the main body  20  by a ball lock pin  24  that protrudes through two main body apertures  44  (see  FIG. 3 ) and through two member apertures  28  coaxially aligned with the main body apertures  44 . A brace  30  with an overlaying cover  40  is connected to the first member  26 . Padding (not shown) is placed between the cover  40  and the brace  30  so that contact by the player&#39;s knee (not shown) with the apparatus  18  is not uncomfortable. 
         [0032]    While in the preferred embodiment the support legs  22  and brace  30  are permanently attached to the main body  20  and first member  26  respectively, in alternative embodiments the support legs  22  and brace  30  are temporarily attached so that the apparatus  18  may be easily stored and transported. Additionally, the support legs  22  may collapse toward and lie adjacent to the main body  20  so as to minimize space required for storage. The main body  20 , first member  26 , support legs  22  and brace  30  are preferably aluminum, but may be made from any strong, rigid material, including stainless steel, plastic, fiberglass, and the like. 
         [0033]    The position of the first member  26  relative to the main body  20  is adjustable and, until secured, may move freely within the main body  20  so that the height of the brace  30  can be positioned according to the height of the player&#39;s knee (not shown). The first member  26  is secured with a ball lock pin  24 , which passes through main body apertures  44  in the main body  20  and through member apertures  28  disposed in the first member  26  and coaxially aligned with the main body apertures. The pin  24  resists unintentional removal from the main body apertures  44  and member apertures  28  because of a securing ball  32  (see  FIG. 3 ) located at the distal end of the ball lock pin  24 . Moreover, while the present invention discloses the ball lock pin  24  to secure the position of the first member  26  relative to the main body  20 , other adjustment means fall within the scope of the present invention. For example, a nut-and-bolt or a knob and screw assembly may secure the position of the first member  26  relative to the main body  20 . 
         [0034]      FIG. 3  is an assembly view of the training apparatus  18 . The main body  20  is a section of square aluminum tubing that receives the first member  26 . Two support legs  22  are connected to the main body  20 . The two coaxial main body apertures  44  are disposed opposite each other to receive the pin  24  therethrough. The pin  24  is sized to slightly resist insertion through the main body apertures  44  due to the securing ball  32 , but is insertable with application of sufficient force. Similarly, the securing ball  32  serves to resist unintentional extrusion from the main body apertures  44 , which could be harmful to the player  10  (see  FIG. 1 ) if he were to place his weight on the apparatus  18  when the first member  26  is not properly secured to the main body  20 . 
         [0035]    The brace  30 , which is connected to the first member  26 , has a substantially planer top surface  50 , and two beveled sides  48  for guiding the leg of the player  10  to contact the cover  40  over the area of top surface  50 . Padding  42  is placed between the cover  40  and the brace  30  so that contact with the apparatus  18  is not uncomfortable to the player. Any form of padding  42 , such as foam, rubber, leather or the like, is permissible, although such padding  42  is preferably water resistant. 
         [0036]      FIG. 4 ,  FIG. 5 , and  FIG. 6  show elevations of the apparatus  18  placed upon a surface  46 . The bottom  27  of the main body  20  is angled relative to the surface  46 , which allows the main body  20  to dig into the surface  46  to firmly secure the training apparatus  18  and eliminate the need to tie down the apparatus  18  with other elements such as spikes or stakes. In addition, the support legs  22  are also angled to “bite” into the surface  46  and resist movement relative thereto. 
         [0037]    The first member  26  contains a plurality of apertures  28  from which the player  10  (not shown) may select in order to adjust the height of the brace  30  relative to the surface  46 . The first member  26  slides freely within the tubular main body  20  until secured to the main body  20  through the use of the ball lock pin  24 . To secure the first member  26  to the main body  20 , a pair of corresponding member apertures  28  are selected and aligned coaxially with the main body apertures  44 . The pin  24  is then inserted through the main body apertures  44  and the member apertures  28  coaxially aligned therewith. The inserted pin  24  thus restricts any further movement of the first member  26  relative to the main body  20 . 
         [0038]    The brace  30  has a substantially planar top surface  50 , and two beveled sides  48  for guiding the leg of a player to contact the cover  40  over the top surface  50 . As shown in  FIG. 5 , the top surface  50  of the brace  30  is inclined at a first angle a relative to the surface  46 . The first angle a is preferably thirty degrees, but in any case is between fifteen and seventy-five degrees (inclusive). In an alternative embodiment of the invention, the first angle a is adjustable so that the player may move the brace to the most comfortable angle. 
         [0039]      FIG. 7  shows a sectional view of the apparatus along section line  7 - 7  of  FIG. 4 , and more specifically illustrates the brace  30 , padding  42 , and the overlaying cover  40 . The padding  42  contacts the top surface  50  of the brace  30  and is held thereon by the cover  40 . While the present invention discloses padding  42  and a soft cover  40  generally, forms of padding such as foam, rubber, leather or the like are also contemplated and fall within the scope of this invention. 
         [0040]    While there are many aspects of a batting swing that must be mastered to properly turn on a ball (e.g., bat position, hand alignment on the bat, foot position), the most important aspect of hitting a baseball swing is the movement of the lower body during the swing. If a batter does not have sound fundamentals concerning the lower body, that the batter has mastered the other elements of batting will not matter. 
         [0041]    To use the present invention to teach a batting swing, the height of the brace  30  should be adjusted so that as the batter  10  turns his or her hips so that the rear leg turns into and contacts the apparatus  18  just below the knee at the batter&#39;s shin. If the apparatus  18  is positioned too low, the batter  10  will try to bend to the apparatus  18 . Initial weight distribution should be about 60%/40%, with most of the weight being distributed over the rear foot  16 . In effect, the apparatus should “catch” the batter  10  as he turns his hips through the strike zone. The hips should “pop” through the strike zone. During the swing, the batter&#39;s rear thigh should be substantially perpendicular with the ground. The front leg should remain stiff through the swing to avoid the batter&#39;s weight shifting too far forward, and as the hips move through the strike zone, the weight should shift to roll over the batter&#39;s front ankle. 
         [0042]    As shown in  FIG. 8 , the training apparatus  18  properly used will provide a point of reference for the lower body during the swing and at ball contact. As shown in  FIG. 8A , the batter  10  initiates the swing by turning the hips toward the ball. This “popping” of the hips causes the rear knee  15  to contact the apparatus  18 . The batter  10 , however, has not yet begun to swing the bat. Illustrated in  FIG. 8B , as the rear hip  14  moves through the hitting zone, this movement pulls the shoulders (and thus the bat) through the hitting zone. The rear thigh remains perpendicular to the ground and the front leg stiff throughout the swing. The apparatus  18  maintains contact with the batter&#39;s leg just below the rear knee  15  to ensure proper position of the lower body. Finally, as shown in  FIG. 8C , the batter  10  completes his swing while maintaining contact with the training apparatus  18 . Thus, after the lower body turn, the lower body remains in substantially the same position throughout the remainder of the swing. 
         [0043]    Many types of drills have been used to convey to baseball players and hitters how to turn on the ball and get into the proper hitting position. The present invention provides a point of reference during these drills to the position of the lower body during the swing and at ball contact, resulting in a short, powerful, and productive swing. The present invention therefore allows a batter to learn and retain the muscle memory necessary to accomplish this solid lower-body turn. 
         [0044]    At least two drills may be used with the present invention to learn the proper turning technique, thus teaching the batter to avoid forward motion with the body and head, also known as “sliding” through the strike zone. In the T Drill, the player hits a ball off a tee to allow the player to feel where the position of the hips should be when the bat contacts the ball. The tee should be high enough to stop the batter from dropping the bat. The batter&#39;s upper hand should be above the ball as the bat through the strike zone, thus forcing the batter not to swing under the ball. The player performs the drill by turning the hips toward the ball and allowing the apparatus to contact, or “catch,” the batters rear leg. Only then does the batter swing the bat through the strike zone, keeping the upper hand higher than the ball on the tee. The two motions should first be practiced as distinct motions, and then gradually faster. With repetition the batter&#39;s hips will pull the shoulders through the strike zone, making for a compact, powerful swing. 
         [0045]    Another drill involves having a batter grasp the bat with both palms downward and holding the bat parallel to the ground and parallel to the line between home plate and the pitcher&#39;s mound. A person other than the batter also holds the bat while the batter initiates the lower body turn of “popping” the hips through the strike zone and allowing the apparatus to “catch” the rear leg just below the knee. After the lower body turn, the bat should still be in the original position. This allows the batter to analyze his or her shoulder and head position. If the lead shoulder, rather than the hips, has initiated the swing, the head will also be out of position, and the batter will not be looking at the ball. Instead, the shoulders should remain closed, and the hips should be dragging everything through the hitting zone. 
         [0046]    The present invention is described above in terms of a preferred illustrative embodiment of a specifically described training apparatus, as well as alternative embodiments of the present invention. A person having ordinary skill in the art will recognize that alternative constructions of such an apparatus can be used in carrying out the present invention. Other aspects, features, and advantages of the present invention may be obtained from a study of this disclosure and the drawings, along with the appended claims.