PASSIVE HAND MOVE SWING AID DEVICE FOR GOLF AND BASEBALL
Starting the execution of an athletic swing from the apex, an individual's hands should initially move passively down and allow the present invention, comprising of a protruding extension spring integrated with a mounting clamp and securely attached to either a baseball bat or golf club slightly above the grip of the hands, to touch and bend by the trailing forearm prior to rotating the body strongly into the ball. The contact of the spring to the forearm before ball impact will give immediate feedback to the individual that the club is ideally moving downward past the trailing shoulder and forearm and acquiring potential energy for the swing. If the spring does not touch the trailing forearm during the execution of the swing, the lack of contact will indicate that the club is moving over the top of the trailing forearm. This indicates a leaking of power during the swing.
Latest Patents:
- FOOD BAR, AND METHOD OF MAKING A FOOD BAR
- Methods and Apparatus for Improved Measurement of Compound Action Potentials
- DISPLAY DEVICE AND MANUFACTURING METHOD OF THE SAME
- PREDICTIVE USER PLANE FUNCTION (UPF) LOAD BALANCING BASED ON NETWORK DATA ANALYTICS
- DISPLAY SUBSTRATE, DISPLAY DEVICE, AND METHOD FOR DRIVING DISPLAY DEVICE
There is general difficulty in hitting a ball for consistency and power in sports that require swinging with a club, bat or other hitting equipment in sports such as golf, baseball, etc. Consequently, many attempts have been made to assist in the formation of either a swing or stroke that is repeating and reliable. Examples, of such attempts in the form of training devices are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 760,161 by Smith (5/1904); U.S. Pat. No. 2,462,955 by Glancey (3/1949); U.S. Pat. No. 3,858,881 by Hurwitz (1/1975); U.S. Pat. No. 3,918,721 by Trask Jr. (11/1975); U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,271 by Tredway (5/1976); U.S. Pat. No. 4,023,812 by Lorang (5/1977); U.S. Pat. No. 4,145,054 by Stewart (3/1979); U.S. Pat. No. 4,170,356 by Banks (10/1979); U.S. Pat. No. 5,009,426 by Cox (4/1991); U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,575 by Leith (12/1992); and U.S. Pat. No. 5,846,143 by Brock (12/1998). These have been herein incorporated by reference for information that they disclose in this field of endeavor.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThis particular invention is related to aiding in the training of an athletic swing as it pertains to the sports of golf, baseball, and softball. It is also related to a training aid type that attaches to either a club or bat for the benefit of immediately providing feedback on the execution of a swing. In golf and baseball, the evolution of the swing for power and consistency is ongoing. One element that has been identified as critical for a powerful swing is the passive drop of the hands from the apex moving down in a gentle fashion. This is followed by the explosive rotational move of the lower and upper body to powerfully bring the bat or club in contact with the ball.
Attachment devices have been offered previously that provide feedback to an individual's body in some form from the swinging equipment used. However, one element that has not been addressed in these previous devices is the gentle drop move that brings the hands down from the top of the swing and in turn allows either a bat or golf club to progress down past the trailing shoulder and forearm of the individual involved in the swing of the aforementioned sports. This move ensures that the club is moving into the ball from underneath the trailing forearm and shoulder instead of over the top. It is the goal of the present invention to provide improved feedback in this regard. The contact of the spring portion of the device to the trailing forearm after the down swing has been initiated from the top will ensure the hands and club are passively dropping down prior to an individual rotating through to finish the swing by making contact into the ball. Also the spring of the current device is flexible that allows for a free flowing swing down past the trailing forearm from the apex. Since, the spring is not a rigid component, there is minimal outside interference by the present invention, even during contact with the trailing forearm, inhibiting the natural progression of the swing. Muscle memory is allowed to develop in a natural manner that is key to a smooth swing.
The objective of the present invention is to promote the passive dropping of the hands from the top of the swing. The analysis of the modern swing in both baseball and golf has revealed that the club angle flattens on the move through to the ball. This is initiated by a drop move down of the hands that sets either the bat or club on an inside path to the ball and moves either the barrel or the shaft down past the trailing shoulder and forearm. The move of the hands allows for the initiation of a powerful and consistent swing through the building of potential energy from the apex.
The performance of this subtle drop of the hands is promoted by the present invention. The clamp of the current device is attached to either a bat or golf club near the grip of the hands in a position that does not interfere with an individual's extremities. When the clamp is tightened, the spring extension of the device should point in a northeast manner for right-handed batters and golfers. Conversely, the spring should point northwest for left-handed individuals when the device is clamped in place on the hitting equipment and the hands properly grip the club. When the individual has taken the club back to the top of the swing, the spring component of the device should not be in contact with any portion of the body. For golfers who have brought a club to the top of their back swing, the extension spring should be pointing directly down for a full driver swing. For batters in baseball and softball, the spring generally should be horizontal to the ground as most individuals hold a bat in a vertical manner.
While progressing with the swing towards the ball, other factors such as the weight shift from the trailing foot to the lead foot and maintaining the steady position of the head and spine angle cannot be ignored in order for a proper swing to be achieved. However, the drop move of the hands from the top of the swing is the key to developing power and consistency.
During the transitional phase as the weight of the body begins to move from the trailing foot to the lead foot, the subtle drop of the hands should begin as well. These moves must continue until the club has immediately past the trailing shoulder and forearm. That moment can be defined as the critical point when the person engaged in the swing begins the rotation of the upper and lower body in unison. The strong centrifugal force created by this rotation brings either the bat or golf club into the ball. However, the club needs to be brought correctly to the crucial slot for the rotation of the body and ultimately the entire swing to be effective. To ensure that the individual identifies this critical point in the swing when the club has been brought into the slot and plane that closely coincides with the position of the trailing forearm, the present device has been invented. When the current invention is applied to a club, and the hands drop the club from the top of the swing, the spring portion of the device touches the trailing forearm to alert the individual that the club has reached the crucial slot when the rotation of the body can begin.
During the rotation of the body the hands should not be moved in an active fashion. This means that the spring portion of the device should remain in contact with the forearm until the rotational force carries the club along with the present invention away from the body during the follow through of the swing.
The present invention has been constructed in a way so that it can be used consistently during swing practice. The device can remain attached to any club and bat until muscle memory of a preferred swing is achieved. It has also been devised to be compact in form to allow for easy storage and mobility.
Reference numerals have been implemented in the drawings to identify corresponding parts that are visible in either one or several illustrations and are directly detailed in the descriptions below.
The perspective view in
In
In
The drawing in
The dashed arrow in
In
Claims
1. A passive hand move swing aid device for golf and baseball, when utilized during either a training period or practice offers a procedure that involves attaching an extension spring fitted with flexible tubing that has been integrated with a mounting clamp, constituting the passive hand move swing aid device for golf and baseball, for use in combination with either a standard bat produced with the proper dimensions and weight to be used officially in the game of baseball or a golf club that is manufactured to the correct specifications according to the rules of golf so that when secured with a fastener and the swinging equipment has been gripped properly by the hands, according to the appropriate sport being addressed, the spring extends off either the club or bat in a perpendicular direction from the axis either in a northeast direction for right-handed individuals or in a northwest direction for left-handed swingers.
2. The passive hand move swing aid device for golf and baseball in combination with either a bat or golf club of claim 1 involves a procedure of:
- a) bringing either the club or bat back to the top of the swing prior to striking the ball, wherein the extension spring is free of contact from the human body, followed by a,
- b) dropping down of the hands in a gentle, passive and methodical manner from the top of the swing that allows for the passing down of either a club or bat near the trailing shoulder and forearm, and through this specific motion, allows for the extension spring on the club to fall in contact with the trailing forearm, continued with,
- c) identifying the critical point of the swing defined by the extension spring touching the trailing forearm in that either the club or bat has fallen onto a plane in close proximity to the trailing forearm during the downward portion of the swing to a ball, followed by,
- d) executing the rotation of the upper torso and hips around the spine in a counterclockwise direction for right-handed individuals and clockwise for people that swing left handed which generates power to propel either a club or bat into contact with a ball while maintaining the passive nature of the hands allowing the extension spring to bend while in contact with the trailing forearm.
3. The passive hand move swing aid device for golf and baseball in combination with either a bat or golf club of claim 2 ensures that the downward motion of a swing by an individual is neither misdirected nor inhibited through contact of the extension spring portion of the device with the trailing forearm and that the extension spring's flexibility is substantial enough to allow for the free movement of either a club or bat to move down past the trailing forearm even though the extension spring remains in contact with the body part until eventually gently bending past the arm during the follow through portion of the swing.
Type: Application
Filed: Oct 5, 2010
Publication Date: Apr 5, 2012
Applicant: (Hamilton)
Inventor: John Benjamin Cebatorius (Hamilton)
Application Number: 12/897,989
International Classification: A63B 69/36 (20060101); A63B 69/00 (20060101);