Abstract: Sports footwear with a vamp, and a lower support part including a sole unit, the lower support part having a lower portion or treading sole for contacting the ground and an intersole overlying the treading sole, wherein within said support part there is present at least a first insert containing elements which deform elastically when subjected to pressure and which are enclosed within an air-containing sealed casing positioned corresponding with the heel region of the sole unit. A further insert is positioned corresponding with the metatarsal region of the foot and also includes a casing containing elements deformable when subjected to pressure. The deformable elements positioned in the insert corresponding with the heel region have a different response to pressure-stressing than the elements present in the insert corresponding with the metatarsal region of the foot.

Abstract: Footwear, in particular sports footwear, which includes a vamp associated with a substantially flat foot-supporting lower part or sole unit. This latter includes at least one portion formed of woven composite material having a part positioned in correspondence with the metatarsal region of the user's foot and a part positioned corresponding with the arch region of the user's foot, wherein the part of the portion present in the metatarsal region is flexible and enables the sole unit to flex during the use of the footwear and wherein part of the portion present in the plantar arch region is rigid.

Abstract: Improved sports footwear which includes an insert positioned at least in the heel region of a shoe, the insert including an elastically deformable cellular structure arranged within an elastically deformable air-impermeable casing provided with inner projections on opposing faces. The casing is pneumatically connected to controllable mechanism, rigid with the footwear, for varying the air pressure within the casing so as to modify the elastic characteristics of the insert. Each projection on one face thereof is connected to a face portion of an opposing projection.

Abstract: A golf training apparatus has a frame and a golf club swing guide is formed as a partial circle of high density polyethylene pipe and is attached to the frame for guiding a person's backswing of a golf club. The golf swing training apparatus guides only the golfers backswing but forces the forward swing of the golfer to hit the ball under the guide member. The golf club swing guide is adjusted by sliding as center swing guide support member relative to a pair of side swing guide support members. The golf club swing guide is attached to frame and guides a person's backswing, along a partial circular pipe member having two ends and having a flexible support member connected between the end portions which support member is positioned to align a golfer's shoulders with a target. A second center swing guide support is provided to support an attachment which forms the upper half of a full circle guide when attached to the partial circle guide.

Abstract: An athletic swing practice apparatus has a lower back support belt which has flexible thigh straps which strap to a person's thighs and a flexible waist belt which attaches around a person's waist and a pair of flexible buttock support straps attached between the thigh straps and the hip belt. A pair of straps are attached to the lower back support belt and extend from the rear portion thereof around the front and each strap has a plurality of apertures for attaching a resilient cord thereto. Each resilient cord extends to a stationary member which can be a pole anchored in the earth which pole can have a plurality of apertures for attaching the resilient cord. A person can practice an athletic swing, such as a golf swing, while wearing the lower back support belt and having the straps attached with resilient cord to the stationary members to thereby apply a predetermined pressure to the person's lower torso during a practice swing and enhance the swing posture of the user.

Abstract: A resilient golf swing practice base having a preferred swing path; an upper surface with ribbing aligned parallel to the swing path to provide a visual guide for the path; a bottom surface with ribbing aligned transverse to the path to engage the ground and inhibit movement when the base is struck along the preferred path, the bottom and top ribbing together providing the resiliency, the bottom ribbing being of graduated height to produce a convex profile to the upper surface along the preferred path. The shoulders of an aperture positioned in the base at the maximum elevation in the convex profile support the golf ball.