SPORTS TRAINING KIT AND APPARATUS
The present invention is a training apparatus that includes a weighting device combined with a sport stick, such as a lacrosse or hockey stick, designed to secure the weighting device and other apparatus for performing sports-specific weight resistance and plyometric training.
The present invention relates to a device for resistance training In particular, the present invention is a training apparatus that includes a weighting device combined with a sport stick, such as a lacrosse or hockey stick, designed to secure the weighting device and other apparatus for performing sports-specific weight resistance and plyometric training
Athletes who perform in certain sports that require the use of sticks, such as hockey or lacrosse, that require bursts of energy and rapid response times, benefit from a exercise training that results in improved functioning of the nervous system. Plyometrics is such a training method that results in increased speed or force of muscle contractions, useful for fast, powerful movements. Typical plyometric training involves producing a first, rapid muscle lengthening movement, followed by a short rest period, then producing a second, muscle shortening movement.
Training typically involves the use of free weights, or specially-designed weight machines. Commercially available weight machines of the type useful for plyometric training are large, expensive, and have a large footprint, making them unportable. Athletes are required to go to a specific location to have access to such machines. It also creates a psychological distance between the work-out equipment and the sports equipment. Ideal athlete training includes both an enhanced psychological connection with the sport and sport equipment, as well as physical improvement.
An athlete who uses a standard, commercially-available hockey or lacrosse stick, generally cannot use that stick to perform plyometric training or resistance training, because it is necessary to include weights in performing the muscle shortening movement in particular. The shape of sports sticks varies, and there is no convenient, available, or safe method for adding weight to such sticks.
In addition to the physical and skill benefits of such an apparatus, training with such an apparatus also delivers psychological benefits by bringing the athletes' motivation, commitment, and connection to the sport into the resistance training program. This psychological component cannot be duplicated through the use of conventional training equipment, such as free weights or traditional resistance training. There is a mindful connection to the sport through the use of equipment specific to that sport, because it enables athletes to train using the tools of their game. Such a connection also would allow athletes in rehabilitation facilities to benefit from such an apparatus.
Thus, there remains a need for the lacrosse and hockey athlete, among others, to perform sports-specific resistance exercises with equipment used in the respective sports. There is a need for equipment that makes it possible for the athlete to perform the following resistance exercises: weighted movements; plyometrics; and rubber tubing resistance movements using the equipment specific to their sport.
SUMMARYThe present invention is a sports training kit, for use in particular by athletes in training, or in physical therapy following injury in a sport that requires use of some sort of sport stick, such as hockey, lacrosse, and others. The inventive kit includes a sport instrument, having an elongated handle extending a distance L from a proximal end to an end effector at a distal end, and a weight support assembly having a tubular sleeve extending about a central axis from a first end to a second end, which tubular sleeve includes an annular flange, and an locking pin. The elongated handle includes a grip portion extending a predetermined distance L2 from the proximal end, and which is substantially uniform in cross-section.
The grip portion of the handle includes a plurality of spaced apart cross-holes extending through the handle transverse to the handle axis. In a preferred embodiment, the length of the grip portion is the distance from the proximal end of the handle to the distal-most handle cross-hole. The end effector is, for example, the blade of a hockey stick or the basket of a lacrosse stick.
The tubular sleeve of the weight support assembly extends about a central axis from a first end to a second end. It has a cylindrical out surface, with a diameter D, that extends about the central axis. The sleeve further includes a central void region, defined by an inner surface extending about the central axis, having a cross-section adapted to overfit the cross-section of the grip portion. The sleeve further includes an annular flange positioned near the first end of the sleeve, that extends radially from the outer sleeve surface. A cross-hole extends through the sleeve near the second end and along a pin axis intersecting the central axis. This cross-hole is of sufficient diameter such that when this sleeve cross-hole is aligned with a cross-hole on the instrument handle, it forms a single hole through which an elongated pin may be passed to secure the sleeve onto the handle. The elongated pin has a length greater than D and a cross-section adapted to fit within the sleeve cross-hole and the handle cross-hole.
In an embodiment of the invention, the handle cross-holes are uniformly spaced. The kit may further include at least one annular weight, each of the annular weights having a circular central void region with a diameter greater than D and adapted to overfit the outer surface of the tubular sleeve. In alternative embodiments, the handle cross-section is rectangular, octangular, round, oval, or other geometric shapes.
The tubular sleeve inner surface may include a plurality of flexible fins extending inward from the inner surface. The kit may further comprise a clamp adapted to be removably affixed to the outer surface of the tubular sleeve.
The foregoing and other objects of this disclosure, including the various features thereof, may be more fully understood from the following description, when read together with the accompanying drawings in which:
The present invention is a sports training kit, having a specially-designed sports instrument, such as a stick used in stick-related sports, and a weight support assembly. The training kit of the present invention is designed to provide training of the type necessary for strength, speed, and agility, such as plyometric, resistance, and strength training.
An embodiment of the inventive training kit 100 is shows in
The kit 100 has a tubular sleeve 104 extending along sleeve axis SA that is slidably fit over the handle 102. With the sleeve 104 in place over handle 102, the sleeve axis SA is substantially coaxial with handle axis HA. The tubular sleeve 104 has a cylindrical outer surface with diameter D and includes a sleeve cross-hole 108 extending through the sleeve along a pin axis PA transverse to sleeve axis SA.
The sleeve 104 includes an annular flange 106 extending radially outward with respect to sleeve axis SA. The flange 106 may be formed integral with the tubular sleeve 104, or may be affixed about the outer cylindrical surface of the tubular sleeve 104 by means of mechanical, heat, UV, chemical or other welding. The flange 106 may be made from any metal, rigid plastic, or other materials having predetermined weight and strength, as described in further detail below.
The handle 102 includes one or more instrument cross-holes 110 bored through the handle 102 in the grip portion 120. The cross-holes may be uniformly spaced or positioned to optimize the position of the weight assembly for specific training needs. The spacing between cross-holes 110 must be sufficient to maintain the uncompromised structural integrity of the handle 102. The cross-holes 110 alternatively may be positioned along the same cross-hole axis CHA relative to other cross-holes 110, as illustrated in
The sleeve cross-hole 108 preferably is positioned at the end of the sleeve opposite the flange 106. This preferred position leaves room for multiple weights to be used at one time (i.e., weight plates may be stacked). Alternatively, a small sleeve section may be extended from the other side of the flange, having a sleeve cross-hole, to move the weights to the opposite side of the sleeve. The bore size of the sleeve cross-hole 108 must be at least as great as the diameter of the instrument cross-holes 110 to enable proper alignment of the sleeve cross-hole 108 with each of the instrument cross-holes 110 to allow a user to move the sleeve 104 along the handle 102 to position the sleeve 104 in the desired position for training In an alternate embodiment, the sleeve 104 may include more than one sleeve cross-hole 108 to provide even greater selections for placement of the sleeve 104 on the handle 102 or to accommodate more than one locking pin 112. If multiple sleeve cross-holes 108 are included, they must be sufficiently spaced to maintain the structural integrity of the sleeve element 104.
When assembled, as shown in
An exemplary clamp 115 is illustrated in
In the alternative, clamp 115 is exemplified by spring clamp 115 illustrated in
In each embodiment, the inclusion of a set of one or more cross-holes 108 in the handle 102 enables the tubular sleeve 104 to be fixedly positioned along the length of the handle, to be secured closer to either the grip (proximal end P) or the end effector 103, as desired. By selectively configuring the location of the tubular sleeve 104 along the handle 102, a user may modify and effect the nature and type of training for which the kit 100 is used.
Although the present illustrations only show a hockey stick and a lacrosse stick configuration for the sports instrument 102 element of the inventive kit, other sticks and configurations may be used in the kit as necessary for other desired sports training, such as baseball bats, tennis racquets, and the like.
In an illustrative embodiment, as shown in
As shown in cross-section in
The illustrated inventive kit 100 further includes a locking pin 112 of the type commonly known and generally commercially available. The preferred locking pin 112 of the inventive kit 100, such as that shown in
The kit 100 of the present invention may also include one or more eye-hooks 140, such as the type shown in
While the preferred embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described herein, it will be obvious that such embodiments are provided by way of example only. Numerous variations, changes and substitutions will occur to those of skill in the art without departing from the invention herein. Accordingly, it is intended that the invention be limited only by the spirit and scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A sports training kit, comprising:
- A. a sports instrument including: i. an elongated handle extending a distance L from a proximal end to a distal end thereof along a handle axis, wherein said handle has a substantially uniform cross-section grip portion extending from said proximal end, and wherein said grip portion includes a plurality of spaced apart cross holes extending through said grip portion transverse to said handle axis, and ii. an end effector extending from said distal end,
- B. a weight support assembly including: i. a tubular sleeve extending about a central axis from a first end to a second end and having: a. a cylindrical outer surface having a diameter D and extending about said central axis, b. a central void region defined by an inner surface extending about said central axis, wherein said central void region has a cross-section adapted to overfit said cross-section of said grip portion, c. an annular flange near said first end of said sleeve, and extending from said outer surface radially with respect to said sleeve axis, d. a cross-hole extending through said sleeve near said second end and along a pin axis intersecting said central axis, and ii. an elongated pin having a length greater than D and having a cross-section adapted to fit within said cross hole in the said sleeve and said cross holes in said handle.
2. A sports training kit according to claim 1 wherein said cross-holes in said handle are uniformly spaced.
3. A sports training kit according to claim 1 further comprising at least one annular weight, each of said annular weights having a circular central void region having a diameter greater than D and adapted to overfit said outer surface of said sleeve.
4. A sports training kit according to claim 1 wherein said cross-section of said handle is rectangular.
5. A sports training kit according to claim 4 wherein said inner surface includes a plurality of flexible fins extending inward from said inner surface.
6. A sports training kit according to claim 4 wherein said handle and said end effector have the form of a hockey stick.
7. A sports training kit according to claim 1 wherein said cross-section of said handle is octangular.
8. A sports training kit according to claim 7 wherein said inner surface includes a plurality of flexible fins extending inward from said inner surface.
9. A sports training kit according to claim 7 wherein said handle and said end effector have the form of a lacrosse stick.
10. A sports training kit according to claim 1 further comprising a clamp adapted to be removably affixed to said outer surface of said tubular sleeve.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 9, 2009
Publication Date: May 12, 2011
Inventor: Steven Smyrnios (Weston, FL)
Application Number: 12/614,680
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101);