SPORTS TRAINING AID AND METHOD
A training aid and method assists players with shooting and ball control. A sleeve is positioned on the players arm and/or wrist. The sleeve includes markings for positioning the arm for shooting. The markings allow the player to see and be aware of the arm position while sighting the basket and shooting the basketball. The markings may include a line, dot or other marking useful in positioning the arm. The training aid may also include a squeaker in the palm. The squeaker will sound if the player fails to properly use the fingers for dribbling, shooting, passing and catching.
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to training aids for sports. More particularly, it relates to a training aid for use of fingers and arms in using a ball, such as in basketball.
2. Discussion of Related Art
Repetitive drills are a common learning technique used in teaching a sport. The drills help players to develop the muscular motions and hand or foot and eye coordination necessary for proper actions in that sport. Various teaching aids have been developed for assisting a player to develop the necessary skills. There are many such teaching aids for various sports. However, most such teaching aids can only be used while practicing; they cannot be used when actually playing the sport. Basketball is a sport for which various training aids have been developed. These training aids include ones relating to shooting and controlling of the ball. As with training aids for all sports, they typically are unusable in a game situation. Therefore, it becomes difficult for a player to utilize the skills learned in practice at game time.
Various techniques are used in shooting a basketball which improves the ability of the player to get the ball successfully in the basket. The position of the shooting hand and arm are important in the process. Poor positioning of the arm and hand can result in poor performance. A major problem in training young basketball players is that of initiating the use of proper shooting techniques which thereafter become habitual and are automatically followed as the players' shooting skills are developed. Many players do not have the opportunity for training as they are learning and practicing the techniques. A player who develops improper shooting habits has greater difficulty learning proper techniques which can improve his or her game.
The novice tends not to be aware of proper arm and elbow placement, before, during and after the shot. They fail to properly align the arm, wrist, hand, and basket as is necessary for a proper shot.
Various training aids have been created to aid the basketball player in developing the proper shooting position. Such training aids include parts which connect to the user's arms to hold them in the proper position or to prevent other motions. Such training aids are cumbersome and difficult to use. Some include parts which connect the arms together. Others connect the arms to the torso. Others control the angle of the elbow and wrist of the shooting hand. These shooting aids can only be used when practicing shooting. They interfere with other motions necessary for learning basketball, such as dribbling. They cannot be used to develop shooting skills under game type conditions. They also cannot be used during an actual basketball game. While they may help position the user's arms, they do not help the player learn to judge the arm position when the training aid is not used.
Another important technique for basketball is the use of fingers for ball control. Novice players tend to utilize the entire hand, including the palm, for dribbling, passing, catching and shooting. This makes it more difficult to control the ball. Various devices have been developed to help position a player's hand so that the fingers are properly used. One such device is a glove with curved fingers. The glove prevents the user from straightening the fingers, so that the ball cannot contact the palm. Other devices are positioned in front of the palm. These devices prevent the user from contacting the ball with the palm. Such devices may help a user to properly position his hands, but they do not help the user learn to keep that position, particularly when the training aid is removed. The training aids cannot be used effectively during game type situations.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAccording to one aspect of the invention, a training aid includes a sleeve positioned on the forearm of the user. Markings are placed on the sleeve to indicate the position of the arm for shooting. According to another aspect of the invention, the markings may include a line, dot, or combination thereof. According to another aspect of the invention, the sleeve is a shooting sleeve covering the forearm from the wrist to the bicep. According to another aspect of the invention, the sleeve is wristband positioned solely near the wrist. According to another aspect of the invention, the sleeve is an armband covering a portion of the forearm. According to another aspect of the invention, two sleeves with markings are positioned at different locations on the forearm.
According to another aspect of the invention, a training method includes a marking on the forearm of a user. The user aligns the markings along the line of sight to the basket. According to another aspect of the invention, the user aligns a line along the forearm with the line of sight, thus keeping the elbow in. According to another aspect of the invention, the user keeps the line along the line of sight through follow through of the shot. According to another aspect of the invention, the user releases the shot when a marking reaches the line of sight. According to another aspect of the invention, the marking may be positioned at different locations along the forearm corresponding to different shot heights or release points.
According to another aspect of the invention, a training aid includes a glove which covers the palm of the hand. A squeaker is attached to the glove so as to be over the palm. According to another aspect of the invention, an audible indication occurs when a ball is too close to the palm of the hand.
The present invention provides a training aid and method for use in developing skills in basketball. Variations of the present invention may be used in training aids for other sports as well. Training aids according to the present invention are useful in assisting a player with shooting and ball control.
According to an embodiment of the invention, as illustrated in
A purpose of the training aid is to give the shooter a guide and/or point of reference on the shooting arm that the eye can see and the mind can use to gage arm and elbow placement during the shooting motion. This shooting aid can help train the eye to see and the mind to subconsciously tell the body where the arm is and help make proper adjustments immediately during the shooting motion. It helps bring awareness of arm position and helps with mental focus during the shot, thus, providing for better muscle memory.
Many variations for the sleeve 10 and the markings 20 can be used for the training aid 1. A shooting sleeve has become popular among basketball players over the past few years due to their use by professional basketball players. A shooting sleeve provides warmth, support, protection, and moisture control. It has also become fashionable to wear a shooting sleeve. The training aid 1 can be incorporated into a shooting sleeve. As illustrated in
To use the training aid 1, the sleeve 10 is placed over the arm 2 of the shooter. The position of the markings 20 can be adjusted along the arm and from side to side. The position of the markings 20 will depend upon personal preference for shot position. As illustrated in
When shooting with the training aid 1, the shooter should focus on the rim of basket 9. The shooter will notice the markings on the sleeve 10 as he/she shoots. The markings are used as a reference point for awareness and accuracy during the shooting process. The markings help the shooter line up his/her shooting arm with the basket and help with proper elbow placement, i.e. inward, during the shot. The shooter does not look directly at the markings on the training aid during the shot, but uses it only as a visual reference point to help with mental awareness and focus. When focusing on shooting the basketball and the basket, the markings can be seen with peripheral vision as the shooting arm is moving up through the shot. This awareness helps with proper arm/elbow placement and motion.
The markings 20 may be of different shapes, sizes, and configurations in order to aid with shooting. The markings may depend upon user preference and the characteristics of a user's shooting technique. As shown in
Alternatively, as illustrated in
Of course, other combinations of sleeve and marking designs can be used for different purposes.
The dot markings have been illustrated as circles. Of course, other shapes, such as squares, triangles, diamonds, and ovals, could be used. Different shapes may be used on a single sleeve at different locations for different shot heights. In this manner, a single sleeve may be used by individuals who desire different shot heights. Dot markings of different colors may be similarly used.
The markings may be formed in a variety of manners. They may be formed directly on the sleeve, such as by printing on the fabric of the sleeve. They may be woven into the sleeve. They may include a sticky material or glue on one side which can be permanently affixed to the sleeve. They may include an iron-on material. With attachable materials, the user can position the markings in a desirable position before use. The markings may include a removable connection mechanism, such as Velcro, so that they can be positioned upon the sleeve, or upon other clothing. Alternatively, the markings may be formed of a material which is attachable to the skin. Thus, the markings may be applied directly to the arms of the shooter without the use of a sleeve.
Another embodiment of the training aid 100 is illustrated in
The audible indication is provided by a squeaker 120 which is positioned in front of the palm. The squeaker 120 is a sealed structure with flexible, resilient sides. At least one noisemaker 121 is connected to the structure. When the basketball contacts the squeaker 120, air is forced from the structure through the noisemaker 121 providing an audible sound. The sides of the structure return to their former position, drawing air back in through the noisemaker. Preferably, the sides of the structure are sufficiently flexible to provide an audible indication with minimal contact from the basketball. Additionally, the squeaker 120 is sized to fit within and to be close to the palm.
The squeaker 120 is held in place by a glove 110. Preferably, the squeaker is permanently connected to the glove 110, such as being attached to the interior of the glove or placed within layers of the glove 110. Alternatively, a pocket may be formed on the exterior or interior of the glove 110. The pocket is sized to receive the squeaker 120. The squeaker 120 may also be attachable to the front of the glove 110. The pocket and/or attachment mechanism may be sized to accommodate different squeaker sizes based upon preference and/or hand size.
The glove 110 is formed to cover the palm of the hand without covering the fingers or thumb. The glove 110 may include an opening 111 for the thumb and an opening 112 for the fingers. The opening for the fingers 112 may extend across the entire palm, or may include separate openings for each finger. The glove 110 may be formed of a resilient material so that it may be stretched over the hand. It may include a removable connector 113 which wraps from the front to the back off the glove above the thumb.
The training aid 100 helps a basketball player learn proper dribbling techniques, mainly, using the fingers and wrist and not the palm of the hand. If the ball hits the palm area too hard it will cause the squeaker 120 to make a noise, and thus, alerting the player to make an adjustment immediately to correct dribbling error. The training aid 100 will teach a player how to correctly handle a basketball and will help the player strengthen his/her fingers. The training aid 100 also helps a player develop proper fundamentals when shooting, passing and catching the ball, when the fingers are to be used. A player may want to wear the training aid 100 on both hands/arms.
The shooting and ball control training aids may be combined into a single structure as illustrated in
The training aids of the present invention can be used by players during practice, in scrimmages and game-type practice, and during actual games. The training aids do not interfere with normal control of the basketball. The training aids of the present invention may also be used, with appropriate modification, for use in other sports which required arm positioning and/or finger control of a ball. For example, the sleeve with markings may be used by quarterbacks to control throwing a football. It may also be used by golfers or tennis players for properly aligning the arm and club or racket. The squeaker can be used to ensure that any type of ball is controlled by the fingers rather than the palm. For example, it may be used by baseball, football, or volleyball players which must control the ball with the fingers.
Having disclosed at least one embodiment of the present invention, various adaptations, modifications, additions, and improvements will be readily apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. Such adaptations, modifications, additions and improvements are considered part of the invention which is only limited by the several claims attached hereto.
Claims
1. A sport training aid comprising:
- a sleeve covering at least a portion of a forearm of a user; and
- a marking on the sleeve indicating a position of the forearm for an action in a sport.
2. The sport training aid according to claim 1 wherein the action in the sport is shooting a basketball.
3. The sport training aid according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve includes a shooting sleeve covering the entire forearm of the user.
4. The sport training aid according to claim 1 wherein the marking includes a line extending along the forearm.
5. The sport training aid according to claim 3 wherein the line is aligned between a forefinger and a crease of an elbow of the user.
6. The sport training aid according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve includes a wristband.
7. The sport training aid according to claim 1 wherein the marking includes a dot.
8. The sport training aid according to claim 7 wherein the dot is positioned at a height for shooting the basketball.
9. The sport training aid according to claim 1 wherein the sleeve can be adjusted to adjust the position of the marking along the forearm.
10. The sport training aid according to claim 1, wherein the sleeve extends over a portion of the palm of the user, and
- wherein the sport training aid further comprises a squeaker attached to sleeve so as to be positioned over the palm of the user.
11. The sport training aid according to claim 10, wherein the squeaker is sized to emit a noise when if the basketball approaches too close to the palm.
12. A sport training aid comprising:
- a glove covering a portion of a palm of a user; and
- a squeaker attached to the glove so as to be positioned over the palm of the user.
13. The sport training aid according to claim 12 wherein the squeaker is sized to emit a noise when if a sport item approaches too closely to the palm of the user.
14. The sport training aid according to claim 13 wherein the sport item includes a ball.
15. The sport training aid according to claim 14, wherein the ball includes a basketball.
16. A sport training method comprising the steps of:
- positioning a marking on a forearm of a player;
- aligning the marking at a position for performing an action in the sport;
- performing the action when the marking is aligned.
17. The sport training method according to claim 16, wherein the action includes shooting a basketball.
18. The sport training method according to claim 16 wherein the marking includes a line.
19. The sport training method according to claim 16 wherein the marking includes a dot.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 20, 2008
Publication Date: Sep 22, 2011
Inventor: Glen Hougen (Superior, CO)
Application Number: 12/275,216
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101);