Training Tool for Reaching Out Arms while Catching a Football and Method of Use Thereof
A training tool is an apparatus that teaches a user to reach their arms out from their torso in order to catch a football. The apparatus includes a waistband, a left wrist strap, a right wrist strap, a left elastic cord, and a right elastic cord. The waistband attaches the apparatus to the user's waist, and the left wrist strap and the right wrist strap attach the apparatus to the user's wrists. The left wrist strap is connected to the waistband by the left elastic cord, and the right wrist strap is connected to the waistband by the right elastic cord. The left elastic cord provides a resistance between the left wrist and the waist, which reminds the user to fully extend the left arm. Similarly, the right elastic cord provides a resistance between the right wrist and the waist, which reminds the user to fully extend the right arm.
The current application claims a priority to the U.S. Provisional Patent application Ser. No. 61/652,472 filed on May 29, 2012.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThe present invention relates generally to an apparatus for athletic resistance training. More specifically, the present invention is a training tool to aid pass receivers in the game of football.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTIONIn American football, receivers tend to “alligator arm” football passes, which means to timidly extend their arms away from their torso while trying to catch a football pass. This is because they have not repeatedly practiced extending their arms during a catch. The objective of the present invention to provide an apparatus and a method of use thereof that enables muscle memory for the user while performing this particular motor skill, which additionally helps to form other beneficial habits for catching a football. For example, the present invention breaks the habit of catching a football against the body because the present invention reminds the user to extend their arms while catching the football. The present invention also breaks the habit of not watching the football into the user's hands because the present invention reminds the user to extend their arms while catching the football, which places their hands into their field of view.
All illustrations of the drawings are for the purpose of describing selected versions of the present invention and are not intended to limit the scope of the present invention.
As can be seen in
The left elastic cord 8 and the right elastic cord 9 are long enough to remain flaccid while the user performs other activities such as running or jumping. However, the left elastic cord 8 and the right elastic cord 9 are short enough to provide gradual tension as the user begins to fully extend their arms to catch a football. As can be seen in
The waistband 1, the left wrist strap 2, and the right wrist strap 3 are all components that can be attached or detached from their respective body parts. For the present invention to properly function, the waistband 1 needs to be tightly fitted around the user's waist, and the left wrist strap 2 and the right wrist strap 3 needs to be loosely fitted around the user's wrists. Consequently, the waistband 1, the left wrist strap 2, and the right wrist strap 3 each comprise a first end 4, a second end 5, a first fastener 6, and a second fastener 7, which are all shown in
The method of utilizing the training tool will allow the user to learn to reach out their arms while catching a football. The user must properly attach the training tool to their body, which begins by snuggly attaching the waistband 1 around their waist. The waistband 1 is then rotated about the waist in order to align the left elastic cord 8 below the left arm and to align the right elastic cord 9 below the right arm. Subsequently, the left wrist strap 2 is rotatably attached to the user's left wrist, and the right wrist strap 3 is rotatably attached to the user's right wrist, which does not hinder the movement of the user's wrists while performing other activities.
For the method of utilizing the present invention, the training tool acts on the user's body as the user is catching the football, which is illustrated in
Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferred embodiment, it is to be understood that many other possible modifications and variations can be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.
Claims
1. A training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football comprises:
- a waistband;
- a left wrist strap;
- a right wrist strap;
- a left elastic cord;
- a right elastic cord;
- said left elastic cord and said right elastic cord each comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
- said proximal end and said distal end for said left elastic cord being positioned opposite of each other along said left elastic cord;
- said proximal end of said left elastic cord being laterally connected to said waistband;
- said distal end of said left elastic cord being laterally connected to said left wrist strap;
- said proximal end and said distal end for said right elastic cord being positioned opposite to each other along said right elastic cord;
- said proximal end of said right elastic cord being laterally connected to said waistband; and
- said distal end of said right elastic cord being laterally connected to said right wrist strap.
2. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
- said proximal end of said left elastic cord and said proximal end of said right elastic cord being diametrically opposed to each other around said waistband.
3. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 1 comprises:
- said waistband, said left wrist strap, and said right wrist strap each comprise a first end, a second end, a first fastener, and a second fastener.
4. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 3 comprises:
- said first end and said second end for said waistband being positioned opposite to each other along said waistband;
- said first fastener of said waistband being connected onto said first end of said waistband;
- said second fastener of said waistband being connected onto said second end of said waistband; and
- said first fastener and said second fastener for said waistband being engaged to each other.
5. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 3 comprises:
- said first end and said second end for said left wrist strap being positioned opposite to each other along said left wrist strap;
- said first fastener of said left wrist strap being connected onto said first end of said left wrist strap;
- said second fastener of said left wrist strap being connected onto said second end of said left wrist strap; and
- said first fastener and said second fastener for said left wrist strap being engaged to each other.
6. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 3 comprises:
- said first end and said second end for said right wrist strap being positioned opposite to each other along said right wrist strap;
- said first fastener of said right wrist strap being connected onto said first end of said right wrist strap;
- said second fastener of said right wrist strap being connected onto said second end of said right wrist strap; and
- said first fastener and said second fastener for said right wrist strap being engaged to each other.
7. A training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football comprises:
- a waistband;
- a left wrist strap;
- a right wrist strap;
- a left elastic cord;
- a right elastic cord;
- said waistband, said left wrist strap, and said right wrist strap each comprise a first end, a second end, a first fastener, and a second fastener;
- said left elastic cord and said right elastic cord each comprises a proximal end and a distal end;
- said proximal end and said distal end for said left elastic cord being positioned opposite of each other along said left elastic cord;
- said proximal end of said left elastic cord being laterally connected to said waistband;
- said distal end of said left elastic cord being laterally connected to said left wrist strap;
- said proximal end and said distal end for said right elastic cord being positioned opposite to each other along said right elastic cord;
- said proximal end of said right elastic cord being laterally connected to said waistband;
- said distal end of said right elastic cord being laterally connected to said right wrist strap; and
- said proximal end of said left elastic cord and said proximal end of said right elastic cord being diametrically opposed to each other around said waistband.
8. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 7 comprises:
- said first end and said second end for said waistband being positioned opposite to each other along said waistband;
- said first fastener of said waistband being connected onto said first end of said waistband;
- said second fastener of said waistband being connected onto said second end of said waistband; and
- said first fastener and said second fastener for said waistband being engaged to each other.
9. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 7 comprises:
- said first end and said second end for said left wrist strap being positioned opposite to each other along said left wrist strap;
- said first fastener of said left wrist strap being connected onto said first end of said left wrist strap;
- said second fastener of said left wrist strap being connected onto said second end of said left wrist strap; and
- said first fastener and said second fastener for said left wrist strap being engaged to each other.
10. The training tool for reaching out arms while catching a football as claimed in claim 7 comprises:
- said first end and said second end for said right wrist strap being positioned opposite to each other along said right wrist strap;
- said first fastener of said right wrist strap being connected onto said first end of said right wrist strap;
- said second fastener of said right wrist strap being connected onto said second end of said right wrist strap; and
- said first fastener and said second fastener for said right wrist strap being engaged to each other.
11. A method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method comprises the steps of:
- providing a training tool, wherein said training tool comprises a waistband, a left wrist strap, and a right wrist strap;
- providing a human body, wherein said human body includes a left arm with a left hand and a left wrist, a right arm with a right hand and a right wrist, and a torso with a waist;
- snuggly attaching said waistband around said waist;
- aligning said left elastic cord below said left arm and aligning said right elastic cord below said right arm;
- rotatably attaching said left wrist strap to said left wrist and rotatably attaching said right wrist strap to said right wrist;
- stretching said left elastic cord and said right elastic cord while extending both said left arm and said right arm away from said torso in order to catch a football;
- further extending said left arm and said right arm,
- if an ideal tension is not felt within said left elastic cord and said right elastic cord; and
- resisting said left elastic cord and said right elastic cord at said ideal tension as said football is caught with said left hand and said right hand.
12. The method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method as claimed in claim 11 comprises the step of:
- rotating said waistband about said waist in order to align said left elastic cord below said left arm and to align said right elastic cord below said right arm.
13. The method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method as claimed in claim 11 comprises the step of:
- running while extending said left arm and said right arm in order to catch said football.
14. The method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method as claimed in claim 11 comprises the step of:
- standing still while extending said left arm and said right arm in order to catch said football.
15. The method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said ideal tension is felt within said left elastic cord when said left arm is fully extended away from said torso.
16. The method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method as claimed in claim 11, wherein said ideal tension is felt within said right elastic cord when said right arm is fully extended away from said torso.
17. The method of utilizing a training tool to teach reaching out arms while catching a football, the method as claimed in claim 11 comprises the step of:
- providing said football with a flight trajectory;
- visually locating said football during said flight trajectory;
- orienting said left arm and said right arm in order to intercept said football with said left hand and said right hand during said flight trajectory; and
- visually following said football into said left hand and said right hand while extending said left arm and said right arm in order to catch said football.
Type: Application
Filed: May 29, 2013
Publication Date: Dec 5, 2013
Inventor: Kevin D. PARKER (Columbia, SC)
Application Number: 13/904,984
International Classification: A63B 69/00 (20060101);