SWIMMING TRAINING SYSTEM AND METHODS OF USE
A swimming training system is described herein that includes a vertical pillar connected to a horizontal sliding grooved bar with flexible rope or tether member to be tied to a swimmer's belt to provide float support while in the swimming crawl position. In a related embodiment, the training system is configured for portability and yet in another example embodiment the training system is configured to be permanently affixed to a large commercial swimming pool such as used in a fitness club. Not only can this system be used widely for beginners to learn how to swim but it can also be used by experienced swimmers who are seeking to improve their swimming technique or are using same to as a resistance training aid.
The invention relates generally to a swimming teaching aid and system that provides an elevated conveyor system to support a swimmer but allow free range of motion for a variety of swimming strokes.
In many common production lines and other assembly applications, workpieces are transported along an overhead rail, for instance a monorail. Motor-driven trolleys travel along the rail to and between various workstations. Electrical conductors can be provided along the rail to provide power. The carriages carry workpieces along the path defined by the rail for delivering the workpieces to the various workstations. However, there is no frame structure designed to support a swimmer in a pool.
Currently there are a number of solutions for teaching people how to swim. The most common way to teach people how to swim is to either use flotation devices or having someone hold the person up in the water. Some of these solutions attempt to make beginner swimmers feel more comfortable in the water, but these solutions are inconvenient and fail to meet the needs of the industry because small children and first time swimmers still need to have a person close by in the event something happens. Other solutions attempt to teach people to swim, such as holding a Sheppard's hook near the swimmer, but these solutions are similarly unable to meet the needs of the industry because they require one-on-one supervision, are typically uncomfortable and restrict the motion of a swimmer.
It would be desirable to have a system and device that allows beginning swimmers to feel safe even without one-on-one supervision. Additionally, it would be desirable to have a swimming training device that provides beginner swimmers to learn to swim away from the pool walls. Furthermore, it would be desirable to have a system that advanced swimmers can use for resistance training and to provide them the flexibility of practicing, training and/or exercising using all kinds of swimming technique and styles such as front crawl, backstroke, butterfly, and sidestroke.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe invention advantageously fills the aforementioned deficiencies by providing a swimming training system and device that includes a support frame which helps to promote safety and provides peace of mind to new swimmers. Since the swimming is recommended by exercise experts to enhance individual health, this invention will help those people who desire to learn how to swim while helping to lower some of the risk. One of the advantages of the swim training system described herein is that it will hold the user right at the surface level of the water, yet enable them to move up and down a designated lane in a pool to practice swimming.
In one example embodiment, a swimming training system includes vertical poles connected to a track which allows for a bracket assembly, attached to a flexible rope or tether (hereinafter a cable) to be tied to a swimmer's belt or harness to provide float support while in the swimming crawl position. In a related embodiment, the training system is configured for portability and yet in another example embodiment the training system is configured to be permanently or semi-permanently affixed to a large commercial swimming pool such as used in a fitness club. Not only can this system be used widely for beginners to learn how to swim but it can also be used by experienced swimmers who are seeking to improve their swimming technique or are using it as a resistance training aid.
Several advantages of the swimming trainer system and device described herein includes enabling gyms, schools and other places that have swimming lesson, reduce their payroll and liability insurance expenses because they can have a higher student to teacher ratio while increasing safety; allows for resistance training without the cost of expensive air pumping systems typically used by resistance trainers; and assists beginners to feel more at ease in the water
The invention described herein could also be used to advance aquatic sports. In one example a new sport is contemplated that provides different weights or different resistance connected to the swimmer harness. In another related embodiment the swimming training device includes a monitor (electronic and/or manual; wireless and/or wired) that will display various forces or measures from each individual swimmer.
The invention now will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, which are intended to be read in conjunction with both this summary, the detailed description and any preferred and/or particular embodiments specifically discussed or otherwise disclosed. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein; rather, these embodiments are provided by way of illustration only and so that this disclosure will be thorough, complete and will fully convey the full scope of the invention to those skilled in the art.
In one example embodiment, there is disclosed a swimming training system 10 configured for use with a pool that includes a steel (or other metal such as aluminum or plastic) pillar or pole fixed on the ground. Referring now to
Referring now to
Referring now to
Support frame 15 may be any number of shapes and configurations suitable for supporting the load of a swimmer or swimmers when in use. The support frame 15 materials are conventional and well known to those skilled in the art. The support frame 15 generally includes at least one track 35 and a plurality of poles 40 which are used to form the support matrix to attach track 35.
Referring now to
The addition of the flange 55 in combination with the support platform 65 and the generally complementary surface on the exterior of the roller 25 provides a self righting function to bracket assembly 20 as it moves along the long-axis of track 35. In other words, any side to side motion caused by a swimmer attached to swimming training system 10 that deviates from a generally parallel orientation with track 35 will not cause track 35 to become dislodged from support frame 15.
Referring now to
Referring now to
A boom 90 generally includes a proximal end 100 and a distal end 105. Boom 90 is positioned in a manner to extend outwardly and upwardly from base 85 when in use. Proximal end 100 is coupled to base 85 which may further comprise a hinge 95 affixed to the bottom of the boom 90 which will facilitate adjusting the height of proximal end 100 and the angle at which boom 90 is positioned. The distal end 105 includes a cable roller 110 which helps to conveniently store cable 75 when not in use. Cable 75 is attached to swimming training system 10 on one terminal end 115 and the opposed terminal end 120 is attached to a harness 70.
Referring now to
Cable 75 generally provides elastic resistance to the user and can be comprised of several materials known to one of ordinary skill in the art. For example, a list of non-limiting materials includes rubber, plastics and nylon materials. Cable 75 will typically be comprised of a single unitary body. One terminal portion of cable 75 is connected to harness 70 where the opposing terminal end 46 is coupled to swimming training system 10.
Harness 70 is attached to a terminal portion of cable 75 through known means. The attachment means may include an adjustment feature to allow for quick adjustment before a swimmer enters the pool when the distance between harness 70 and bracket assembly 20 is to remain substantially constant (i.e.
Harness 70 is generally a semi-stretchable belt of suitable width and preferably-made of canvas, neoprene or another material that will securely fix around the midline of a swimmer. Harness 70 may optionally include suspenders (not shown) to prevent harness 70 from slipping when swimming training system 10 is in use. Harness 70 may also include a floatation material to allow added buoyancy to a user.
When in use, at least the example embodiments in
Alternatively, the cable roller 110 may also include a retraction means to provide an opposing force while swimmer is training This type of retraction means may also be utilized to retract cable 75 back on cable roller 110 to help facilitate preparing the swimming train system 10 for storage. Although not wanting to be bound by any particular theory, the retraction means could be initiated by pushing a button or lever, similar to mechanisms on a variety of vacuum cleaners. Alternatively, cord could be manually retracted with a crank-style mechanism.
When in use swimming training system 10 may be used for a number of swimming applications. In one example use, swimming training system 10 may be used to facilitate a swimming class to help beginners and intermediate swimmers gain confidence in swimming away from the wall, as is classically done in introductory swimming classes.
Additionally, swimming training system 10 also allows for an instructor to reduce liability of an inadvertent drowning when students are attached to swimming training system 10. In another example method of use swimming training system 10 may be used to help train swimmers by increasing resistance on a cable attached to a swimmer thereby increasing the amount of force a swimmer must use to achieve a goal (i.e. time. distance, etc.).
Comparing
Alternatively,
While the invention has been described above in terms of specific embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to these disclosed embodiments. Upon reading the teachings of this disclosure many modifications and other embodiments of the invention will come to mind of those skilled in the art to which this invention pertains, and which are intended to be and are covered by both this disclosure and the appended claims. It is indeed intended that the scope of the invention should be determined by proper interpretation and construction of the appended claims and their legal equivalents, as understood by those of skill in the art relying upon the disclosure in this specification and the attached drawings.
Claims
1. A swimming training system comprising:
- a support frame;
- a bracket assembly;
- a cable and
- a harness configured to secure around the waist of a swimmer,
- wherein said support frame comprises at least one track, a plurality of poles and a plurality of pillars and wherein said track is configured to receive said bracket assembly and allow said bracket assembly to move along the long axis of said track.
2. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly further comprises a brace portion.
3. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly further comprises at least one wheel.
4. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly further comprises at least two wheels.
5. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said bracket assembly further comprises an attachment appendage.
6. The swimming training system of claim 5 wherein said bracket assembly is coupled to a carabineer.
7. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said at least one track further comprises at least one sidewall.
8. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said at least one track further comprises a support platform.
9. The swimming training system of claim 8 wherein said at least one track further comprises a flange.
10. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said harness comprises a flotation material.
11. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said harness further comprises suspenders.
12. The swimming training system of claim 1 wherein said harness comprises an adjustment means wherein said adjustment means allows an instructor to adjust the length of the cable between the harness and the swimmer training system.
13. A swimming training system comprising:
- a support frame;
- a cable roller;
- a cable and
- a harness configured to secure around the waist of a swimmer,
- wherein said support frame comprises a plurality of pillars, at least one of said plurality of pillars being positioned on each terminal end of said cable roller and wherein a terminal portion of said cable is attached to said harness and wherein said opposing terminal end of said cable is coupled to said cable roller.
14. The swimming training system of claim 13 further comprising a support platform.
15. The swimming training system of claim 13 further comprising a cable resistance means wherein said resistance means is capable of increasing or decreasing the resistance of said cable being pulled from said cable roller.
16. The swimming training system of claim 13 further comprising a cable retraction means wherein said retraction means provides a mechanism to pull released cable back to said cable roller.
17. The swimming training system of claim 13 wherein said harness comprises a flotation material.
18. The swimming training system of claim 13 wherein said harness further comprises suspenders.
19. A swimming training system comprising:
- a base;
- a boom having a proximal end and a distal end;
- a cable roller;
- a cable and
- a harness configured to secure around the waist of a swimmer,
- wherein said proximal end of said boom is integrally related to said base and said distal end of said boom is mechanically related to said cable roller and wherein a terminal portion of said cable is attached to said harness and wherein said opposing terminal end of said cable is coupled to said cable roller.
20. The swimming training system of claim 19 further comprising a hinge wherein said hinge positioned adjacent said base and said proximal end of said boom.
21. The swimming training system of claim 19 further comprising a cable resistance means wherein said resistance means is capable of increasing or decreasing the resistance of said cable being pulled from said cable roller.
22. The method of training a swimmer comprising the steps of
- Securing a swimmer to the harness of the swimming training system of claim 1;
- Adjusting the cable to a distance substantially similar to the distance between said bracket assembly and said harness and
- Positioning a swimmer being trained in a pool to swim along a path substantially similar to the longitudinal axis of said track.
23. The method of training a swimmer comprising the steps of
- attaching the cable to the harness of the swimming training system of claim 13;
- securing a swimmer to said harness;
- positioning a swimmer being trained in a pool to swim along a path to increase the distance between said swimming training system and the swimmer.
24. The swimming training system of claim 23 further comprising the step of increasing the resistance of the cable being removed from said cable roller.
25. The method of training a swimmer comprising the steps of
- attaching the cable to the harness of the swimming training system of claim 19;
- securing a swimmer to said harness;
- positioning a swimmer being trained in a pool to swim along a path to increase the distance between said swimming training system and the swimmer.
26. The swimming training system of claim 25 further comprising the step of increasing the resistance of the cable being removed from said cable roller.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 8, 2013
Publication Date: Oct 15, 2015
Inventor: Tajaldeen Abdulla Alhaj Naji Saleh
Application Number: 14/441,332