Training and strengthening device for throwing sports

Abstract

A training and strengthening device for throwing sports that uses aerodynamic drag to create a velocity-dependent resistance force on an athlete's throwing or swinging hand substantially throughout the entire training motion. The resistance force produced on the device from aerodynamic drag can be used as a sensitive indicator of throwing or swinging efficacy. The device, which is portable, is wholly hand-held, untethered to any grounding surface, requires no one other than the athlete to use, and allows a fast-paced repetitive workout. An embodiment of the invention is designed to be close in weight to a regulation baseball and allows a throwing motion very similar to pitching a baseball. An embodiment of the element for producing aerodynamic resistive drag is comprised of a lightweight foam structure attached to a poly baseball via a flexible strap. The foam structure is preferably formed by four equally spaced foam fins emanating out from a central axis, wide at one end and tapering to a conical point at the other end. A foam circular plate is attached to the wide end of the fins creating four elongated corner cube pockets designed to trap air while the device is in motion to produce a large drag coefficient for the given volume of the device.

1 . A training and strengthening device for throwing sports comprising: 
 means for mechanically associating said device with a human hand so that said device moves in conjunction with the motion of the hand; and    means for generating aerodynamic drag in response to the motion of the hand as the hand moves along a path of travel representative of the throwing sport.    
   
   
       2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said aerodynamic drag is substantially opposite in direction to the hand's motion over at least a portion of its path of travel.  
   
   
       3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said means for mechanically associating it with a human hand comprises: 
 a gripping element structured to facilitate gripping by a human hand in substantially the same manner as an actual ball used in the intended sport to be practiced would be gripped; and    means for tethering said means for generating aerodynamic drag to said gripping element.    
   
   
       4 . The device of  claim 3  wherein said gripping element is substantially the same shape and size as that of a baseball and comprises a spherical lightweight shell with a hollow interior and openings formed in the surface of said throwing element; and wherein said means for tethering comprises a strap threaded through selected ones of said openings.  
   
   
       5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein said lightweight spherical shell comprises plastic.  
   
   
       6 . The device of  claim 4  wherein said strap passes into said gripping element at a first of said openings, said strap passes out of said gripping element at a second of said openings, said strap passes into a third of said openings and forms a loop that may be used to substantially secure one or more fingers of a human hand to said gripping element.  
   
   
       7 . The device of  claim 3  wherein said gripping element is substantially the same shape, size, and weight as that of a regulation baseball.  
   
   
       8 . The device of  claim 7  wherein the gripping element comprises a polyurethane foam core and wherein said means for tethering comprises a nylon rope with one end cemented to said polyurethane core.  
   
   
       9 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said means for generating aerodynamic drag comprises: 
 three or more adjoined fins of equal size emanating radially outward from the center of and parallel to a central lengthwise axis of said means for generating aerodynamic drag, said fins tapered and substantially narrowed to form a conical end; and    a flat circular disc adjoining said fins, said disc being orthogonal to and centered about the end of said central lengthwise axis, the end of said central lengthwise axis being opposite to said means for mechanically associating said device with a human hand, wherein the radius of said circular disc is substantially equal to the maximum distance that said fins emanate radially from said central lengthwise axis.    
   
   
       10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said three or more adjoined fins comprise three to five of said adjoined fins.  
   
   
       11 . The device of  claim 10  wherein said three to five adjoined fins comprise 4 of said adjoined fins.  
   
   
       12 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said means for generating aerodynamic drag comprises a structurally firm lightweight material.  
   
   
       13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said structurally firm lightweight material comprises closed-cell polyethylene foam.  
   
   
       14 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said means for generating aerodynamic drag comprises: 
 lightweight flexible fabric having sleeves formed along the outside edges of said flexible fabric;    solid flexible lightweight rods inserted into each of said sleeves so that said means for generating aerodynamic drag substantially retains its original shape while moving in conjunction with the hand; and,    caps over the ends of each of said rods so that said rods do not slide out of said sleeves.    
   
   
       15 . The device of  claim 10  wherein said lightweight flexible fabric comprises woven nylon.  
   
   
       16 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said means for generating aerodynamic drag comprises: 
 a hollow substantially domed thin shell having a plurality of openings, wherein the peak of said domed shell is attached to said means for mechanically associating said device with a human hand; and    a flat circular disc adjoined to and covering the end of said domed shell opposite said peak, wherein the diameter of said circular disc is substantially equal to the widest diameter of said domed shell.    
   
   
       17 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said means for generating aerodynamic drag comprises a flexible lightweight mesh bag, said bag holding a plurality of lightweight pellets.  
   
   
       18 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said means for generating substantial aerodynamic drag comprises a rigid lightweight mesh sphere whose surface includes an array of one way valves.  
   
   
       19 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said device weighs approximately 5.3 ounces.