Sports practice video training system and method

Abstract

A sports practice video training system and method for use by players practicing activities that have a visual target area upon which the practicing player focuses during his practice activity provides one or more video cameras positioned at selected positions relative to a practicing player and a monitor screen positioned immediately adjacent the visual target area upon which the practicing player focuses during practice, the video image transmitted to the monitor being selectively inverted horizontally to provide a mirror image, real-time view of the practicing player during his practice activity.

1 . A sports practice video training system for use with persons practicing target-type sports activities having a stationary visual target area upon which the practicing person visually focuses during his execution of the practice activity, the video training system comprising: 
 a) a video monitor screen positioned adjacent the visual target area of a practicing person and arranged for viewing by the practicing person while executing the practice activity,    b) at least one video camera positioned to produce video images of the practicing person executing a practice activity, and    c) control means for interconnecting said at least one video camera and the video monitor screen for selectively transmitting video images from the video camera to the monitor screen for real-time viewing by the practicing person as he executes the practice activity.    
   
   
       2 . The video training system of  claim 1  including means for selectively inverting video images transmitted to said monitor screen for producing a substantially mirror-image view of images produced by said at least one video camera on said monitor screen.  
   
   
       3 . The video training system of  claim 1  including a plurality of video cameras positioned at various, different positions selected to produce video images of the practicing person from different, selected positions angularly relative thereto, and said control means includes selector switch means for selecting the video camera image transmitted to said monitor screen.  
   
   
       4 . The video training system of  claim 1  including video recorder means for recording video images transmitted to said monitor screen for subsequent playback and review after a practice activity has been completed.  
   
   
       5 . The video training system of  claim 1  including a second monitor screen positioned for separate viewing of transmitted video images by an instructor concurrently with the practicing person's viewing of the monitor screen positioned adjacent the visual target area during practice activity.  
   
   
       6 . A golf club swing video training system, comprising: 
 a) a base configured for supporting a practicing player and a golf ball to be hit,    b) a video monitor mounted on said base adjacent a position a golf ball to be hit is supported on the base, for viewing of the monitor by a practicing player on the base during club swing practice activity,    c) at least one video camera mounted relative to the base for producing video images of a practicing player during a golf club swing by the player and    d) control means for interconnecting said at least one video camera and monitor for selectively transmitting video images from the camera to the monitor.    
   
   
       7 . The golf club swing video training system of  claim 6  including tee means on the base for supporting a golf ball for striking by a practicing player.  
   
   
       8 . The golf ball swing video training system of  claim 6  wherein the video monitor is positioned within the confines of the base for viewing by a practicing player.  
   
   
       9 . The golf club swing video training system of  claim 6  wherein the base accommodates both right-handed and left-handed practicing players, one at a time, for driving golf balls in the same direction from the base.  
   
   
       10 . The golf club swing video training system of  claim 6  including video scan inverter means for inverting video camera images displayed on the video monitor for viewing on the video monitor during club swing practice.  
   
   
       11 . The golf club swing video training system of  claim 6  including a plurality of video cameras positioned for viewing a practicing player during a golf club swing, and also including selector switch means for connecting the video cameras one at a time to the video monitor for producing selected video images of a practicing player during a golf club swing.  
   
   
       12 . The golf club swing video training system of  claim 6  wherein 
 a) the video monitor is positioned within the confines of the base for viewing by a practicing player,    b) tee means is positioned on the base for supporting a golf ball for striking by a golf club held by a practicing player,    c) the base is arranged to accommodate both right-handed and left-handed practicing players, one at a time, for driving golf balls in the same direction from the base,    d) a plurality of video cameras are positioned for producing images of a practicing player from different angles during a golf club swing,    e) selector switch means is provided for connecting the video cameras one at a time to the video monitor for producing selected video images of a practicing player during a golf club swing, and    f) video scan inverter means interconnects said video cameras and monitor for inverting video camera images for viewing on the video monitor.    
   
   
       13 . A method of monitoring the sequence of movements of a practicing player, comprising providing video images of the player to a video monitor screen positioned for viewing by the player during execution of practice activity.  
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13  wherein providing video images includes inverting the video images for viewing.  
   
   
       15 . A sports practice video training method comprising positioning at least one video camera in selected positions relative to a practicing person to produce video images of the practicing person during a practice activity, and positioning a video monitor screen adjacent the visual target area of the practicing person's visual focus during practice activity, and selectively transmitting images from the at least one video camera to the monitor screen for real-time viewing of the transmitted images by the practicing person during his execution of a practice activity.  
   
   
       16 . The video training method of  claim 15  including inverting the video image transmitted to the monitor screen for viewing by the practicing person during execution of the practice activity.