Golf swing muscle strengthener

Abstract

A golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus ( 90 ) for strengthening the muscles used in the downswing of the golf swing. The apparatus includes a swing plane adjustment element ( 50 ) secured at an adjustably elevated position above the ground by a frame element ( 20 ) and support arm element ( 40 ). The swing plane adjustment element ( 50 ) houses a swing arm assembly ( 70 ) adjustable to various swing plane positions. The swing arm assembly ( 70 ) is operatively coupled to a resistance means, and has a swing arm ( 63 ) shaped to circumvent the golfer's upper torso and head. The swing arm ( 63 ) exhibits pivotal rotation around a central axis of rotation and has a pad element ( 80 ) attached at its distal end for accepting the golfer's forearm. The golfer's forearm presses against the pad element ( 80 ) at the peak of the backswing, and rotates the swing arm assembly ( 70 ) during the downswing phase of the golf swing.

1 . A golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus for exercising the most active upper body golf swing muscles of an exercising golfer while providing unrestricted freedom of movement to said exercising golfer's wrists, hands, and golf club, said apparatus comprising: 
 (a) a swing arm assembly comprising a swing arm member and a shaft member for rotation by said exercising golfer;    (b) a support arm element;    (c) a swing plane adjustment element comprising a body being hinged to said support arm element for providing a plurality of swing plane angle positions of said swing arm assembly, an adjustment lever for adjusting the swing plane angle of said body and said swing arm assembly to accommodate said swing plane angle of said exercising golfer, and a shaft housing extending from said body for supporting rotation of said shaft member;    (d) said shaft member comprising a proximal shaft, mid-shaft and distal shaft, said proximal shaft protruding out of said shaft housing, said mid-shaft supported within said shaft housing for rotation about a central axis of rotation, said distal shaft extending from said shaft housing and aligned to said swing arm member;    (e) said swing arm member comprising a proximal swing arm segment shaped to circumvent said exercising golfer's upper torso and head, and a distal swing arm segment attached to said proximal swing arm segment for aligning parallel to a leading forearm of said exercising golfer;    (g) a pad element comprising an extension bar attached to said distal swing arm segment of said swing arm assembly, and a pad member mounted on said extension bar for accepting said leading forearm of said exercising golfer.    (h) a resistance means operatively coupled to said swing arm assembly for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of said swing arm assembly during said downswing by said exercising golfer.    (l) a frame element.    
   
   
       2 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad member being rotatable on said extension bar and along said leading arm of said exercising golfer for accommodating any swing path deviations of said exercising golfer from a perfectly circular swing path of said pad element.  
   
   
       3 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad member being slidable on said extension bar for accommodating a ninety degree rotation of said leading arm of said exercising golfer during said downswing.  
   
   
       4 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad member having a cylindrical shape.  
   
   
       5 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad member having a truncated cone shape.  
   
   
       6 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad member having a rectangular shape.  
   
   
       7 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad member having an outer, concave contour for maintaining said exercising golfer's leading forearm position.  
   
   
       8 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein: 
 (a) said swing arm member being rigidly attached to said shaft member;    (b) said shaft member further comprising a non-circular shaft extension rigidly attached to said proximal shaft;    (c) said swing plane adjustment element further comprising a stabilization rod rigidly attached to said body and aligned parallel to said non-circular shaft extension;    (d) said resistance means being a torsion disc operatively coupled to said non-circular shaft extension and said stabilization rod for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of said shaft member and said swing arm member.    
   
   
       9 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said torsion disc further comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of peripheral holes aligned to fit into said stabilization rod for stabilizing said torsion disc against rotation.    (b) a central non-circular aperture that fits said non-circular shaft extension for holding said shaft member and said swing arm assembly in a selected starting position, and for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of said shaft member and said swing arm assembly by said exercising golfer;    
   
   
       10 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said swing arm assembly further comprising: 
 (a) a wheel member comprising a proximal side and a distal side;    (b) said proximal side connecting to said distal shaft member;    (c) said distal side connecting to said swing arm member.    
   
   
       11 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 (a) said shaft member being rigidly, centrally and nonrotatably attached to said proximal side of said wheel member;    (b) said swing arm member being rigidly, centrally and nonrotatably attached to said distal side of said wheel member;    (c) said wheel member having a plurality of evenly spaced pairs of circumferential apertures;    (d) said resistance means operatively coupled to said pair of circumferential apertures of said wheel member.    
   
   
       12 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 11 , wherein said resistance means further comprising: 
 (a) a U-bolt rigidly attached to an anterior surface of said body of said swing plane adjustment element;    (b) An elastic band originating from said U-bolt and being attached to the selected pair of said circumferential apertures on said wheel member for holding said swing arm in a selected starting position and for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of said swing arm assembly by said exercising golfer.    
   
   
       13 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 (a) said wheel member further comprising a central opening and a plurality of mid-radius apertures;    (b) said proximal swing arm segment having a selector pin for inserting into one of the said mid-radius apertures on said wheel member for placing said swing arm member into a selected starting position;    (c) said distal shaft member passing through said central opening of said wheel member and being rigidly connected to said proximal swing arm segment so that said wheel member being rotatable from said shaft member and said swing arm member;    (d) said resistance means operatively coupled to said wheel member.    
   
   
       14 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein said resistance means further comprising: 
 (a) a plurality of weight plates;    (b) a plurality of pulley units;    (c) a cable originating from said weight plates, guided by said pulley units, and attached onto said wheel member for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of said swing arm assembly by said exercising golfer.    
   
   
       15 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 10 , wherein: 
 (a) said wheel member further comprising a socket extending from said distal side and a plurality of mid-radius apertures;    (b) said swing arm member further comprising a truncated shaft and a selector pin on said proximal swing arm segment;    (c) said truncated shaft being housed within said socket of said wheel member for rotatably connecting said swing arm member to said wheel member;    (d) said selector pin aligned for inserting into one of said mid-radius apertures for locking said swing arm into a selected backswing starting position;    (e) said shaft member being rigidly, centrally, and nonrotatably attached to said proximal side of said wheel member;    (f) said resistance means being a hydraulic or pneumatic resistance generating unit.    
   
   
       16 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 15 , wherein said hydraulic or pneumatic resistance generating unit further comprising: 
 (a) a body rigidly connected to said swing plane adjustment element;    (b) an input operatively coupled to said proximal shaft for providing a resistance force to resist rotation of said shaft member and said swing arm assembly by said exercising golfer.    
   
   
       17 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said swing arm member having an approximate S-shape for circumventing said exercising golfer's upper torso and head.  
   
   
       18 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said swing arm member having an approximate L-shape for circumventing said exercising golfer's upper torso and head.  
   
   
       19 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said swing arm member having an approximate J-shape for circumventing said exercising golfer's upper torso and head.  
   
   
       20 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said proximal swing arm segment having a slider and knob screw for slidably adjusting and tightening said distal swing arm segment to accommodate for various golfer arm lengths;  
   
   
       21 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said swing plane adjustment element having a fixation means.  
   
   
       22 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said swing plane adjustment element fixation means comprising: 
 (a) a semi-circular member rigidly attached to said swing plane adjustment element;    (b) a plurality of apertures within said semi-circular member;    (c) a swing plane pin rigidly attached to said support arm member for inserting into one of said plurality of apertures for fixating said swing plane adjustment element to said support arm element in a selected swing plane angular position;    
   
   
       23 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said swing plane adjustment element fixation means comprising: 
 (a) a square tube slider hinged to said swing plane adjustment element;    (b) a short apertured square tubing hinged to said support arm member and slidable within said square tube slider;    (c) a plurality of apertures within said short apertured square tubing;    (d) a swing plane pin rigidly attached to said square tube slider for inserting into one of said plurality of apertures for fixating said square tube slider to said short apertured square tubing and for fixating said swing plane adjustment element to said support arm member in a selected swing plane angular position.    
   
   
       24 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein said swing plane adjustment element fixation means comprising a screw jack originating from said adjustment lever and inserting on said support arm element for changing and fixating said swing plane adjustment element in a selected angular position.  
   
   
       25 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said support arm element comprising: 
 (a) a support arm member;    (b) a hinge for providing elevational and lowering motion of said support arm member;    (c) a fixation means for fixating said support arm member in a selected height position for accommodating various golfer heights.    
   
   
       26 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said support arm fixation means comprising: 
 (a) an arcuate member;    (b) a plurality of apertures on said arcuate member;    (c) a height selector pin on said frame for inserting into said arcuate member aperture for fixating said support arm member in said selected height position;    
   
   
       27 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said support arm fixation means comprising: 
 (a) a square tube attached to said frame element;    (b) a long apertured square tubing slidable within said square tube and attached to said support arm member;    (c) a plurality, of apertures on said long apertured square tubing;    (d) a height selector pin on said square tube for inserting into said aperture of said long apertured square tubing for fixating said support arm in said selected height position.    
   
   
       28 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein said support arm fixation means comprising a screw jack inserting on said support arm member and originating on said frame element for changing and fixating said support arm member in said selected height position.  
   
   
       29 . The golf swing muscle strengthener apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein said pad element having a multi-plane element comprising: 
 (a) a base attached to said swing arm member;    (b) a hinge platform hingedly attached to said base and rigidly attached to said pad element;    (c) a fully threaded-bolt hingedly attached to said base and said hinge platform;    (d) a knob for rotating said bolt creating various angular positions of said hinge platform and said pad element for accommodating the increasing vertical planar changes of said golfer's leading arm during said downswing.