Baseball hitting aid

Abstract

A hitting aid includes a waist belt that encircles a user's waist; the waist belt is attached using hook and loop fasteners, a buckle, or other. An ankle strap encircles the user's ankle; the ankle strap is attached in a similar manner. A stirrup is attached to the ankle strap and is arranged so that the user may insert his or her foot into the stirrup. An elastic connecting strap extends from the ankle strap to the waist strap, and is adjustable so that the distance between the waist strap and the ankle strap may be lengthened or shortened. When worn by a user, the hitting aid discourages the leg onto which the hitting aid is attached from being fully extended.

1 . A hitting aid comprising: 
 a waist belt arranged to encircle a user's waist, a first end of said waist belt being attached to said waist belt so that said waist belt fits snugly on said user's waist;    a stirrup into which said user may insert a foot; and    a connecting strap that extends from said stirrup to said waist strap, a first end of said connecting strap being attached to said stirrup and a second end of said connecting strap being attached to said waist strap, whereby when worn by said user, said hitting aid discourages the leg onto which said hitting aid is attached from being fully extended.    
   
   
       2 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said connecting strap includes a first portion attached to said waist strap and a second portion attached to said stirrup, said first and second portions being attachable to one another and one of said portions being adjustable in length.  
   
   
       3 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said stirrup is formed of a strap through which a user may insert said foot.  
   
   
       4 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said stirrup is formed of a pocket into which a user may insert said foot.  
   
   
       5 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein a lower portion of said connecting strap is attached to a portion of said stirrup located on the back of said user's ankle, and wherein an upper portion of said strap is attached to a portion of said waist belt located on the same side of said user's waist as said ankle.  
   
   
       6 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 1  wherein said connecting strap is made from an elastic material and wherein the length of said connecting strap is shorter than the vertical distance between said user's waist and said user's ankle, such that when said hitting aid is worn by said user said user is discouraged from fully extending a leg..  
   
   
       7 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 1  further comprising: 
 an ankle strap arranged to encircle said user's ankle, a first end of said ankle strap being attached to said ankle strap so that said ankle strap fits snugly on said user's ankle, wherein said stirrup is attached to said ankle strap.    
   
   
       8 . A hitting aid comprising: 
 waist means for performing the function of snugly encircling a user's waist;    ankle means for performing the function of snugly encircling a user's ankle;    holding means for performing the function of encircling a user's foot, said holding means being attached to said ankle means; and    attaching means for performing the function of attaching said waist means to said ankle means.    
   
   
       9 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 8  wherein said attaching means includes a first portion attached to said waist means and a second portion attached to said ankle means, said first and second portions being attachable to one another and one of said portions being adjustable in length.  
   
   
       10 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 8  further comprising: 
 a strap attached to said waist means;    an adjustment buckle attached to both said attaching means and said strap such that the distance between said waist means and said ankle means is adjustable by movement of said adjustment buckle.    
   
   
       11 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 8  wherein a lower portion of said attaching means is attached to a portion of said ankle means located on the back of said user's ankle, and wherein an upper portion of said attaching means is attached to a portion of said waist means located on the same side of said user's waist as said ankle.  
   
   
       12 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 8  wherein said attachment means is made from an elastic material and wherein the length of said attachment means is shorter than the vertical distance between said user's waist and said user's ankle, such that when said hitting aid is worn by said user said user is discouraged from fully extending a leg.  
   
   
       13 . A hitting aid comprising: 
 a waist belt arranged to encircle a user's waist, a first end of said waist belt being attachable to a second end of said waist belt so that said waist belt fits snugly on said user's waist;    an ankle strap arranged to encircle said user's ankle, a first end of said ankle strap being attachable to a second end of said ankle strap so that said ankle strap fits snugly on said user's ankle;    a stirrup attached to said ankle strap into which said user may insert the foot corresponding to said ankle; and    a connecting strap that extends from said ankle strap to said waist strap, a first end of said strap being attached to said ankle strap and a second end of said strap being attached to said waist strap, whereby when worn by said user, said hitting aid discourages the leg onto which said hitting aid is attached from being fully extended.    
   
   
       14 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 13  wherein said connecting strap includes a first portion attached to said waist strap and a second portion attached to said ankle strap, said first and second portions being attachable to one another and one of said portions being adjustable in length.  
   
   
       15 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 13  further comprising: 
 a second strap attached to said waist strap;    an adjustment buckle attached to both said connecting strap and said second strap such that the distance between said waist strap and said ankle strap is adjustable by movement of said adjustment buckle.    
   
   
       16 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 13  wherein said stirrup is formed of a strap through which a user may insert said foot.  
   
   
       17 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 13  wherein said stirrup is formed of a pocket into which a user may insert said foot.  
   
   
       18 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 13  wherein a lower portion of said connecting strap is attached to a portion of said ankle strap located on the back of said user's ankle, and wherein an upper portion of said connecting strap is attached to a portion of said waist belt located on the same side of said user's waist as said ankle.  
   
   
       19 . A hitting aid as recited in  claim 13  wherein said connecting strap is made from an elastic material and wherein the length of said connecting strap is shorter than the vertical distance between said user's waist and said user's ankle, such that when said hitting aid is worn by said user said user is discouraged from fully extending a leg.