Golf-training balance board

Abstract

In one embodiment, a method for a user to practice a golf swing. The method includes: (a) standing on a balance board; and (b) performing at least a portion of the golf swing while standing on the balance board. If the user performs the portion of the golf swing while maintaining the user's front-to-rear weight distribution within a threshold range, then the balance board maintains a balanced orientation. If the user performs the portion of the golf swing without maintaining the user's front-to-rear weight distribution within the threshold range, then the balance board tilts either forward or rearward to indicate to the user that the user's front-to-rear weight distribution is outside the threshold range. Other embodiments include balance boards for golf training.

1 . A balance board comprising:
 a body generally having length, width, and thickness dimensions, wherein:
 the thickness is substantially smaller than each of the length and the width; 
 the body has top and bottom surfaces at opposite ends of the thickness of the body; 
 the top surface has left and right portions at opposing sides of the length of the body; and 
 the top surface has front and rear portions at opposing sides of the width of the body; and 
   one or more rockers extending from the bottom surface of the body, wherein:
 the body is supported in a balanced orientation if (a) the balance board is positioned with the one or more rockers in contact with a substantially horizontal ground surface and (b) force is applied (1) equally or unequally to the front and rear portions of the body up to a force-differential threshold value and (2) equally or unequally to the left and right portions of the body; and 
 the body is not supported in the balanced orientation if (a) the balance board is placed with at least one of the one or more rockers in contact with the substantially horizontal ground surface and (b) force is applied (1) unequally to the front and rear portions of the body greater than the force-differential threshold value and (2) equally or unequally to the left and right portions of the body. 
   
   
   
       2 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the body is supported in the balanced orientation if (a) the balance board is positioned with the one or more rockers in contact with the substantially horizontal ground surface and (b) force is applied (1) equally or unequally to the front and rear portions of the body up to the force-differential threshold value and (2) unequally to the left and right portions of the body with any force differential. 
   
   
       3 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein, if the balance board is placed with the one or more rockers in contact with the substantially horizontal ground surface in the balanced orientation, the one or more rockers contact the ground surface at least two different locations along the width of the body. 
   
   
       4 . The invention of  claim 3 , wherein:
 the at least two different locations of contact along the width of the body define a foremost location and a rearmost location along the width of the body; and   the width of the body extends forward beyond the foremost location and rearward beyond the rearmost location.   
   
   
       5 . The invention of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more rockers comprise:
 a first rocker that, in the balanced orientation, contacts the ground surface at the foremost location; and   a second rocker that, in the balanced orientation, contacts the ground surface at the rearmost location.   
   
   
       6 . The invention of  claim 5 , wherein at least one of the first and second rockers has a curvilinear form having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the length of the body. 
   
   
       7 . The invention of  claim 4 , wherein the one or more rockers comprise a single rocker that, in the balanced orientation, simultaneously contacts the ground surface at both the foremost location and the rearmost location. 
   
   
       8 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rockers comprise first and second rockers that, in the balanced orientation, contact the ground surface at different locations along the width of the body. 
   
   
       9 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second rockers has a truncated cylindrical form having a longitudinal axis substantially parallel to the length of the body. 
   
   
       10 . The invention of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the first and second rockers comprises two or more aligned discontinuous segments, each segment contacting the ground surface, in the balanced orientation, at substantially the same location along the width of the body. 
   
   
       11 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rockers comprise a single rocker that, in the balanced orientation, contacts the ground surface at different locations along the width of the body. 
   
   
       12 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the top surface has one or more sets of grooves;   the body has an aperture defining a carrying handle; and   the bottom surface has one or more recesses.   
   
   
       13 . The invention of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more rockers define a rectilinear region of contact with the ground surface, the rectilinear region having a width substantially parallel to the width of the body and smaller than the foot length of an average human adult. 
   
   
       14 . The invention of  claim 13 , wherein the rectilinear region has a length substantially parallel to and substantially equal to the length of the body. 
   
   
       15 . A method for practicing a golf swing by a user, the method comprising:
 (a) standing on a balance board; and   (b) performing at least a portion of the golf swing while standing on the balance board, wherein:
 if the user performs the portion of the golf swing while maintaining the user's front-to-rear weight distribution within a threshold range, then the balance board maintains a balanced orientation; and 
 if the user performs the portion of the golf swing without maintaining the user's front-to-rear weight distribution within the threshold range, then the balance board tilts either forward or rearward to indicate to the user that the user's front-to-rear weight distribution is outside the threshold range. 
   
   
   
       16 . The invention of  claim 15 , wherein the balance board maintains the balanced orientation independent of the user's left-to-right weight distribution. 
   
   
       17 . A method for teaching a golf swing to a user, the method comprising:
 (a) having the user stand on a balance board; and   (b) having the user perform at least a portion of the golf swing while standing on the balance board, wherein:
 if the user performs the portion of the golf swing while maintaining the user's front-to-rear weight distribution within a threshold range, then the balance board maintains a balanced orientation; and 
 if the user performs the portion of the golf swing without maintaining the user's front-to-rear weight distribution within the threshold range, then the balance board tilts either forward or rearward to indicate to the user that the user's front-to-rear weight distribution is outside the threshold range. 
   
   
   
       18 . The invention of  claim 17 , wherein the balance board maintains the balanced orientation independent of the user's left-to-right weight distribution.