Basketball shooting training aid

Abstract

A training aid that attaches to a person's forearm to help correctly position the persons shooting arm when shooting a basketball. The training aid includes a block structure that can be removably secured to the person's forearm on their shooting arm adjacent to the crease of the person's elbow. The block structure is worn on the person's arm while shooting and is configured such that when the person brings their elbow up to shoot the basketball, the block structure contacts the person's bicep to prevent the forearm from going less than 90 degrees with the upper arm.

1 . A basketball shooting training aid, comprising:
 a rectangular block having first and second opposite side surfaces each having a side surface area, a top surface interconnecting the first and second side surfaces and having a top surface area, a bottom surface opposite and parallel to the top surface and interconnecting the first and second side surfaces and having a bottom surface area, a first end surface interconnecting the first and second side surfaces and the top and bottom surfaces and having a first end surface area, and a second end surface opposite and parallel to the first end surface and interconnecting the first and second side surfaces and the top and bottom surfaces and having a second end surface area;   each of the side surface areas is larger than the top surface area, the bottom surface area, the first end surface area and the second end surface area;   the bottom surface is configured for engagement with a forearm of a person when the basketball shooting training aid is in use; and   a securement strap attached to the rectangular block, the securement strap is formed or is formable generally into a circle having a central axis that is substantially parallel to the bottom surface, and the securement strap is configured for securing the rectangular block to the forearm of the person.   
     
     
         2 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 1 , further comprising a slot extending through the block from the first side surface to the second side surface, the slot is positioned closer to the bottom surface than it is to the top surface; and the securement strap extends through the slot. 
     
     
         3 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 2 , wherein the slot is positioned substantially midway between the first end surface and the second end surface. 
     
     
         4 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the securement strap is adjustable to permit adjustment of the size of the circle formed by or formable by the securement strap. 
     
     
         5 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 1 , further comprising an aiming indicator mark on the top surface, the aiming indicator mark extends at least a portion of a length of the top surface substantially parallel to the central axis. 
     
     
         6 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the rectangular block is square. 
     
     
         7 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 1 , wherein the rectangular block is made of ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 
     
     
         8 . A basketball shooting training aid that is mountable onto a forearm of a person when the basketball shooting training aid is in use to hold the person's elbow in correct position when shooting a basketball, the basketball shooting training aid comprising:
 a block of foam material having:
 first and second opposite, substantially planar side surfaces each having a side surface area equal to one another, and the first and second substantially planar side surfaces are substantially parallel to each other; 
 a substantially planar top surface interconnecting the first and second substantially planar side surfaces and having a top surface area; 
 a substantially planar bottom surface opposite and substantially parallel to the substantially planar top surface and interconnecting the first and second substantially planar side surfaces and having a bottom surface area; 
 a first substantially planar end surface interconnecting the first and second substantially planar side surfaces and the substantially planar top and bottom surfaces and having a first end surface area; and 
 a second substantially planar end surface opposite and substantially parallel to the first substantially planar end surface and interconnecting the first and second substantially planar side surfaces and the substantially planar top and bottom surfaces and having a second end surface area; 
   each of the side surface areas is larger than the top surface area, the bottom surface area, the first end surface area and the second end surface area;   the top surface area, the bottom surface area, the first end surface area and the second end surface area are substantially equal to one another;   the substantially planar bottom surface is configured for engagement with the forearm of the person when the basketball shooting training aid is in use;   a slot extending through the block from the first substantially planar side surface to the second substantially planar side surface, the slot is positioned closer to the substantially planar bottom surface than it is to the substantially planar top surface; and   a securement strap extending through the slot, the securement strap is formed or is formable generally into a circle having a central axis that is substantially parallel to the substantially planar bottom surface, and the securement strap is configured for securing the block to the forearm of the person.   
     
     
         9 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 8 , wherein the slot is positioned substantially midway between the first substantially planar end surface and the second substantially planar end surface. 
     
     
         10 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 8 , wherein the securement strap is adjustable to permit adjustment of the size of the circle formed by or formable by the securement strap. 
     
     
         11 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 8 , further comprising an aiming indicator mark on the substantially planar top surface, the aiming indicator mark extends at least a portion of a length of the substantially planar top surface substantially parallel to the central axis. 
     
     
         12 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 8 , wherein the block is square in shape. 
     
     
         13 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 8 , wherein the foam material comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam. 
     
     
         14 . A basketball shooting training aid, comprising:
 a block formed from a resilient material, the block includes:
 first and second opposite, substantially planar side surfaces each having a side surface area equal to one another; 
 a plurality of perimeter edge surfaces that interconnect the first and second side surfaces, each of the perimeter edge surfaces has a surface area; 
 one of the perimeter edge surfaces is a forearm engagement surface that is configured for engagement with a forearm of a person when the basketball shooting training aid is in use; 
   each of the side surface areas is larger than the surface areas of the perimeter edge surfaces;   a slot extending through the block from the first substantially planar side surface to the second substantially planar side surface; and   a securement strap extending through the slot, the securement strap is formed or is formable generally into a circle having a central axis that is substantially parallel to the forearm engagement surface, and the securement strap is configured for securing the block to the forearm of the person.   
     
     
         15 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 14 , wherein the securement strap is adjustable to permit adjustment of the size of the circle formed by or formable by the securement strap. 
     
     
         16 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 14 , further comprising an aiming indicator mark on at least one of the perimeter edge surfaces and extending at least a portion of a length thereof in a direction that is substantially parallel to the central axis. 
     
     
         17 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 14 , wherein the block is square in shape. 
     
     
         18 . The basketball shooting training aid according to  claim 14 , wherein the resilient material comprises ethylene vinyl acetate foam.