Apparatus for teaching the feel of snowboarding

Abstract

A snowboard training apparatus for transferring the feel of toe side and heel side of a snowboard from an instructor to a snowboard learner is disclosed. The training apparatus includes a training rod having a first and second end. The first end and second end of the training rod can be adapted to be supported by a snowboarder's leg, snowboarder's boot, snowboard's bindings or a snowboard itself. The training apparatus can also include a second training rod.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a training rod having a first and second end;   a connection apparatus connected to the first end of the training rod, the connection apparatus adapted to be connected to a first user of a snowboard; and   a second connection apparatus connected to the second end of the training rod, the second connection apparatus adapted to be connected to a second user of a second snowboard.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the connection apparatus is a brace that is supported and attachable to a snowboarder's leg. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein the brace is supported and attachable above a snowboarder's boot and below a snowboarder's knee. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the connection apparatus is adapted to be supported by a snowboarder's boot. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the connection apparatus includes a first strap for attaching the connection apparatus to the snowboarder's boot. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5  wherein the connection apparatus further includes a second strap for further securing the connection apparatus to the snowboarder's boot. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 4  wherein the connection apparatus includes a base portion for transitioning from the ends of the training rod to the snowboard boot. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein the base portion is sized and shaped to fit a front part of the snowboard boot as the boot transitions from the top of a foot, to an ankle and to the front of a lower shin portion. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the training rod is extendable and retractable. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a second training rod having a first and second end; 
 a connection apparatus connected to the first end of the second training rod, the connection apparatus adapted to be connected to the first user of the snowboard; and 
 a second connection apparatus connected to the second end of the second training rod, the second connection apparatus adapted to be connected to the second user of a second snowboard 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein the connection apparatus is adapted to be attached to bindings of a snowboard. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus, the apparatus comprising:
 a training rod having a first and second end;   a first bracket connected to the first end of the training rod, the first bracket adapted to be connected to a first snowboard; and   a second bracket connected to the second end of the training rod, the second bracket adapted to be connected to a second snowboard.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first bracket bracket includes an extension element extending therefrom away from the first snowboard for connection to the first end of the training rod and the second bracket includes an extension element extending therefrom away from the second snowboard for connection to the second end of the training rod. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a second training rod having a first and second end; 
 a first bracket connected to the first end of the second training rod, the first bracket adapted to be connected to the first snowboard; and 
 a second bracket connected to the second end of the second training rod, the second bracket adapted to be connected to the second snowboard. 
 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 12  wherein the first and second brackets are adapted to be attached to the snowboards between the bindings and the snowboards. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 13  wherein the first and second brackets further include a second extension element to be attached to a second training rod. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16  wherein the extension element and second extension element are offset from each other along the length of the snowboard.