Sports training device

Abstract

The invention generally relates an athletic training device comprised of a support structure having a front side and a back side. Where the two sides are generally interchangeable. The invention is formed by removably fitting rigidity elements together through connectors or connecting means to form a support structure that is designed to be held by at least one user in a plurality of positions. The support structure made be made be comprised of removable elements or be of a unitary construction, and may contain at least one hollow element.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An athletic training device comprising; a support structure having a front side and a back side; said support structure being comprised of at least one horizontal member and at least two vertical members; and wherein said at least one horizontal member and said vertical members are assembled from a plurality of removably fitting rigidity elements. 
     
     
         2 . The athletic training device of  claim 1 ; wherein at least one element of said plurality of rigidity elements is substantially hollow. 
     
     
         3 . The athletic training device of  claim 2 ; further comprising a resealable outlet for filling said support structure with a filling material. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic training device of  claim 3 ; wherein said filling material is powdered substrate. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic training device of  claim 3 ; wherein said filling material is liquid; and wherein said rigidity elements are in a hermetic engagement with each other. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic training device of  claim 3 ; further comprising a drain outlet. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic training device of  claim 1 ; wherein said plurality of rigidity elements are replaceable by a plurality of rigidity elements of a differing weight or size. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic training device of  claim 3 ; wherein said rigidity elements may be assembled to form a plurality of configurations; and wherein said support structure can be changed by replacing at least one of the rigidity elements of one size with at least one rigidity element of another size. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic training device of  claim 1 ; further comprising a hand protector; said hand protector removably mated with said support structure. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic training device of  claim 3 ; further comprising a hand protector; said hand protector removably mated with said support structure. 
     
     
         11 . The athletic training device of  claim 3 ; wherein said plurality of rigidity elements are connected to each other with connection means comprising at least one of the following, resistance connection, snap-in joint, male-female combination, or a threaded connection. 
     
     
         12 . The athletic training device of  claim 1 ; wherein said support structure is convex with respect said first side or said second side and concave with respect to said second side or said first side respectively. 
     
     
         13 . An athletic training device comprising; a support structure having a front side and a back side; said support structure having at least one horizontal member connecting at an angle to at least two vertical members; and wherein said horizontal member and said vertical members are substantially in perpendicular orientation to each other; and wherein said at least one horizontal member or one of said at least two vertical members is substantially hollow. 
     
     
         14 . The athletic training device of  claim 13 , further comprising a resealable outlet, said resealable outlet disposed on said support structure for filling said at least one horizontal and said vertical members with filling material. 
     
     
         15 . The athletic training device of  claim 14 , wherein said filling material is a powder. 
     
     
         16 . The athletic training device of  claim 14 , wherein said filling material is a liquid substance. 
     
     
         17 . The athletic training device of  claim 13 , further comprising additional vertical members being movably coupled with said at least one horizontal member; and wherein said vertical members are capable of lateral adjustment along said at least one horizontal member. 
     
     
         18 . The athletic training device of  claim 13 , wherein said vertical members and said at least one horizontal member are removably mated to each other. 
     
     
         19 . The athletic training device of  claim 14 , wherein said vertical members and said at least one horizontal member is further comprised of a plurality of rigidity elements. 
     
     
         20 . The athletic training device of  claim 19 , wherein said rigidity elements are hermetically mated to each other. 
     
     
         21 . The athletic training device of  claim 20 , wherein said plurality of rigidity elements are capable of being assembled to form a support structure of various geometric or linear shapes; wherein said at least one of said rigidity elements may be replaced by at least one other rigidity element of different size or weight. 
     
     
         22 . A method of muscle training and rehabilitation comprising the steps of; providing a support structure having a front side and a back side; said support structure comprised of a plurality of removably fitting rigidity elements; wherein said rigidity elements form a lattice of at least two vertical elements held together at an angle by at least one horizontal element; wherein said rigidity elements having a plurality of holding areas; a user partially extending arms forward and away from torso; said user grasping said one holding area and said another holding area parallel to the first grasped with said partially extended arms; said user lowering said partially extended arms, while keeping hands substantially locked in place on said holding areas until said support structure comes to rest on the user's hips; while keeping arms partially extended and locked in place on said support structure raising said support structure to a level even with said user's chest; while keeping arms partially extended and locked in place on said support structure raising said support structure to a level even with said user's shoulders; while keeping arms partially extended and locked in place on said support structure raising said support structure to a level above said user's head; continuing to raise and lower said support structure the desired number of times; and adjusting the degree of difficulty by varying the weight of said support structure. 
     
     
         23 . The method of muscle training and rehabilitation of  claim 22 , further comprising the steps of: placing said user's legs substantially parallel to each other and keeping said legs firmly in place; keeping arms partially extended and locked in place on said support structure at a desired level in front of said user's torso; rotating said support structure from left to right and from right to left in substantially semicircular motions using a combination of muscles of the torso in front of said torso while keeping the position and level of the arms constant; rotating said support structure from left to right and from right to left in substantially semicircular motions using a combination of muscles of the leg in front of said torso while keeping the position and level of the arms constant; and adjusting the degree of difficulty by varying the weight of said support structure.