Training bat and method

Abstract

A training bat with a user end on one side and a hitting end on an opposite side. The user end has a first grip, a second grip, and a generally u-shaped segment interconnecting the first grip and the second grip. The generally u-shaped segment extends away from an axis extending through the first grip, the second grip and the hitting end, whereby the batter positions a portion of the bat behind their back with a first grip on one side of their body and the second grip on the opposite side of their body to practice their hitting and swinging techniques.

1 . A training baseball or softball bat for use by a batter for hitting a ball, comprising:
 a rigid elongate bat comprising a rigid continuous metallic tubular;   a user end of said rigid elongate bat comprising
 a first grip on said rigid continuous metallic tubular; 
 a second grip spaced apart from said first grip along said rigid continuous metallic tubular; 
 a U-shaped segment on said rigid continuous metallic tubular sized to receive a batter's torso, said first grip and said second grip being on opposite sides of said U-shaped segment so that said second grip is positioned for gripping on an opposite side of said batter's torso from said first grip; and 
   a metallic tubular hitting end on said rigid elongate bat opposite from said user end on said rigid continuous metallic tubular, said metallic tubular hitting end comprising a tubular ball engagement surface to engage said ball, said rigid continuous metallic tubular at said tubular ball engagement surface comprising a lamer diameter than said rigid continuous metallic tubular at said user end, said metallic tubular hitting end being entirely tubular.   
     
     
         2 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 1 , further comprising said first grip and said second grip each comprising a metallic tubular, a length of a batter body receptacle comprising at least twenty percent of a total length of said training bat. 
     
     
         3 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 2 , wherein an axis of said metallic tubular hitting end extends through said first grip and said second grip, said U-shaped segment extending laterally away from said axis. 
     
     
         4 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 3 , wherein said U-shaped segment extends around at least thirty percent of said batter's torso. 
     
     
         5 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 3 , wherein said U-shaped segment comprises a back plate, a first side, and a second side. 
     
     
         6 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 4 , wherein said U-shaped segment comprises a first interior angle and a second interior angle, said first interior angle and said second interior angle being rounded. 
     
     
         7 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 6 , wherein said first interior angle and said second interior angle comprising a total of one hundred eighty degrees. 
     
     
         8 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 7 , wherein said U-shaped segment is tubular with a centerline that extends away from said axis, said rigid elongate bat being tubular along an entire length thereof. 
     
     
         9 . A training baseball or softball bat for use by a batter for hitting a ball, comprising:
 an elongate bat comprising a rigid metallic tubular;   a first grip on said rigid metallic tubular;   a second grip spaced apart along said rigid metallic tubular;   a batting end on a side of said elongate bat opposite said first grip, said batting end comprising a metallic tubular comprising a tubular ball engagement surface on said metallic tubular to engage said ball, said metallic tubular at said batting end comprising a larger diameter than said metallic tubular at a user end, said batting end being tubular along an entire length of said batting end; and   a batter body receptacle positioned between said first grip and said second grip, said batter body receptacle being generally U-shaped to receive a batter's torso.   
     
     
         10 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 9 , wherein said first grip and said second grip each comprise a metallic tubular. 
     
     
         11 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 10 , further comprising a straight axis extending through said first grip, said second grip and said batting end, said batter body receptacle comprising at least a portion that extends away from said straight axis. 
     
     
         12 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 11 , wherein said batter body receptacle comprises a back plate, a first side, and a second side, said batter body receptacle comprises a first interior angle and a second interior angle, said first interior angle and said second interior angle being rounded, wherein said first interior angle and said second interior angle comprising a total of one hundred eighty degrees. 
     
     
         13 . The training baseball or softball bat of  claim 9 , further comprising said elongate bat comprising a continuous metallic tubular. 
     
     
         14 . A method for making a batter training baseball or softball bat for hitting a ball, said method comprising:
 providing an elongate bat comprising a rigid metallic tubular;   providing that said elongate bat comprises a user end and a hitting end on opposite sides of said rigid metallic tubular;   providing a first portion on one side of said user end and a second portion offset from said first portion along said elongate bat along said rigid metallic tubular;   providing a U-shaped section between said first portion and said second portion comprising a rigid metallic tubular;   providing that said U-shaped section is sized to extend around a portion of a circumference a batter's torso; and   providing that said hitting end is on an opposite side of said elongate bat from said user end, providing that said hitting end comprising a tubular ball engagement surface to engage said ball, providing that said rigid metallic tubular at said tubular ball engagement surface comprises a larger diameter than said rigid metallic tubular at said user end.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing that said hitting end being tubular along an entire length of said hitting end. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 providing a straight axis extending through said first portion, said second portion and said hitting end, said U-shaped section extending away from said straight axis.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15 , further comprising providing that said U-shaped section comprises a back plate, a first side, and a second side. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising providing that said elongate bat is a rigid continuous tubular throughout said user end and said hitting end. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , further providing comprising that said first portion and said second portion are positioned for a first grip and a second grip by said batter to position said U-shaped section around said batter's torso. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , further providing said U-shaped section extends around at least twenty-five percent of said batter's torso.