A system and method for training a user to swing a racket

Abstract

A system and method for resiliently binding a user's arms to one another to allow the user to swing a paddle while preventing excessive backswing. The system is attached by a first cuff to the wrist of a user's paddle hand and by a second cuff to the user's opposing bicep. The two cuffs are connected using a resilient band long enough to allow the user to freely strike a ball with a paddle using either a backhand or forehand stroke. The band is short enough to provide resistance if the user attempts to execute a long backswing on a forehand stroke. If the user tries to move the paddle too far rearward the resilient band provides resistance to continued movement. The system provides constant feedback to avoid long forehand backswings, while allowing backhand strokes and forehand strokes with short backswings.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for training a user to swing a racket, the method comprising:
 a) providing a band having a first end and a second end;   b) placing a racket in a hand associated with a first arm of the user;   c) securing the first end of the band to an upper arm of a second arm of the user;   d) securing the second end of the band to a wrist of the first arm of the user;   e) drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resistance to additional rearward motion; and   f) moving the racket forward into contact with a ball.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the band is nonresilient. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the band is resilient. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resistance to additional rearward motion comprises drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resilient resistance to additional rearward motion. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising
 a) providing a supplemental band having a first end and a second end;   b) securing the first end of the supplemental band to the upper arm of the second arm of the user;   c) securing the second end of the supplemental band to an upper arm of the first arm of the user; and   d) wherein drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resistance to additional rearward motion comprises drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the supplemental band to provide resistance to additional rearward motion.   
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the supplemental band is nonresilient. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the supplemental band is resilient. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the band and the supplemental band are portions of a single longer band. 
     
     
         9 . A method for training a user to swing a racket, the method comprising:
 a) providing a racket training device comprising:
 an upper arm fastener; 
 a wrist fastener; 
 a resilient band having a first end and a second end; 
 wherein the first end of the resilient band is secured to the upper arm fastener; and 
 wherein the second end of the resilient band is secured to the wrist fastener; 
   b) placing a racket in a hand associated with a first arm of the user;   c) securing the upper arm fastener to an upper arm of a second arm of the user;   d) securing the wrist fastener to a wrist of the first arm of the user;   e) drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the resilient band to provide resilient resistance to additional rearward motion; and   f) moving the racket forward into contact with a ball.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein:
 a) the wrist fastener is a wrist cuff provided with a first circumference;   b) the upper arm fastener is an arm cuff provided with a second circumference;   c) the second circumference is greater than the first circumference;   d) wherein the wrist cuff has at least a portion along the first circumference that is at least four centimeters wide; and   e) wherein the arm cuff has at least a portion along the second circumference that is at least four centimeters wide.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , further comprising:
 a) providing a circumference lock;   b) unlocking the circumference lock;   c) adjusting a circumference of the wrist fastener from a first orientation having a first circumference to a second orientation having a second circumference to accommodate the wrist; and   d) using the circumference lock to lock the wrist fastener in the second orientation.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a) providing a supplemental racket training device comprising:
 a first supplemental upper arm fastener; 
 a second supplemental upper arm fastener; 
 a supplemental resilient band having a first end and a second end; 
 wherein the first end of the supplemental resilient band is secured to the first supplemental upper arm fastener; and 
 wherein the second end of the supplemental resilient band is secured to the second supplemental upper arm fastener; 
   b) securing the first supplemental upper arm fastener to an upper arm of the second arm of the user;   c) securing the second supplemental upper arm fastener to the upper arm of the first arm of the user; and   d) wherein drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the resilient band to provide resilient resistance to additional rearward motion comprises drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the supplemental resilient band to provide resilient resistance to additional rearward motion.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the band and the supplemental band are portions of a single longer band. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a) the wrist fastener is provided with a first circumference;   b) the upper arm fastener is provided with a second circumference; and   c) the first supplemental upper arm fastener is provided with a third circumference;   d) the second supplemental upper arm fastener is provided with a fourth circumference; and   e) the second circumference, the third circumference, and the fourth circumference are all greater than the first circumference.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , further comprising:
 a) providing a circumference lock;   b) unlocking the circumference lock;   c) adjusting a circumference of the wrist fastener from a first orientation having a first circumference to a second orientation having a second circumference to accommodate the wrist;   d) wherein the first circumference is smaller than the second circumference; and   e) using the circumference lock to lock the wrist fastener in the second orientation.   
     
     
         16 . A method for training a user to swing a racket, the method comprising:
 a) providing a band having a first end, a middle, and a second end;   b) placing a racket in a hand associated with a first arm of the user;   c) securing the second end of the band to a wrist of the first arm of the user;   d) securing the middle of the band to an upper arm of a second arm of the user;   e) securing the second end of the band to an upper arm of the first arm of the user;   f) drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resistance to additional rearward motion; and   g) moving the racket forward into contact with a ball.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the band is nonresilient. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the band is resilient. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resistance to additional rearward motion comprises drawing the racket in a rearward motion sufficiently to cause the band to provide resilient resistance to additional rearward motion. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 16 , further comprising:
 a) providing a first upper arm fastener;   b) providing a second upper arm fastener;   c) providing a wrist fastener;   d) securing the wrist fastener to the wrist of the first arm of the user;   e) securing the first upper arm fastener to the upper arm of the second arm of the user;   f) securing the second upper arm fastener to the upper arm of the first arm of the user;   g) wherein securing the second end of the band to the wrist of the first arm of the user comprises securing the second end of the band to the wrist fastener;   h) wherein securing the middle of the band to the upper arm of the second arm of the user comprises securing the middle of the band to the first upper arm fastener; and   i) wherein securing the first end of the band to the upper arm of the first arm of the user comprises securing the first end of the band to the second upper arm fastener.