Training device for sporting equipment

Abstract

A training device is configured for positioning a user's hand on an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle, such as lacrosse sticks. The device includes a grip with integrated guides that facilitate the correct orientation and placement of a user's palm, wrist, thumb and/or other digits. The training guide orients a user's thumb and other digits at specific angles relative to the shaft's or handle's longitudinal axis that are adapted to enhance control and maneuverability during use of the sporting equipment. The training device also may incorporate a palm spacer that distances a portion of the user's palm and wrist away from the shaft or handle, thereby improving control and grip comfort and reducing hand fatigue during extended use. The training device aims to aid athletes, particularly novices, when learning, training or maximizing proficiency of the fundamental handling skills required in sports utilizing shafted or handled sporting equipment, and particularly lacrosse, potentially accelerating skill acquisition and improving game performance.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle;   a thumb guide integrated into the grip for orienting a user's thumb at a predetermined angle relative to the shaft or handle; and   at least one palm spacer integrated into the grip and configured to space the user's palm away from the shaft or handle during use.   
     
     
         2 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the grip is configured for coupling to the shaft or handle. 
     
     
         3 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the thumb guide is configured to orient the thumb approximately 0 to 16 degrees offset from the longitudinal axis of the shaft or handle. 
     
     
         4 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the thumb guide is configured to orient the thumb approximately −5 to +5 degrees offset from the latitudinal axis of the shaft or handle. 
     
     
         5 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the palm spacer is positioned to align with the fatty part of the user's palm to provide increased leverage and control. 
     
     
         6 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the grip includes additional guides for additional digits of a user's hand, wherein each additional guide is configured to orient the additional digits at specific angles adapted for placement of each individual additional digit. 
     
     
         7 . The training device of  claim 6 , wherein said additional guides further comprise digit guides for each of an index finger and a middle finger of a user. 
     
     
         8 . The training device of  claim 7 , wherein said additional guides further comprise digit guides for each of a ring finger and a pinky finger of a user. 
     
     
         9 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein the grip is configured for removable placement on said shaft or handle. 
     
     
         10 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein said piece of sporting equipment further comprises a lacrosse stick. 
     
     
         11 . The training device of  claim 1 , further comprising a removable weight attached to the grip. 
     
     
         12 . The training device of  claim 1 , wherein said grip is further configured to position the user's wrist with respect to the shaft or handle such that the user's hand assumes an orientation that is at a 90-degree angle to the longitudinal axis of the shaft or handle. 
     
     
         13 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a first grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a first specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle, the first grip having:
 a first thumb guide for orienting a user's thumb; and 
 a first digit guide for orienting another digit of the user; and 
   a second grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a second specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle at a different position from the first grip, the second grip having:
 a second digit guide with an orientation different from the first digit guide of the first grip. 
   
     
     
         14 . The training device of  claim 13 , wherein the first digit guide is configured to orient the user's index finger on a first one of the user's hands at a first angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the shaft or handle, and the second digit guide is configured to orient the user's index finger on a second one of the user's hands at a second angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the shaft or handle that is less than the first angle. 
     
     
         15 . The training device of  claim 13 , wherein the first grip and the second grip are configured for removable placement on the shaft or handle. 
     
     
         16 . The training device of  claim 13 , wherein the orientations of the digit guides are selected to facilitate specific sporting maneuvers associated with the sporting equipment. 
     
     
         17 . The training device of  claim 13 , said first grip further comprising:
 at least one palm spacer integrated into the grip and configured to space the user's palm away from the shaft or handle during use.   
     
     
         18 . The training device of  claim 13 , said first grip further comprising:
 at least one palm spacer integrated into the grip and configured to position the user's palm in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle during use.   
     
     
         19 . The training device of  claim 13 , wherein said piece of sporting equipment further comprises a lacrosse stick. 
     
     
         20 . The training device of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 a third grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a third specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle;   wherein each of said first grip, said second grip, and said third grip is configured for positioning on the lacrosse stick at a respective longitudinal position selected based on said first, second, and third specific orientations.   
     
     
         21 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle;   a plurality of thumb spots located on opposite sides of the grip, each thumb spot configured to accommodate a thumb of a user's right or left hand; and   at least one palm spacer integrated into the grip, configured to space the user's palm away from the shaft or handle.   
     
     
         22 . The training device of  claim 21 , wherein the thumb spots are configured to orient the user's thumb substantially parallel or at an angle of up to approximately 16 degrees off of the longitudinal axis of the shaft or handle. 
     
     
         23 . The training device of  claim 21 , wherein the palm spacer is configured as at least one protrusion that extends outward from the grip. 
     
     
         24 . The training device of  claim 21 , further comprising multiple digit guides integrated into the grip, each configured for guiding a respective one of the same hand digit on each of a user's right and left hands 
     
     
         25 . The training device of  claim 24 , wherein an upper one of said digit guides is formed by at least one ridge or depression forming a downwardly curving arc extending away from each of said thumb spots. 
     
     
         26 . The training device of  claim 21 , further comprising at least one finger digit guide integrated into the grip and configured for guiding a respective one of the same hand digit on each of a user's right and left hands. 
     
     
         27 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle; and   a plurality of thumb spots located on opposite sides of the grip, each thumb spot configured to accommodate a thumb of a user's right or left hand.   
     
     
         28 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle; and   a plurality of palm spacers integrated into the grip and configured to space the palm of user's right or left hand away from the shaft.   
     
     
         29 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle;   a plurality of hand digit guides located on opposite sides of the grip, each hand digit guide configured to receive a respective one of the same hand digit on each of a user's right and left hands; and   a plurality of palm spacers integrated into the grip and configured to space the palm of the user's right or left hand away from the shaft.   
     
     
         30 . A training device for an item of sporting equipment having a shaft or handle for manipulating the piece of sporting equipment, comprising:
 a grip configured for positioning a user's hand in a specific orientation with respect to the shaft or handle;   a plurality of hand digit guides located on opposite sides of the grip, each hand digit guide configured to accommodate a respective one of the same hand digit on each of a user's right and left hands; and   at least one palm spacer integrated into the grip, configured to space the user's palm away from the shaft or handle.