Variable Resistance Swing Trainer

Abstract

An apparatus for training a swing has a hollow shaft with a proximal end and a distal end, a coupling member positioned inside the shaft adjacent the distal end of the shaft, and a sliding cartridge positioned inside the shaft and removably coupled to the coupling member, the sliding cartridge being slideable inside the shaft. An elastic band assembly is positioned on the sliding cartridge and has one end coupled to the sliding cartridge and another end configured to be removably couplable to the coupling member. When the elastic band assembly is coupled to the coupling member, the elastic band assembly resists movement of the sliding cartridge towards the proximal end of the shaft.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for training a swing, comprising:
 a hollow shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;   a coupling member positioned inside the shaft adjacent the distal end of the shaft;   a sliding cartridge positioned inside the shaft and removably coupled to the coupling member, the sliding cartridge being slideable inside the shaft; and   an elastic band assembly positioned on the sliding cartridge and having one end coupled to the sliding cartridge and another end configured to be removably couplable to the coupling member;   wherein, when the elastic band assembly is coupled to the coupling member, the elastic band assembly resists movement of the sliding cartridge towards the proximal end of the shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a stopper coupled to the proximal end of the shaft wherein the stopper is configured to stop movement of the sliding cartridge towards the proximal end of the shaft. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the elastic band assembly comprises one or more elastic bands. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , whether the elastic band assembly comprises a plurality of elastic bands and wherein the coupling member comprises a plurality of receptacles corresponding to the plurality of the elastic bands. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 4 , wherein each of the plurality of elastic bands is separately couplable to the coupling member. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each elastic band has a different elasticity. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein each elastic band has the same elasticity. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the sliding cartridge has a shape corresponding to an internal shape of the hollow shaft. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one or more heads coupled to the proximal end of the shaft. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein the one or more heads comprise one or more of a tennis head, a lacrosse head, a cricket head, a hockey head, a golf head, a baseball head, and a softball head. 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising one of a visual and an audible indicator configured to indicate a position of the sliding cartridge during the swing. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for training a swing, comprising:
 a hollow shaft with a proximal end and a distal end;   a coupling member positioned inside the shaft adjacent the distal end of the shaft; and   a sliding cartridge positioned inside the shaft and removably coupled to the coupling member;   wherein the sliding cartridge is configured to decouple from the coupling member during the swing and slide inside the shaft toward the proximal end of the shaft.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , further comprising an elastic band assembly positioned on the sliding cartridge and having one end coupled to the sliding cartridge and another end configured to be couplable to the coupling member, wherein, when the elastic band assembly is coupled to the coupling member, the elastic band assembly resists movement of the sliding cartridge towards the proximal end of the shaft. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the sliding cartridge further comprises a first anchor member positioned at one end of the elastic band assembly and a second member positioned at the opposite end of the elastic band assembly. 
     
     
         15 . The apparatus of  claim 14 , wherein at least one of the first anchor member and the second anchor member comprise one or more receptacles configured to removably accommodate one or more elastic bands of the elastic band assembly. 
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the one or more elastic bands are configured to be removed from the one or more receptacles and coupled to the coupling member. 
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , wherein, when the one or more elastic bands are coupled to the first and second anchor members, the elastic assembly does not resist the movement of the sliding cartridge towards the proximal end of the shaft. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the elastic band assembly comprises six elastic bands. 
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the sliding cartridge is configured to couple to the coupling member at the end of the swing.