Patent Grant
9084922
This invention relates to the field of athletic training and rehabilitating equipment and methodology. More specifically, the present invention relates to an apparatus and a method for safely teaching and practicing proper throwing technique for children and adults.
Many popular sports, including but not limited to baseball, involve throwing a ball or other article. Often, it is desirable to throw a ball repeatedly and consistently at a high velocity. When a ball is thrown repeatedly and forcefully, such as by a baseball pitcher attempting to throw a pitch of high velocity, improper throwing technique can cause a number of problems, such as but not limited to, decreased velocity, lack of control, inconsistency in delivery, and arm injury. In many cases, arm injuries caused by improper throwing techniques result in the pitcher being placed on a medical leave or the disabled list until healed, and in some cases such arm injuries may end the pitcher's career prematurely. And when a pitcher has been injured and has been healing, he must re-train pitching to regain his pre-injury pitching capabilities, yet the need to re-train must be balanced against the need to avoid re-injuring the pitcher. As a result, an arm injury caused by improper throwing technique can lead to many weeks on the bench or disable list (i.e. not being able to play), which may have negative consequences for the pitcher's career and financial well-being. Moreover, in teaching and training throwing or pitching technique, there is an emphasis on strengthening the arm and focusing on arm and wrist motion; this focus, combined with the intense competition among professional and nonprofessional athletes, leads to a high incidence of injuries to the throwing arm, shoulder, elbow, wrist, and their supporting muscle tissues, in particular.
The terms “pitching” and “pitcher” are used throughout this application but they are expressly used to mean an example of “throwing” and “thrower,” respectively, and are not meant to be limiting. The term “forward” is defined as toward the target. The term “downward” is defined as toward the ground in the direction of gravity. The term “pitching side” or “pitching” used as an adjective is defined as “left” if the pitcher is training to throw the ball with the left hand and “right” if the pitcher is training to throw the ball with the right hand. The term “non-pitching side” or “non-pitching” used as an adjective is defined as right if the “pitching side” is left, and left if the “pitching side” is right. The term “arm” is defined as the entire arm, including the shoulder, elbow, wrist, hand, or any part of combination of parts thereof, and should not be construed as limiting.
Proper throwing or pitching technique involves a kinetic chain of motion originating in the pitcher's feet, traveling up the legs and through the body, and culminating in the forward rotation of the body as the ball leaves the pitcher's hand. The kinetic chain of motion in the pitcher's body culminates in the pitcher's throwing arm being propelled forward in an arc and results in the desired “whip” motion of the wrist and hand just as the ball is released. This kinetic chain of motion is best learned and practiced with the pitching arm and hand immobilized in order to focus on the proper body movement which is crucial to proper throwing or pitching technique. Learning, practicing and using proper pitching technique increases power and accuracy while significantly reducing risk of injury. With proper pitching technique, the power and speed of the pitch originates not in the arm or wrist but at the feet and body and is transmitted through the body to the shoulders, arm, wrist and hand, thus greatly reducing the stress and load placed on the pitching arm.
Devices, apparatuses and methods to teach pitching techniques are known. Devices and apparatuses for the rehabilitation or therapy of an injured pitching arm also are known. Information relevant to attempts to address these problems can be found in U.S. Pat. Nos. and Patent Application Publication Nos. U.S. Pat. No. 7,955,197 to Roudybush; 2003/0220173 to Parker; 2009/0062084 to Gamboa et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 7,699,724 to Derisse; U.S. Pat. No. 7,374,502 to Comello, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,884,187 to Cataldo, Jr. et al.; U.S. Pat. No. 6,024,660 to Romanick; U.S. Pat. No. 6,007,500 to Quitinskie, Jr.; U.S. Pat. No. 5,830,091 to Romanick; U.S. Pat. No. 5,250,016 to Higgins; U.S. Pat. No. 5,092,588 to DeLuca; U.S. Pat. No. 4,846,471 to Haysom; 2004/0033849 to Socci; 2004/0033850 to Socci; and U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,730 to Hirsch. However, each of these references suffers from one or more of the following disadvantages: technique and operation of the device or apparatus is focused on movement of the arm and wrist only and does not address or teach body alignment, stability, leverage, direction, momentum, balance, or rotation of the torso; technique and operation of the device or apparatus is focused on teaching and practicing the arc of the pitching arm and/or the “whip” motion of the arm and wrist associated with a powerful pitch; technique and operation of the device or apparatus is focused on developing muscle memory in the arm, wrist and hand; the device or apparatus is sized for average sized adult males and is not adjustable for children or for smaller adults; or use of the device or apparatus requires the arm to perform the motions of throwing a ball and therefore is not appropriate for athletes recovering from arm injuries. None of the references teaches proper throwing technique, focusing on the kinetic chain of energy originating in the feet and utilizing balance, momentum, direction, leverage and rotation to transfer kinetic energy to the throwing arm, which can be used by children or adults regardless of whether they are healing from an arm injury.
For the foregoing reasons, there is a need for an apparatus and a method for teaching and practicing proper throwing technique, focusing on the kinetic chain of energy originating in the feet and utilizing balance, momentum, direction, leverage and rotation to funnel and transfer kinetic energy to the throwing arm, which can be used by children or adults regardless of whether they are healing from an arm injury.
The present invention is directed to an apparatus and a method for teaching and practicing proper throwing technique, focusing on the kinetic chain of energy originating in the feet and utilizing balance, momentum, direction, leverage and rotation to funnel and transfer kinetic energy to the throwing arm, which can be used by children or adults regardless of whether they are healing from an arm injury.
Apparatus: An apparatus having features of the present invention comprises an elongated member, a weighted element, and a flexible joining means. The apparatus may further comprise a placement means.
As an embodiment and non-limiting example, the elongated member includes a lower end, an upper end, and a body portion extending between said lower end and said upper end. The upper end may be an open end that can be adapted to fasten a removably affixed end cap with a through-hole permitting the flexible joining means to pass through and into the preferably hollow space of the elongated member when affixed. The elongated member may have an engagement portion extending rearward and preferably slightly upward from the upper end, wherein the engagement portion, upper end and body portion define an elbow-like configuration and an angle with respect to a longitudinal axis of the elongated member.
The weighted element has an attachment point, and is movable from a starting position to an ending position with respect to the elongated member as a result of a training exercise of a user when the apparatus is in use. The weighted element may be made of or encased in a soft rubber, fabric or plastic such as urethane foam (foam rubber), Neoprene, or sponge, to cushion the blow when it strikes the user's arm or body during use; and can include a substantially spherical shape, such as a baseball-sized sphere. Alternatively, the weighted element can include a shape, size and weight simulating the shape, size and weight of the article desired to be thrown.
The flexible joining means includes a first end, a second end, and an intermediate portion extending between the first end and second end. The flexible joining means has a predetermined length, is secured about the upper end of the elongated member, has the second end that is secured at the attachment point of the weighted element, and is movable from a starting position to an ending position with respect to the first elongated member as a result of the training exercise of the user when the apparatus is in use. The flexible joining means can be made of any flexible tubing, rope or cord of rubber, plastic or fibers, such as bungee cord, surgical latex or plastic tubing.
The flexible joining means may be secured about the upper end of the elongated member by an adjustable securement means to adjustably secure the flexible joining means to the first elongated member while permitting the length of the flexible joining means to be varied as desired. The adjustable securement means may include an expansion fitting and the removably secured end cap, wherein the expansion fitting is adapted to fit securely inside the engagement portion and to adjustably secure the flexible joining means to the elongated member while permitting the length of the flexible joining means to be varied as desired.
The placement means can include an elongated tubular member adjustably affixed to the elongated member of the apparatus generally perpendicular to the elongated member's longitudinal axis.
The angle defined by the engagement portion, upper end of the elongated member, and body portion of the elongated member may be generally about 135 degrees. The placement means preferably can be adjustably angled toward the closed end for greater comfort when the placement means is placed preferably in the armpit of the user as described below.
Method: A preferred method of training proper throwing technique using the preferred embodiment of the invention follows. The method generally comprises the steps of placing the apparatus against the body of a user in the starting position, balancing on the pitching-side leg, taking an extended stride or lunge toward the target, and explosively rotating the upper torso rotationally downward and toward the non-pitching side with the pivot point being at or around the navel. In the placement step, the elongated member of the apparatus is held with the non-pitching hand near the closed end and the elongated member is placed vertically generally parallel to and against the user's torso so that the placement means is held in the user's pitching-side armpit, the angled upper end is placed in contact with the top of the pitching-side shoulder on or around the acromion, and the flexible joining means is placed over the user's pitching-side shoulder and the weighted element suspended therefrom hangs near or about the user's pitching-side shoulder blade.
The user keeps his non-pitching forearm crossed over the chest as he continues to hold the apparatus in place during the training exercise, and the user's pitching forearm preferably is crossed over his non-pitching forearm for the purpose of keeping the arms close to the torso and out of the way. The user's pitching hand may be placed in the non-pitching armpit, leaving the thumb near or about the non-pitching shoulder. The user's elbows should be pointed generally down and relaxed.
In the balance step, from a stance facing the target with both feet on the ground approximately shoulder-width apart, the user initiates the kinetic chain of an overhand throw in the direction of the target by lifting his non-pitching knee, shifting all weight to the pitching-side leg, while turning his body on its longitudinal axis toward the pitching side of his body while keeping his eyes on the target, so that his non-pitching deltoid faces the target and his non-pitching shoulder is brought toward his chin.
In the lunge step, as the user prepares to bring the non-pitching foot down he pushes the non-pitching hip forward in an extended forward stride or lunge. As the extended stride progresses forward, the user's hips rotate toward the target while the user maintains the sideways position of the upper torso. As the non-pitching foot comes down and touches the ground (a point hereinafter referred to as “foot touch”), the user gradually lifts his non-pitching elbow up in the opposite direction of the ground, causing the plane of the shoulders to tilt toward the pitching side and away from the target, causing additional weight to be balanced on the pitching-side foot. The arms preferably are maintained across the chest, the torso maintains its sideways position relative to the target and the weighted element hangs from the flexible joining means substantially near the user's pitching-side shoulder blade.
In the explosive rotation step, once the extended forward stride is completed and the non-pitching foot is planted (a point hereinafter referred to as “foot plant”), the user then, in one sudden, explosive motion originating from the non-pitching elbow, upper arm and shoulder, pivots his torso rotationally around the navel toward the non-pitching side and down, driving his non-pitching elbow into his non-pitching side near or around the Iliac crest. The sudden downward rotation rockets the pitching shoulder forward and causes the kinetic energy accumulated in the non-pitching shoulder to be transferred along the shoulder line to the pitching shoulder and into the flexible joining means. The flexible joining means then acts as the throwing arm, transferring the kinetic energy from the body's kinetic chain to the weighted element, thus causing the weighted element to be whipped forward in front of the user's body.
In proper throwing technique, the kinetic chain starts from the feet and travels up along the body, eventually being funneled to the pitching shoulder, which then funnels the kinetic energy into the pitching arm and expels it along the fingers and off the fingertips during a pitch.
When training according to the preferred method of the invention, the kinetic energy starts from the feet and travels up along the body, eventually being funneled to the throwing shoulder, but rather than funneling into the arm and fingers, as with a pitch, instead the flexible joining means of the apparatus acts as the throwing arm and continues the transfer of kinetic energy through the joining means and into the weighted element, whipping the weighted element forward as in an overhand throw.
When proper body alignment, balance, momentum, rotation and coordination is achieved, the weighted element, which is tethered to the elongated member by way of the flexible joining means, strikes the user's non-pitching arm substantially near the elbow. By keeping the pitching forearm and pitching hand relatively immobile and passive, the user is able to learn, focus on and practice proper body position, balance, coordination and transfer of kinetic energy without the distraction of or risk of injury to the throwing arm or hand. The use of the apparatus as a substitute for the user's throwing arm and ball highlights the key principle that in proper throwing technique, the throwing arm is merely reacting to the kinetic chain of motion, not initiating the motion culminating in the throw, and that the power of the throw comes from the feet, legs and body, not from the arm, wrist or hand.
In this respect, before explaining at least one embodiment of the invention in detail, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in its application to the details of construction and to the arrangements of the components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the drawings. The invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced and carried out in various ways. Also, it is to be understood that the phraseology and terminology employed herein are for the purpose of description and should not be regarded as limiting.
As such, those skilled in the art will appreciate that the conception, upon which this disclosure is based, may readily be utilized as a basis for the designing of other structures, methods, and systems for carrying out the several purposes of the present invention. It is important, therefore, that the claims be regarded as including such equivalent constructions insofar as they do not depart from the spirit and scope of the present invention.
The present invention relates to an apparatus 100 and a method for safely teaching and practicing proper throwing technique for children and adults. The training apparatus 100 may be used by baseball pitchers and other users who are involved in sports or activities involving overhand throwing, such as javelin and lacrosse.
Referring to
As shown in
Referring to
As best shown in
The weighted element 130 may have a spherical shape. The weighted element 130 may have a weight similar to a weight of an article desired to be thrown. It is obvious to one of ordinary skill in the art that the weighted element 130 may have other shapes and/or weights that allows the training apparatus 100 to be an effective training tool. The weighted element 130 may be made of rubber, plastic, leather, cloth material, and any combination thereof, to cushion the blow when it strikes the user's arm or body during use. Alternatively, the weighted element 130 may be made of a hard material encased in rubber, plastic, leather, cloth, batting or wadding, and any combination thereof.
The flexible joining means 140 may be made of any flexible tubing, rope or cord of rubber, plastic or fibers, such as bungee cord, surgical latex or plastic tubing.
As best shown in
A “first” arm, hand, shoulder, side, leg, or foot is defined as the arm, hand, shoulder, side, leg, or foot on the user's non-throwing side, referred to above as “non-pitching.” A “second” arm, hand, shoulder, side, leg, or foot is defined as the arm, hand, shoulder, side, leg, or foot on the user's throwing side, referred to above as “pitching.” Therefore, by way of example, in a left-handed pitcher, the “first” arm is the non-pitching or right arm and the “second” arm is the pitching or left arm.
A preferred method for training a throwing technique comprises the steps of: (1) placing the apparatus 100 (as described above) against the body of a user in the starting position; (2) balancing on the pitching leg; (3) taking an extended stride or lunge toward the target; and (4) explosively rotating the upper torso rotationally downward,
wherein (1) the placement step, as shown in
wherein (2) the balancing step comprises, as shown in
wherein (3) the lunge step comprises the steps of:
wherein (4) the explosive rotation step, as shown in
The potential kinetic energy generated and funneled into the torso in the balancing step and lunge step is transferred through the body and into the apparatus 100 and is released in the explosive rotation step when the sudden downward rotation of the torso propels the second shoulder forward and rotationally downward, causing the flexible joining means 140 to act as the second arm and continue the transfer of kinetic energy through the joining means 140 and into the weighted element 130, causing it 130 to be propelled forward toward the target in an arc 70 as if it were a ball being thrown and the flexible joining means 140 were the throwing arm. The use of the apparatus 100 as a substitute for the user's throwing arm and ball highlights the key principle that in proper throwing technique, the throwing arm is reacting to the kinetic chain of motion, not initiating the motion of the throw. When proper body balance, momentum and coordination are achieved, the weighted element 130, tethered to the elongated member 110 by the flexible joining means 140, strikes the user's first arm about the elbow or the second hand, as shown in
The steps of the method may be altered according to the needs of a user who is recovering from an arm injury. For example, alternatively, in the placement step, the second arm can be left passive along the second side so that the second elbow remains unbent. Alternatively, in the placement step, the first arm can be left passive along the first side so that the first elbow remains unbent. Alternatively, in the placement step, both arms may be left passive or may be placed in different configurations according to the needs of the particular user.
The length of the flexible joining means 140 may be altered, from a minimum length to a maximum length, according to the degree of difficulty desired by the user. In general, a longer flexible joining means 140 requires greater force and thus is more difficult to use relative to a shorter flexible joining means 140. A flexible joining element 140 adjustable from 12 inches to 20 inches (measured on the embodiment shown in
Alternatively, a version of the apparatus 100 may incorporate a speed-measuring means (not shown), such as a speedometer, on or near the weighted element 130 for the purpose of measuring the speed of the “pitch” and thereby track the user's progress through training.
Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention.
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| Number | Date | Country | |
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| 20130344997 A1 | Dec 2013 | US |
