Aspects of this document relate generally to athletic striking mitts.
In boxing and other martial arts, conventional striking mitts are used as training and exercise devices. Typically, an athlete will hit conventional mitts worn by a trainer. Conventional mitts for boxing, for example, have only a padded area in front of a trainer's palm placed in a glove integrated with the padded area.
According to one aspect, a striking mitt may include a glove assembly having a palm side and a back side. A front pad may be coupled to the palm side of the glove assembly, the front pad having a front striking surface. A back pad may be coupled to the back side of the glove assembly, the back pad having a back striking surface.
Implementations may comprise one or more or all of the following.
The back striking surface may have an area between 40% and 100% as large as the area of the front striking surface.
The glove assembly may further include a glove coupled to a rear surface of the front pad, and a flexible bridge member having a first edge portion and a second edge portion opposite the first edge portion. The palm side of the glove assembly may include the first edge portion and the back side of the glove assembly may include the second edge portion.
The flexible bridge member may attach the front pad to the back pad without attaching the back pad to the glove.
The glove assembly may further include a protrusion beneath a palm or finger portion of the glove, the protrusion protruding from the rear surface of the front pad towards the back pad, wherein the protrusion has a diameter of between 0.8 and 4.5 inches and a maximum protrusion between 0.2 and 1.7 inches. The protrusion may include a hemisphere of a ball.
The front striking surface may be a different color than the back striking surface.
The striking mitt may further include a front visual target coupled to the front striking surface; and a back visual target coupled to the back striking surface. The front visual target may be a different shape and/or color than the back visual target.
According to another aspect, a striking mitt may include a glove assembly having a glove and a flexible bridge member, the flexible bridge member having a palm side and a back side. A front pad may be coupled to the palm side of the bridge member and the glove, the front pad having a front striking surface. A back pad may be coupled to the back side of the bridge member, the back pad having a back striking surface.
Implementations may comprise one or more or all of the following.
The striking mitt may further include an adjustable wrist strap coupled to a rear surface of the front pad.
The bridge member may attach the front pad to the back pad without attaching the back pad to the glove.
The back striking surface may have an area between 40% and 90% as large as the area of the front striking surface.
The striking mitt may further include a front visual target coupled to the front striking surface, and a back visual target coupled to the back striking surface.
According to yet another aspect, a striking mitt may include a glove assembly having a glove and a flexible bridge member, the flexible bridge member having a palm side and a back side. A front pad may be coupled to the palm side of the bridge member and the glove, the front pad having a front striking surface. A back pad may be coupled to the back side of the bridge member, the back pad having a back striking surface having an area between 40% and 100% as large as the area of the front striking surface.
Implementations may comprise one or more or all of the following.
The bridge member may attach the front pad to the back pad without attaching the back pad to the glove.
The back striking surface may have an area between 50% and 80% as large as the area of the front striking surface.
The striking mitt may further include an adjustable wrist strap coupled to a rear surface of the front pad.
The striking mitt may further include a front visual target coupled to the front striking surface, and a back visual target coupled to the back striking surface. The front visual target may be a different shape and/or color than the back visual target.
The front striking surface may be a different color than the back striking surface.
The foregoing and other aspects, features, and advantages will be apparent to those artisans of ordinary skill in the art from the DESCRIPTION and DRAWINGS, and from the CLAIMS.
Aspects and implementations will hereinafter be described in conjunction with the appended drawings, where like designations denote like elements, and:
This disclosure, its aspects and implementations, are not limited to the specific components or assembly procedures disclosed herein. Many additional components and assembly procedures known in the art consistent with the intended athletic striking mitt and/or assembly procedures for an athletic striking mitt will become apparent from this disclosure. Accordingly, for example, although particular athletic striking mitts are disclosed, such athletic striking mitts and implementing components may comprise any shape, size, style, type, model, version, measurement, concentration, material, quantity, and/or the like as is known in the art for such athletic striking mitts and implementing components, consistent with the intended operation of athletic striking mitts.
In the following description, it is to be understood that other implementations may be utilized, and structural, as well as procedural, changes may be made without departing from the scope of this document. As a matter of convenience, various components will be described using exemplary materials, sizes, shapes, dimensions, and the like. However, this document is not limited to the stated examples and other configurations are possible and within the teachings of the present disclosure.
Contemplated in this disclosure are one or more striking mitt devices configured to assist in exercising and training people engaged in athletic endeavors (e.g., boxing, martial arts, aerobic fitness, football, and so forth), for example, at least in a manner similar to conventional striking mitts. Various implementations of the disclosed striking mitt devices and systems may be employed in a wide variety of athletic endeavors in addition to boxing and martial arts, including, but not limited to: self-defense training, combat training, aerobic exercise, football, rugby, soccer, etc., and sports yet to be created involving real or simulated strikes to a body (including both intentional and unintentional strikes). Moreover, references herein to the term “athlete” refer to a person who strikes the trainer wearing the striking mitts, and do not necessarily indicate that the athlete is a professional athlete, a fit person, or has minimum required level of physical fitness or expertise in a sport. Further, references herein to the term “trainer” refer to a person wearing the striking mitts so that the athlete may strike the striking mitts, and do not necessarily indicate that the trainer is a professional trainer, a coach, a sparring partner, or has any minimum required level of physical fitness or expertise in a sport.
The disclosed striking mitt is a far more versatile training and exercising device compared to conventional striking mitts used, for example, in training athletes in boxing or other martial arts (e.g., TaeKwonDo, Karate, Muay Thai, kickboxing, Mixed Martial Arts or “MMA”, and so on). A conventional striking mitt in boxing for example is intended to be struck only on the front surface of a front pad, thus striking the conventional mitt only near the trainer's palm rather than having an option to strike the back of the trainer's hand as well.
In contrast, implementations of a striking mitt device according to this disclosure are configured to: provide an improved training experience for both an athlete and trainer, improve striking accuracy for the athlete, and/or improve the safety of the trainer. The disclosed striking mitt allows for versatility common to variations in martial art styles and instruction. Padding both sides for focused striking increases exponentially the amount of creative striking combinations available to the striker and reduces the repetitive stress common to the wrist, elbow, and shoulder of the trainer. Having a more versatile striking surface allows for an improved focused trajectory of strike placement. This new way of striking the pads creates higher levels of accuracy due to the lack of ineffective wrist pronation and other physical limitations to the actual angle needed for a particular strike.
As depicted in the non-limiting implementations shown in
The glove assembly 110 may include a glove 115 coupled to a rear surface of the front pad 130 and/or the palm side 111 of the glove assembly 110. The glove assembly 110 may include webbing 114 spanning the gap between the front pad 130 and the back pad 120. One or more breathing holes 119 may be included in the webbing 114 to help air enter and exit to provide cooling, as well as when the glove assembly 110 is compressed during use (e.g., when the striking mitt 100 is struck by an athlete).
In some implementations the striking mitt 100 may include one or more visual targets, such as a back target 125 (see circle on the striking surface 122 of the back pad 120 shown in
Thus, the disclosed striking mitt implementations add many benefits by including at least a back pad 120, which allows an athlete to strike the striking mitt 100 on the striking surface 122 of the back pad 120 (near the back of the trainer's hand) and a trainer to have many options in which to hold the striking mitt 100 to not only improve an athletes shot accuracy but to be safe in the process. Giving the trainer the ability to choose to catch the athlete's strikes with either the front pad 130 or the back pad 120 of the striking mitt 100 greatly improves the location, angle, and variety of strikes the trainer can catch with the striking mitt 100. This improved variability in positioning a striking mitt 100 increases the number of striking combinations available to the athlete, allowing for more creativity in striking combinations to improve the training experience.
Referring still to
In some implementations the striking mitt 100 may be a double-sided focus-striking mitt that is more versatile than conventional focus type mitts in that it provides for focused striking on both sides of the mitt. Thus, for example, striking mitt 100 may include one or both of back target 125 and/or front target 135. The back target 125 may be removably attached to the striking surface 122 and/or the front target 135 may be removably attached to the striking surface 132.
Specifically, the double-sided striking mitt includes one or more visual targets, such as a back target 125 (see circle on the striking surface 122 of the back pad 120 shown in
In some implementations, the glove 115 includes dividing partitions between one or more fingers. The glove 115 may include a dividing partition between each finger (including the thumb). The glove 115 may include a dividing partition between several, but not every finger. The glove 115 may include a dividing partition between only two fingers (e.g., just the thumb and the first finger).
In some implementations, the back striking surface 122 has a different color, pattern, design, image, a logo, and/or a combination thereof imprinted thereon, or is otherwise visually distinctive from the front striking surface 132. Having a back striking surface 122 that is visually distinctive from the front striking surface 132 may be employed with or without using visual targets 125/135. In some implementations, the visual targets 125/135 have a similar shape and color, but the back striking surface 122 is visually distinctive from the front striking surface 132.
Turning to
Stability ball 150 may be a hemisphere or a slice of a ball, sphere, egg-shape, or other curvilinear surface that fits within a trainer's palm and/or fingers. The flat side (not shown) of the hemisphere or slice of the ball or egg shape of the stability ball 150 couples to the back side of the front pad 130 below the fingers or palm of glove 115. At the highest point of protrusion, the stability ball 150 may protrude from 0.2 to 1.7 inches away from the back side of the front pad 130 (e.g., 0.2″-1.5″; 0.2″-1.0″; 0.2″-0.8″; 0.4″-1.2″; or 0.4″-0.8″). The stability ball 150 may have a diameter between 0.8 to 4.5 inches on the back side of the front pad 130 (e.g., 0.8″-4.2″; 1″-3″; 1″-2″; 2″-4″; 1.5″-4″; or 1.5″-2.5″). Air cushioning technology may also be added to the padding of one or more of the front pad 130 and the back pad 120 to reduce the impact of a shot.
Referring now to
Referring now to
For the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, in one particular implementation of a striking mitt 100 the back pad 120 of the striking mitt 100 may be approximately 1.5 inches thick (e.g., 0.5 inches to 4.5 inches) and have a striking surface 122 diameter of approximately 6.5 inches (e.g., 4.5 inches to 8.5 inches). The front pad 130 of the striking mitt 100 may be similar to conventional striking mitts. For example, the front pad 130 may be approximately 2.5 inches thick (e.g., 0.5 inches to 4.5 inches), be approximately 11 inches in length (e.g., 8.0 inches to 22.0 inches), be approximately 8.0 inches in width at one end of its length (e.g., 6.0 inches to 12.0 inches), and be approximately 4.5 inches in width at an opposite end of its length (e.g., 3.0 inches to 8.0 inches).
For the exemplary purposes of this disclosure, in another particular implementation of a striking mitt 100 (including striking mitts 101, 102, and 103) the back pad 120 of the striking mitt 100 may be approximately 1.5 inches thick (e.g., 0.5 inches to 4.5 inches) and have a striking surface 122 diameter of approximately 6.5 inches (e.g., 4.5 inches to 8.5 inches). The front pad 130 of the striking mitt 100 may be similar to conventional striking mitts. For example, the front pad 130 may be approximately 2.5 inches thick (e.g., 0.5 inches to 4.5 inches), be approximately 11 inches in length (e.g., 8.0 inches to 22.0 inches) and be approximately 8.0 inches in width (e.g., 6.0 inches to 12.0 inches).
In some implementations of a striking mitt 100 (including striking mitts 101, 102, and 103), the back pad 120 of the striking mitt 100 may have a striking surface 122 with a length of approximately 8.5 inches (e.g., 6.5 inches to 10.5 inches) and a width of approximately 6.5 inches (e.g., 4.5 inches to 8.5 inches); while the front pad 130 of the striking mitt 100 may have a striking surface 132 with a length of approximately 11 inches (e.g., 8.0 inches to 22.0 inches) and a width of approximately 8 inches (e.g., 6.0 inches to 12.0 inches). In other implementations of a striking mitt 100 (including striking mitts 101, 102, and 103), the back pad 120 of the striking mitt 100 may have a striking surface 122 with a length of approximately 7 inches (e.g., 5.0 inches to 9.0 inches) and a width of approximately 6.5 inches (e.g., 4.5 inches to 9.0 inches); while the front pad 130 of the striking mitt 100 may have a striking surface 132 with a length of approximately 9 inches (e.g., 6.0 inches to 15.0 inches) and a width of approximately 8 inches (e.g., 6.0 inches to 14.0 inches). In further implementations of a striking mitt 100 (including striking mitts 101, 102, and 103), the back pad 120 of the striking mitt 100 may have a striking surface 122 with a length of approximately 5.5 inches (e.g., 3.5 inches to 8.0 inches) and a width of approximately 5.5 inches (e.g., 3.5 inches to 8.0 inches); while the front pad 130 of the striking mitt 100 may have a striking surface 132 with a length of approximately 6 inches (e.g., 4.0 inches to 9.0 inches) and a width of approximately 6 inches (e.g., 4.0 inches to 9.0 inches).
In some implementations, the striking mitt 100 (again, including striking mitts 101, 102, and 103) is sized and shaped for a particular sport. For example, a striking mitt 100 intended for use primarily in boxing may have one or both of the striking surfaces 132 and 122 smaller than a striking mitt 102 primarily intended for use in martial arts involving kicks that must be blocked. In some implementations, striking mitt 103 using a micro-mitt may primarily be limited to use in boxing or other sports not involving kicks. In some implementations, striking mitt 100 is sized and shaped smaller than striking mitt 102, and striking mitt 100 is primarily limited to use in boxing or other sports not involving kicks. In certain implementations, striking mitt 100 is sized and shaped sufficiently large to be used to catch kicks, while striking mitt 102 may be sized and shaped smaller such that striking mitt 102 is limited to use in boxing or other sports not involving kicks. Any one of striking mitts 100, 101, 102, or 103 may be sized and shaped to handle multiple sports (with or without kicks) or just a single sport (with or without kicks).
In some implementations the area of the striking surface 122 of the back pad 120 is smaller than the area of the striking surface 132 of the front pad 130 and may be similar in size to what is called a micro mitt. The area of the striking surface 122 of the back pad 120 may be between 100% and 40% the size of the area of the striking surface 132 of the front pad 130 (e.g., between: 90% and 40%, 99% and 80%, 80% and 50%, 80% and 40%, 75% and 60%, and so forth). The front pad 130 and/or back pad 120 include a padding material (e.g., padding, foam, cotton, plastics, composites, gel, etc.) and/or an air system configured to cushion and reduce the force of a strike felt by the trainer wearing the striking mitt 100.
In certain implementations, all or part of the striking mitt (e.g., back pad 120, front pad 130, glove assembly 110, etc.) may be flexible or rigid and be primarily constructed of one or more of the following materials: natural or synthetic leather, polymer fabric, nylon, natural or synthetic leather, carbon fiber, metal, canvas, plastic, rubber, any material used in conventional striking mitts, or similar materials. These materials may couple together or to other elements in various ways, including but not limited to with: adhesives, stitching, bonding agents, crimping, welding, taping, gluing, cementing, magnets, heat bonding, lashings, grommets, fasteners, ties, clips, staples, and so forth.
As depicted in the non-limiting implementations shown of
In boxing training, for example, the trainer may catch a liver shot (a type of body shot punch) using the front pad 130 or using the back pad 120 (as shown in
Thus, the athlete may obtain more accurate simulated strikes and the trainer is less likely to injure himself by not being forced to contort his arm into injury-prone angles (by pronating, flexing, or torqueing the arm or shoulder into weaker or injury-prone positions). Repetitive stress to joints of the arm and shoulder through flexed or pronated wrist, forearm, elbow, and shoulder present a significant danger to trainers. The disclosed striking mitts greatly reduce the risk of acute or chronic injury to the trainer by providing greater flexibility in positioning the striking mitt to create safer arm positions for the trainer.
There are obviously many, many more positions a trainer could place the striking mitts 100, 101, 102, 103, and the like. The trainer may vary the use of the back pad 120 and the front pad 130 depending on preference, reduced injury risk, athlete preference, athlete ability, athlete size or stature, and/or the like. The athlete may strike either the front pad 130 or the back pad 120 of the striking mitt when the striking mitt is positioned away from the trainer's torso or other member of the trainer's body, such as a leg, a head, and the like, and does not necessarily need to be struck when the striking mitt is touching the trainer's torso or other body part. For example, the trainer could hold his hands down by his side for a smaller athlete and not have to squat down or be on his knees contorting his arms. The trainer may choose to use two striking mitts (one on each hand) or elect to use just one striking mitt.
In places where the description above refers to particular implementations of athletic striking mitts, it should be readily apparent that a number of modifications may be made without departing from the spirit thereof and that these implementations may be applied to other striking mitts in different fields and applications. The accompanying claims are intended to cover such modifications as would fall within the true spirit and scope of the disclosure set forth in this document. The presently disclosed implementations are, therefore, to be considered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the disclosure being indicated by the appended claims rather than the foregoing description. All changes that come within the meaning of and range of equivalency of the claims are intended to be embraced therein.
This application claims the benefit of the filing date of U.S. Provisional Patent Application 62/237,389 entitled “ATHLETIC STRIKING MITTS” to Bradley H. Carlton, filed on Oct. 5, 2015, the disclosure of which being hereby incorporated entirely herein by reference.
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62237389 | Oct 2015 | US |