Rotation sports training system and method
A sports rotation swing training system is provided that includes a harness assembly to be worn around the torso of the player that is used with a separate vertical upright structure. The harness assembly comprises a chest/waist band and a generally horizontally projecting stick protruding from the band side. The projecting stick is designed to engage with the separate upright structure upon the player's execution of a swing to provide feedback (auditory, tactile, or electronic) related to the degree of rotation. The chest/waist band can be alternatively positioned by the user at the chest (to practice thoracic rotation) or at the waist (to practice pelvic rotation). In a preferable aspect of the invention, the angle of the projecting stick is adjustable downward from generally parallel to the ground.
1. A sports training system comprising:
a harness assembly comprising:
a chest/waist band comprising a band front portion, a band back portion, and two opposing band side portions;
a projecting stick disposed at one of said two opposing band side portions and extending outwardly at least 1 foot from said chest/waist band;
a band-to-stick connector disposed on one of said two opposing band side portions that connects said projecting stick to said chest/waist band: wherein said band-to-stick connector comprises an angle mount that allows said projecting stick to be positioned at least at a first angle and at a second angle; wherein said angle mount is a manual angle mount with at least two receiving apertures each of which can receive a proximal end of said projecting stick; and
an upright structure that is separate from said harness assembly and that comprises a vertically disposed pole to be positioned in a location so that when a sports player rotates his body while swinging a sports implement, said projecting stick engages with said vertically disposed pole.
2. The sports training system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said angle mount is an adjustable angle mount.
3. The sports training system as recited in claim 2 , wherein said adjustable angle mount comprises a ratcheting assembly to change the angle of inclination of said projecting stick.
4. The sports training system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said proximal end of said projecting stick comprises a friction-increasing material to increase the friction between said proximal end and a selected one of said at least two receiving apertures.
5. The sports training system as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
said angle mount comprises two mount members and a mechanical fastener;
said at least two receiving apertures are disposed between said two mount members;
said mechanical fastener draws said two mount members toward one another causing said a least two apertures to tighten.
6. The sports training system as recited in claim 1 , wherein said harness assembly further comprises a right shoulder strap and a left shoulder strap; and wherein said chest/waist band further comprises an attachment/detachment connector to allow connection of said right shoulder strap and said left shoulder strap to said chest/waist band.
7. The sports training system as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
said chest/waist band comprises an outer surface of a dense looped material and a supplementary section of complementary hook material disposed on the interior of said chest/waist band to allow manual engagement of said supplementary section of complementary hook material with said outer surface of said dense looped material;
said harness assembly further comprises a right shoulder strap and a left shoulder strap;
each of said right shoulder strap and said left shoulder strap comprise a first end, a second end, a first hook material fixedly attached to an inner surface of said first end, and a second hook material fixedly attached to an inner surface of said second end;
wherein said first hook said material is attachable to said outer surface of said chest/waist band; and
wherein said second hook material is attachable to said outer surface of said chest/waist band.
8. The sports training system as recited in claim 1 , wherein:
said harness assembly further comprises a right shoulder strap and a left shoulder strap;
each of said right shoulder strap and said left shoulder strap comprises a front strap portion and a back strap portion; and
said front strap portion and said back strap portion include a midpoint portion of complementary hook and loop material so that said midpoint portion of complementary hook and loop material can be joined together in a mid-strap connection.
9. A sports training system comprising:
a harness assembly comprising:
a chest/waist band comprising a band front portion, a band back portion, and two opposing band side portions;
a projecting stick disposed at one of said two opposing band side portions and extending outwardly at least 1 foot from said chest/waist band; and
an upright structure that is separate from said harness assembly and that comprises a vertically disposed pole to be positioned in a location so that when a sports player rotates his body while swinging a sports implement, said projecting stick engages with said vertically disposed pole; and
an electronics system and a report system to provide notification of a rotation of said projecting stick from a start of said swing to an impact with said upright structure.
10. A sports training system comprising:
a harness assembly comprising:
a chest/waist band comprising a band front portion, a band back portion, two opposing band side portions, and a band-to-stick connector disposed on one of said two opposing band side portions;
shoulder straps that are removably attachable to said chest/waist band;
a projecting stick attachable to said band-to-stick connector; wherein when said projecting stick is attached to said band-to-stick connector it extends outwardly at least 1 foot from said chest/waist band; wherein said band-to-stick connector comprises an angle mount that allows said projecting stick to be positioned at least at a first angle and at a second angle; and wherein said angle mount is a manual angle mount comprising an upper receiving aperture and a lower receiving aperture each of which can receive a proximal end of said projecting stick; and
an upright structure that is separate from said harness assembly and that comprises a vertically disposed pole positioned in a location so that when a sports player rotates to swing a sports implement, said projecting stick engages with said vertically disposed pole.
11. The sports training system as recited in claim 10 , wherein said angle mount is an adjustable angle mount.
12. The sports training system as recited in claim 10 , wherein said proximal end of said projecting stick comprises a friction-increasing material to increase the friction between said proximal end and said upper receiving aperture and to increase the friction between said proximal end and said lower receiving aperture.
13. The sports training system as recited in claim 12 , wherein
said angle mount comprises two mount members and a mechanical fastener;
said mechanical fastener draws said two mount members closer to retain said proximal end of said projecting stick within a selected one of said upper receiving aperture or said lower receiving aperture.
14. A sports training system comprising:
a harness assembly comprising:
a chest/waist band comprising a band front portion, a band back portion, two opposing band side portions, and a band-to-stick connector disposed on one of said two opposing band side portions;
shoulder straps that are removably attachable to said chest/waist band;
a projecting stick attachable to said band-to-stick connector; wherein when said projecting stick is attached to said band-to-stick connector it extends outwardly at least 1 foot from said chest/waist band; wherein said band-to-stick connector comprises an angle mount that allows said projecting stick to be positioned at least at a first angle and at a second angle; and
an upright structure that is separate from said harness assembly and that comprises a vertically disposed pole positioned in a location so that when a sports player rotates to swing a sports implement, said projecting stick engages with said vertically disposed pole; and
an electronics system and a report system to provide notification of a rotation of said projecting stick from a start of said swing to an impact with said upright structure.
15. The sports training system as recited in claim 14 , wherein:
said chest/waist band comprises an outer surface of a dense looped material and an inner portion of complementary hook material positioned to allow manual engagement of said inner portion of complementary hook material with said outer surface of said dense looped material; and
said shoulder straps each comprise a first hook material fixedly attached to an inner surface of a first end of each of said shoulder straps and a second hook material fixedly attached to an inner surface of a second end of each of said shoulder straps; wherein said first hook material is attachable to said outer surface of said chest/waist band; and wherein said second hook material is attachable to said outer surface of said chest/waist band.
16. The sports training system as recited in claim 14 , wherein each of said shoulder straps comprises a mid-strap connection.
17. The sports training system as recited in claim 14 , wherein said upright structure further comprises a base that can removably receive said vertically disposed pole.