WO2007022545A1

WO2007022545A1 - Training aid that guides both arm and hand’s joint in two most basic strokes played in tennis, forehand and backhand

Info

Publication number: WO2007022545A1
Application number: PCT/YU2005/000021
Authority: WO
Inventors: Miodrag Veljkovic
Original assignee: Miodrag Veljkovic
Priority date: 2005-08-18
Filing date: 2005-08-18
Publication date: 2007-02-22

Abstract

According to the invention, training aid for guiding both arm and hand's joint in two most basic strokes played in tennis - forehand and backhand, is intended for practicing of movements and positioning of arm and hand's joint without utilization of racquet. It consists of two spherical mounts (1,2) with built in sliders (4,7) along which palm of the hand slides in order to practice movements for forehand swing and forehand swing out, and it also consists of one spherical mount (10) with slider (11) for backhand stroke. The position and height of the sliders are explicitly defined by the geometric relationships and by the magnitude of angles between each one of them and also against the hollow side of the mount (1, 2, 10). It is made with various radiuses (R) depending on the arm length, while the height regulation is achieved via self-adjustable pedestal-base depending on the height of the user.

Description

TRAINING AID THAT GUIDES BOTH ARM AND HAND'S JOINT IN TWO MOST BASIC STROKES PLAYED IN TENNIS, FOREHAND AND BACKHAND

Technical area related to the invention

In general terms, this invention belongs to the field of sports while precisely it relates to the devices for training of flexibility of arm and hand's joint movement coordination in tennis players.

According to the International patents classification, the invention's subject is classified and thus marked with the symbol⁽⁷⁾ A63B 22/10.

Technical problem

The following is a technical problem which is solved with this invention: how to design training aid that guides both arm and hand's joint in two most basic strokes played in tennis - forehand and backhand, that would serve for practice of correct movements and positioning of arm and hand's joint in tennis strokes by applying spherical mounts with built-in partially spiral sliders whereon arm's hand is going to be sliding.

Technical state

So far, the training as well as arm and hand's joint coordination was down to coaches' verbal instructions or utilisation of book guides and video lessons, which, after all, could not have solved a problem of the third dimension, and especially the definition of subtle position of the most important element — hand's joint.

By way of researching of patent records and viewing of the professional literature in this area, any designed solution for the aforementioned technical problem was not found. Presentation of the essence of invention

The essence of invention is the very fact that for the first time we have a designed training aid for the practicing of the correct movements and positioning of the arm and hand's joint in swings and swing outs in every moment as they are necessary for effective ball hitting with tennis racquets. Training aid consists of spherical mounts and each one is ¹A of the size of a circle whose radius corresponds to the user's arm length and it is up to the 2 m in height. At their hollow side, a partially spiral slider is built-in whereon hand slides. A slider is built under strictly defined angles which are specifically adapted for forehand movements at the swing point, forehand movements at the swing out point, and finally, the backhand moves. Slider guides arm to slide into the ideal move which resembles the number eight, the so-called "8", while the body rotates. Two spherical mounts are used for forehand, and one for backhand stroke.

Brief description of outline drawings

The invention is described in detail in the example of performance shown in outline figures, wherein we have the following respective figures:

Figure 1 - represents training aid as seen from the above, with presentation of arm movement;

Figure 2 - represents front view of spherical mount with slider in the position for forehand swing;

Figure 3 — represents side view of the mount as seen in the Figure 2;

Figure 4 — represents axonometric view of the mount with slider in the forehand swing position;

Figure 5 - represents front view of spherical mount with slider in the position for forehand swing out;

Figure 6 - represents side view of the mount as seen in the Figure 5;

Figure 7 - represents axonometric view of the mount with slider in the forehand swing out position; Figure 8 — represents front view of spherical mount with slider in the position for backhand swing;

Figure 9 - represents side view of the mount as seen in the Figure 8, and

Figure 10 - represents axonometric view of the mount with slider in the backhand position;

Detailed description of invention

According to invention, training aid is designed for practice of correct movements as well as for positioning of arm and hand's joint in forehand and backhand strokes. It consists of spherical mounts 1,2,3 which size is the size of one fourth of the circle and radius R corresponds to the arm length of the user U and the height is H = 2 m. On the hollow sides, the sliders 2,4,7,11 are built in and laid out at the lenghts L, Li utilising strictly defined angles. Spherical mounts arrangement with presentation of arm movement is shown in Figure 1. If seen from above, the mounts are set in the form of circular line in the segments II and IV, while segments I and III represent empty area. As the mounts are ¹A the size of a circle, their ends coincide with 90° angle. When user is practicing forehand, mounts 1 and 2 are set into the segments II and IV, and when one is practicing backhand, mount 10 is set into the segment II (shown with intermittent line), while the mounts 1 and 2 are then removed. Sliders 4, 7, 11 are of parallelepipedous section and both their thickness and width are adapted to hand grip.

In spherical mount 1 for forehand swing (Fig. 2,3,4), one end of slider 4 is designed to conform to the height L, and the other end to conform to the height Li at the 45° angle against its hollow side, and this way L value is 1,7Li. In spherical mount 2 for forehand swing out (fig. 5,6,7) slider 7 is horizontal and so L=Li while the angle between slider 7 and hollow side is constant at 60°. In spherical mount 10 for backhand, one end of slider 11 is for the length L, which corresponds to the hip height, designed at the 75° angle against the hollow side and it is decreased down to the 45° on the other end at the height Li, which corresponds to the shoulder height and it is higher than L as it is 1,5L, that is L=O₅OL_1. It is well understood that absolute height values L, Li and radius are variable pursuant to the height and length of users' arms.

This outline displays a training aid for the right hand users. Training aid can be stored even in the smaller area, i.e., in the apartment and it is convenient for independent practicing without the use of racquet. The way of utilization will be described analogically to the handplate of clock with numbers. User U stands in the center of a circle whose radius R corresponds to the arm's length. Spherical mount 1 for forehand swing (Fig. 1) is placed to the right and toward the behind the body (user's back), that is, from 3 to 6 o'clock position, while the beginning 5 of movement is at the shoulder height L and number 6 of movement at the hip height Lj. Slider 4 is then gripped but the thumb needs to stay underneath, while the remaining fingers are located on top of the surface. Due to the slope of slider 4, hand is set in the particular position at the 45° angle against the horizontal and vertical planes. By sliding stretched out hand along the slider 4 at the end of 6 movement, palm of a hand takes vertical position precisely behind the right hip, as the body is rotated for the mount 1 with slider 4 is located at the hollow side which extends around the body. The second part of forehand aid is designed for guiding arm and hand's joint during the swing out which begins at the beginning 8 of the swing out movement, that is, at the 12 o'clock while it is followed by sliding of palm over the slider 7, which is built on the spherical mount 2 and which ends at the end 9 of movement, that is at the 9 o'clock. It means, arched movement begins from above and before the hip, it rises up until it reaches shoulder height, and then it descends again to the hip height while the angle between arm and hand's joint against the vertical surface of the mount is constant and it is 45°, that is, it extends from 3 o'clock, and counterclockwise, to 9 o'clock. This defines the movement of arm that does not stop sliding making moves in the shape of the laid number eight as this motion itself trains the ideal technical forehand stroke both during the swing phase and swing out phase.

For practicing backhand stroke the spherical mounts 1 and 2 are removed and within zone III we place spherical mount 10 with slider 11 at the distance of radius R, that is the user's arm length as he or she stands sideways with chests turned toward the 9 o'clock and their right shoulder toward 12 o'clock.

Arm movement 12 begins from the shoulder and off the hip height while palm of the hand is 25°-30° below the horizontal line and it is rotated sliding over the slider 11 all the way until it does not reach the shoulder height at which time palm takes 45° angle against the horizontal and vertical lines. Final movement is at the end of 13 backhand movement. Accurate movement is quickly learned and adopted through use of the aforementioned training aid, and as the hand's fingers are stretched out during the practice and as they absolutely coincide with the racquet, that is with the side whereat the ball is hit, thus during the practical court use and in the play, it is only necessary to take the consistent grip on the racquet by closing fingers around the grip portion of the racquet and apply the practiced movements. The practice could be taken in the small area and without the utilization of racquet.

Training aid could be cast out of plastic compounds. Video instructions accompany the training aid which enables any person to practice movements or to learn and correct the technique and tennis strokes. Proportionally, this training aid can be produced in a number of sizes, that is radiuses for different arm lengths and players. Training aid's height is regulated by self-adjustable pedestal-base for the appropriate user's height.

Described invention is not limited to the application as in the presented performance example, therefore, modifications can be made and yet the innovator's original thought/concept could be preserved.

Claims

P A T E N T C L A I M S

1. Training aid for guiding both arm and hand's joint in two most basic strokes played in tennis, forehand and backhand, indicated by, the fact it consists of two spherical mounts for forehand: spherical mount (1) with slider (4) for forehand swing and spherical mount (2) with slider (7) for forehand swing out and spherical mount (10) with slider (11) for backhand, while sliders (4, 7, 11) are built in the hollow side of the mount (1, 2, 10) at the starting height (L) and ending height (Li) and also the mount ends (1, 2, 10) are made arched at the 90° angle and with radius (R) which corresponds to the user's arm length.

2. Training aid, after the requirement 1, indicated by, the fact that height proportions in mount (1) are L=l,7Li, and the angle between the slider (4) and hollow side is 45°.

3. Training aid, according to the requirement 1, indicated by, the fact that slider (7) of the mount (2) is set horizontally with L=Li height ratio and 60° angle between the slider (7) and hollow side.

4. Training aid, according to the requirement 1, indicated by, the fact that in mount (10) height ratio is L=0,6L] and the angle between the slider (11) and hollow side is 75° at the height (L) while ti is decreased to 45° at the height (Lj).