Systems and methods of sports training using specific biofeedback

Abstract

Apparatus for providing biofeedback sports training are described to improve training in a convenient form. Aspects include a sparring device that converts impact and training rates into audio streams following human speech patterns. A device is described for coaching swings such as in golf. Another aspect of the invention is a strength training device utiling a multicylinder piston device.

Description

[0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application serial No. 60 / 381,730 filed on May 18, 2002 and No. 60 / 413,199 as filed on Sep. 23, 2002.STATEMENT OF FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002] Not ApplicableREFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIX[0003] Not Applicable[0004] 1. Field of the Invention[0005] This invention pertains generally to generating user-oriented forms of biofeedback for consumer-based athletic equipment and more particularly to a sparring apparatus which generates audio in response to strike "damage", an apparatus for attachment to swinging forms of athletic equipment that generates audio in response to patterns of motion, and a strength training apparatus that generates tactile, visual, and audio feedback in response to workout repetitions.[0006] 2. Description of the Background Art[0007] Athletes can enhance their specific form of workout when they are provided with sufficient feedback. To this end many devices have been created for ...

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Benefits of technology

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Problems solved by technology

However, these devices typically provide measurement data in a statistical form, or in a form that is otherwise unsuitable for use by athletes during daily training and in a form that the athlete can readily adapt to.

Athletes in a number of athletic fields are subject to these feedback limitations and thereby are unable to maximize their performance.

In using the current forms of these sparring devices, the user does not get a regulated workout, nor do they get sufficient feedback to provide motivation and assure maximum benefits.

However, with sparring, the user can't readily set the force or easily count the number of repetitions, thereby they have no way to determine how much power they have expended during the workout.

It will be appreciated that a weight training machine would be far less effective if the weight lifted changed each time and user didn't know what the amount of weight being lifted, and was also unable to count the number of repetitions.

Furthermore, sparring with a "striking bag" is often considered boring in relation to active competitions, or sparring against an actual sparring partner.

Although many sports enthusiasts occasionally hit a great shot they find it very difficult to arrive at a consistent swing which produces consistently good results.

With approximately twelve percent of the population involved in the sport of golf alone, it is not surprising that the market is getting very crowded for swing improvement devices.

However, the available devices generally offer rather marginal help in "grooving" a swing for golf, tennis, baseball, and other swing related sports, for a number of reasons.

If that is ignored, the user may be trying to reconfigure their stroke to suite the machine, and actually can train toward a sub optimal goal that may provide worse results than their current swing patterns.

Feedback generated by the devices may be of a nature that the user can not readily relate to in order to change aspects of the swing in moving toward an optimal swing.

For example, a club "breaking" sometime during the swing may infer that the swing is not smooth but it provides little information to allow the user to correct the swing.

Furthermore, a number of the devices are directed at laboratory use, or are otherwise too cumbersome or expensive to be utilized by average persons participating in the sport.

A number of drawbacks exist with these

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