Batting practice device

Abstract

To provide a highly usable device for mastering an accurate movement of a lower body (movement of a pivot foot) that is important in baseball batting practice.SOLUTION: A plate-like mat 10 made of resin or rubber includes, at a part (a footrest) thereof, a trapezoidal heel stopper 11 integrally molded with the mat 10 to protrude therefrom. A wall part 13 with which a side face of a shoe part 12 of a pivot foot 3 comes into contact is inclined obliquely in a direction of the pivot foot from an opened mat-like surface to form an oblique neck part 14 at a bottom of the wall part 13, and the heel stopper 11 prevents a heel part of the pivot foot from escaping in a direction opposite to a batting direction during the start of rotational movement of the pivot foot in the batting direction at the start of batting.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a training tool for improving hitting in baseball and the like. [Background technology]

[0002] In conventional batting instruction, most of the time, the batting trajectory is taught, such as downswing, level swing, and upper swing, and therefore emphasis is placed on the movement of the upper body, especially the arms. In the opinion of the inventor, for players with a high average (batting average), the movement of the lower body, especially the pivot foot, needs to move efficiently and accurately, and the pivot foot movement is the most important for batting, so it can be said that it is important to master this. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0003] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Publication No. 2022-77043 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0004] When a person moves, it always starts with the legs. Even in baseball hitting, accurate movement of the pivot leg is required to store power in the hip joint of the pivot foot and transfer that power to the hip joint of the stepping leg. The inventor's research has revealed that if the pivot foot does not move correctly, the power of the pivot foot will spin around in vain, and the power of the lower body will not be transmitted to the upper body. By moving in a sequential order from the inside of the pivot foot (inside of the pivot foot - knee - hip joint - hip, and power is transferred in a sequential order from the hip joint of the stepping leg) (at this time, the grip of the bat is still in the top position when the inside of the pivot foot - knee), the bat is swung out in one go immediately after reaching the knee, and the power from the lower body rotates the upper body at the same time as the impact. In other words, the inventor's many years of research have revealed that in baseball hitting, maintaining ideal movement of the heel of the pivot foot as it begins to rotate in the direction of the hit at the start of the hit is extremely important for improving batting. When starting to hit, if the heel leaves too early and goes behind the toes, the pivot foot will move, but the knee will simply rotate outward too much, and the power stored in the hip joint of the pivot foot will not be transferred to the hip joint of the stepping leg, resulting in a hit that is only carried out by the upper body and arms.If the heel leaves too early and rotates with the toes, the shoulder at the opposite end will inevitably open up (the left shoulder for a right-handed batter), meaning the body will open up too early.

[0005] Based on the above-mentioned considerations, the present inventor proposed a striking pivot foot training device in Patent Document 1, which is made by bending a metal plate and fixed to the ground with an anchor. When this training device was repeatedly used in practice, it was found that the repeated strong stepping force of the pivot foot caused the device to move, shift, and wobble, and that the anchored structure was ineffective. That is, even with the effort of providing a strong anchor, movement and shifting occurred during practice, resulting in a so-called lack of strength. Furthermore, the training device in Patent Document 1 cannot be installed indoors. These problems have resulted in little value as a training device and it is unsuitable for use. It has also been found that Patent Document 1 insufficiently considered the structure and size required to ensure the heel correction function. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] To provide a training tool that allows the body to naturally learn more advanced batting home positions by accurately memorizing the most important lower body movements when practicing swings, setting tee shots, and tee batting in baseball batting, and that also has a corrective function and can surely demonstrate this function for a long time.

[0007] The present invention is a katt striking pivot foot correction training device characterized by having a heel stopper portion formed by protruding a portion of a flat mat having a pivot foot and front foot rest area when striking, and having a wall portion against which the side wall of the shoe portion of the pivot foot abuts, and the heel stopper portion prevents the heel of the pivot foot from escaping in the opposite direction to the striking direction while the pivot foot begins to rotate in the striking direction at the start of the strike.Preferably, the structure provides a structure in which the wall portion is inclined from the top surface of the flat plate in the pivot foot direction, and also a structure in which the horizontal longitudinal length of the heel stopper portion is greater than the length of the shoe portion, and the height of the wall portion is greater than the length of the shoe portion of the pivot foot. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] During batting practice using the present invention, the heels do not move backward, which transfers force from the lower body to the upper body, resulting in a smoother weight transfer, sharper bat swings, and more powerful hits. Furthermore, the longer the heels are in contact with the ground, the more powerful the curveballs become. According to the structure of the present invention, the feet rest on a sturdy, immovable mat that supports the entire body weight, and the heel stopper molded integrally with the mat is strong enough that the mat and heel stopper do not slip even when a large stepping force is applied from the pivot foot at the start of batting. This ensures that the heel stopper does not slip, thereby reliably preventing the heel of the pivot foot from slipping in the opposite direction of the batting stroke. If the heel stopper were to slip, the heel correction effect that improves batting performance would not be achieved, and the present invention is highly effective in this regard. Furthermore, the structure of the present invention can be easily installed in an outdoor or indoor practice area by simply placing the mat, creating a batting practice environment without any extra effort. Furthermore, the above function does not deteriorate even with repeated practice, allowing for long periods of heel correction practice. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a front view of a batting practice start time using a batting pivot foot training device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. [Figure 2] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the state of FIG. 1. [Figure 3] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the state immediately after starting batting practice using the training tool (when swinging the bat). [Figure 4] FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the latter half of batting practice using the training tool (after swinging the bat). [Figure 5] 1 is a diagram showing the pivot foot correction training device of the present invention placed in a batter's box. FIG. [Figure 6] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the state of movement mainly around the pivot foot during normal practice swing. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] First, based on the inventor's research, I will explain why the movement of the heel of the pivot foot is important, with reference to Figure 6. When heel 2 moves rearward from toe 1 of pivot foot 3 during the initial batting movement (as shown in Figure 6, the heel of the pivot foot moves back behind the toe), knee 4 simply moves forward (toward home base), and no force is transmitted from pivot foot hip joint 7 to hip joint 8, which steps forward, preventing powerful rotation of the hips. In other words, if the heel moves backward toward the catcher, and heel 2 leaves the ground too early (as shown by arrow Y) without pivot foot 3 moving inward, the bat will be swung with the heel still toward the catcher, and the force that should have been stored in the pivot leg will not be transmitted to the upper body. Furthermore, this movement of the heel of the pivot foot going backward inevitably causes the opposing shoulder to open up early (this is called opening the body early). Opening up early prevents the power stored in the lower body before the ball is caught from being transferred to the upper body, and the originally powerful power stored in the lower body is not transferred to the upper body and the bat, resulting in a weaker hit ball. In this way, if the heel goes backward during the initial batting movement, a powerful and efficient batting motion cannot be achieved. This invention was developed in search of further improvements to the training device (mentioned above, Patent Document 1) that would correct this disadvantage.

[0011] When hitting a baseball, a powerful force is generated by the pivot foot. As mentioned above, the training device created by the inventor based on Patent Document 1, which is made by bending a metal plate and anchored to the ground, moves, shifts, and wobbles due to the powerful stepping force of the pivot foot applied repeatedly during repeated practice. It was found that the anchored structure does not function properly for practice. Furthermore, even if one takes the time to securely anchor the device to the ground, repeated use leads to movement and shifting. This is extremely unsuitable for batting practice. Furthermore, the training device of Patent Document 1 cannot be used in the indoor practice areas that are commonly used due to the anchored structure. [Example]

[0012] FIG. 1 shows a training device according to one embodiment of the present invention with both feet (pivot foot 3 and front foot 20) placed on it for batting practice. This training device includes a flat, resin or rubber mat 10, with a heel stopper 11 molded integrally with the mat 10 and adjacent to its footrest. The mat 10 is placed on, for example, a dirt or indoor practice field floor 15. It is preferably large enough for both feet to rest on; for example, a mat the size of a batter's box, as described below, is ideal for practice. The heel stopper 11 is preferably trapezoidal, with a wall 13 against which the side of the shoe 12 of the pivot foot 3 abuts, inclined obliquely from the top of the flat mat toward the pivot foot. The lower portion of the wall 13 of the stopper 11 is formed with an inclined portion 14, which, together with the inclination of the wall 13, firmly presses and holds the inside of the pivot foot's sole, which is important for heel retention and stepping, against the floor 15. The width w of the lower part of the stopper part 11 is set to, for example, several centimeters to 10 centimeters in order to prevent deformation at the time of impact. The height H of the stopper portion 11 is preferably at least half the length of the shoe portion 12, for example, 15 cm or more, in order to prevent the heel 2 from moving backward at the initial batting movement.

[0013] Figure 2 shows the state of the lower body in Figure 1 before the start of the strike, with both feet (pivot foot 3 and front foot 20) placed on the foot rests on the mat 10, the lower part of the pivot foot being held by the heel stopper 11, and the knees 4, 21 of both feet slightly bent in preparation for the start of the strike.

[0014] Figure 3 shows the state where the impact motion starts from the state shown in Figure 2. At 11, the heel 2 of the pivot foot 3 is prevented from escaping in the opposite direction to the hitting direction while the pivot foot begins to rotate in the hitting direction at the start of the hit. As the hitting motion progresses from the state in Figure 3, the inner sole of the knee 4 is pushed inward with the force accumulated in the hip joint 7 of the pivot foot 3, preventing unnecessary heel escaping, and the state of the lower body immediately after the ball is hit by the bat through the movement of the pivot foot is shown in Figure 4. According to the present invention, the heel 3 does not leave the ground quickly due to the movement of the pivot foot, so the heel does not escaping backward as shown in Figure 6.

[0015] Players with high batting averages can shift their weight correctly to the stepping leg by moving their pivot foot efficiently and accurately in the lower body, and the force is transmitted in an orderly manner to the upper body, from the legs, knees, hips, and waist to the torso, arms, elbows, hands, and finally to the bat. By using the equipment of this invention, players can master the pivot foot movement, which is the most important part of a batter's movement.

[0016] In baseball batting, the pivot foot rotates, but simply rotating is not enough. Research by the inventor has shown that it is important to momentarily delay the heel's lifting off the ground before the rotation begins. To momentarily delay heel lift, all one needs to do is apply force to the inside of the pivot knee, creating a pushing motion. Delaying the lift allows the stored power to be transferred directly to the hip joint of the stepping leg, which is extremely important. Simply moving the heel back and pivoting on the toes will move the pivot foot, but the power will not be transferred from the knee to the hip; it will simply move. Furthermore, if the pivot foot's heel leaves the ground too early and pivots on the toes, the ball will drift toward the catcher, which will inevitably open up the opposing left shoulder (for right-handed batters). This leads to a premature body opening, causing the pivot knee to turn outward (away from the base), resulting in a large turn and dispersing the force, which is not properly transferred to the stepping leg.

[0017] Using the equipment of the present invention, when swinging the bat from the top of the swing, focusing force on the inside (big toe) of the pivot foot 3 and the leading front foot 23 allows the heel 2 to turn inward, momentarily delaying its release from the ground, and transmitting force to the knee, hip joint, lower back, and the hip joint of the leading leg. In other words, this allows force to be transmitted in an orderly manner from the lower body to the upper body, and when the leading foot 23 lands with the ball of the big toe, the grip holding the bat remains in its original position (an important split in batting), and as the leading foot 3 transitions from the ball of the big toe to the heel, the pivot foot 3 releases the heel 2 and rotates on its toes.

[0018] As shown in Figure 6, if the heel of the pivot foot (2) leaves the ground too early and moves toward the catcher, turning only on the toes (1) will move the foot, but this movement will not be transmitted to the hips (5), resulting in only the foot and leg moving. As shown in Figure 3, once the pivot foot (3) begins to move, force is transmitted in order to the leg, knee, hip, and hip. This is why the stopper (11) plays a crucial role in preventing the heel (2) from moving backward. Furthermore, if the heel leaves the ground too early without moving inward, as shown in Figure 6, the pivot foot will rotate only on the toes, inevitably opening the opposing left shoulder (for right-handed batters) too early. Opening the shoulders too early (before impact) is extremely undesirable when batting. To momentarily delay the heel's release from the ground, the ideal action is to, with the bat at the top of the bat, apply force to the big toes of both the leading leg (front foot) and the pivot foot, momentarily delaying the heel's release from the ground. When using the equipment of this invention, the stepping leg lands on the base of the big toe and shifts to the heel, and at that moment the knee of the supporting leg tilts toward the stepping leg, transmitting force, causing the heel to leave the ground (at this point the bat, which was at the top of its swing, is swung), shifting to the big toe of the supporting leg and rotating the body around the base of the big toe. By moving in this way, the heel will not move toward the catcher.

[0019] During batting practice, it is undesirable for the stopper portion 11 to deform or shift. As mentioned above, although it depends on the material of the stopper portion 11, if the width W of the lower portion is set to, for example, several centimeters to 10 cm, a strong stopper portion that is less likely to deform during batting can be obtained. The height H of the stopper 11 can be selected as appropriate, but to prevent the heel 2 from moving backward at the initial batting motion and to enable it to rotate thereafter, it is desirable that it be at least half the length of the shoe 12, for example, 15 cm or more. The horizontal length of the heel stopper 11 is also desirably greater than the length of the shoe 12 so that no part of the shoe 12 protrudes and the heel is securely regulated.

[0020] The open mat 10 of the present invention can be easily installed in the batter's box near home base, as shown in Figure 5, with a center line 40 and home bases 50, 51 on either side, to form a batting practice device suitable for left-handed and right-handed batters. 33, 30 indicate the pivot foot and front foot positions of a left-handed batter. Since the pivot foot and front foot are constantly placed on the flat mat 10 of the present invention, the mat 10 does not move during batting practice. The stopper portion 11 is molded integrally with the mat 10, making it durable and less likely to deform during practice. It can also be easily carried and transported, and set up and removed indoors and outdoors. This batting practice device is thus ideal for installation in the batter's box near home base. [Industrial Applicability]

[0021] The present invention provides a training tool that reliably prevents the heel of the pivot foot from escaping in the opposite direction of the strike with a heel stopper, thereby providing a heel correction effect that leads to improved striking.The tool can be easily set up and removed from an outdoor or indoor practice area by simply carrying a mat, creating a hitting practice environment without any extra effort.Furthermore, the tool of the present invention does not lose its above-mentioned function even with repeated practice, making heel correction practice possible for long periods of time, and contributing to the promotion of highly usable equipment. [Explanation of symbols]

[0022] 1 toe 2 heel 33 Pivot 4. Knee 10 Flat Mat 11 Heel stopper 12 Shoes 13 Wall 14 Slope 15 Dirt or indoor practice floor 20,30 front legs 50,51 Home Base

Claims

1. A hitting training device characterized in that a flat mat having a support foot and a forefoot resting portion for hitting is provided with a heel stopper portion formed by protruding a part of the mat and having a wall portion against which the side wall of the shoe portion of the support foot abuts, and the heel stopper portion prevents the heel of the support foot from escaping in the opposite direction to the hitting direction while the support foot starts to rotate in the hitting direction at the start of hitting.

2. 2. The hitting training tool of claim 1, wherein the wall portion is inclined from the upper surface of the plate toward the pivot foot.

3. 2. The hitting training tool according to claim 1, wherein the horizontal length of the heel stopper portion is greater than the length of the shoe portion, and the height of the wall portion is greater than half the length of the shoe portion of the pivot foot.

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