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Golf swing muscle strengthenerRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory Therefor, Utilizing Weight Resistance, Including Stationary Support For WeightGolf swing muscle strengthener description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20070161470, Golf swing muscle strengthener. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application is a second continuation in part of Ser. No. 10/286,537 filed Nov. 2, 2002, now abandoned. The first continuation in part application is Ser. No. 11/004,307 filed Dec. 3, 2004. This application is also entitled to the benefit of Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/338,051, filed Nov. 3, 2001. BACKGROUND [0002] 1. Field of Invention [0003] This invention relates to golf, specifically to a resistance exercise apparatus for strengthening the muscles used in the golf swing. [0004] 2. Discussion of Prior Art [0005] The golf swing is complex in that it requires strength but also coordinated precision and timing. The larger shoulder, torso, and back muscles initiate the club's acceleration and momentum with the downswing. As the club head approaches the ball, the number of muscles involved in the downswing increases. Specifically, the smaller forearm, wrist, and hand muscles join the larger muscles to continue the club head's acceleration, momentum, and centrifugal force as it approaches ball contact. Additionally, these smaller muscles guide the club head to the ball and square the club face to the intended direction at ball contact. This coordinated procession of increased muscle activity as the club approaches the ball requires exceptional timing and feel that can only be attained by repetitive swinging of the golf club. Repetition brings familiarity with the club's weight, length, construction, response to ball contact, and response to ground contact creating what is known as "feel" for the club. Any minor extrinsic force, pressure, restriction, or positional change can disrupt the coordination and timing of this precise muscular activity resulting in an errant golf shot. This is the reason why hitting good golf shots consistently is so difficult. [0006] Many different golf exercising and strengthening devices can be found in the prior art. Unfortunately, in their efforts to align the golfer's swing path, improve posture and mechanics, or increase strength and swing speed, they apply external pressures, force positional disruptions, and cause movement restrictions that alter the timing and feel of the golf swing. These devices hinder rather than help with the development of learned muscle activity necessary for making good consistent golf swings and ball contact. [0007] Examples of golf swing strengthening apparatus include Moller's U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,657, Master's U.S. Pat. No. 4,229,002, Kiehl's U.S. Pat. No. 4,326,718, La Mothe's U.S. Pat. No. 5,125,882, Hart's U.S. Pat. No. 5,156,402, Otter's U.S. Pat. No. 5,158,299, Hundley's U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,344, Lee's U.S. Pat. No. 5,284,464, and Raynak's U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,146. Each of these apparatus creates it's resistance against the golf club or simulated golf club. The extrinsic force applied to the golf club disturbs the precise muscular activity that occurs when swinging the golf club freely. It places excessive tension across the hands, wrists, and forearms causing premature and excessive activity of these muscles resulting in altered timing and feel. Repetitive practice with these devices makes it more difficult to execute the appropriate and timely procession of muscle activity needed to swing the free golf club correctly. [0008] Moller's device (U.S. Pat. No. 3,785,657), Raynak's device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,888,146) and Hundley's device (U.S. Pat. No. 5,242,344) restrict the natural golf swing in another way. Kinematic analysis of professional golfer's swings reveal that the shape of the golf swing as outlined by the golfer's hands and club head is not truly circular. Instead, it is slightly oblong. The above three apparatus have a swing arm fixed at a certain length that rotates around a central pivot point, and is attached to the simulated golf club at a certain fixed point. This arrangement forces a perfectly circular and unnatural swing. Hundley attempts to solve this problem by offering a second handle structure to his apparatus that allows some sliding of the simulated golf club relative to the swing arm so that there is some independence from the completely circular motion of the swing arm. This second handle structure, however, only allows the club to slide in one direction relative to the swing arm path rather than both directions. Therefore, the club is not totally independent of the swing arm's perfectly circular motion. The result will be an impeded and unnatural golf swing. [0009] Other prior inventions disclosed for golf training and exercise include Dagenais's U.S. Pat. No. 6,174,270, and Wolfs U.S. Pat. No. 6,013,013. These inventions focus on improving axial skeletal rotation and flexibility. Wolfs device includes a resistance means for strengthening the muscles of the axial skeleton used in the golf swing. Neither of these devices, however, allow the golfer to assume a natural golf swing position with respect to the golfer's arms and hands. The golfer cannot hold or swing the golf club using these apparatus because the arms and hands are separated. These devices also limit the movement of the arms at the shoulder joint. They make the arms move with the torso and shoulders but not independent from them. These positional and movement limitations reduce the function of many important upper-body muscles used in the golf swing. The most important muscles affected are the subscapularis, the latissimus dorsi, and the pectoralis major. These three muscles have been found to be the most active upper-body muscles used in the golf swing. Each of these muscles originates in the upper torso, crosses the shoulder joint, and inserts onto the humerus or upper arm bone. Translational and rotational movement of the humerus independent from upper torso and shoulder rotation activates these muscles. These muscles are active in the golf swing because the arms exhibit significant translational and rotational motion separate from upper torso and shoulder rotation. The inactivity of the golfer's arms using Wolfs and Dagenais's apparatus results in compromised resistance training of these important golf swing muscles. [0010] In summary, the apparatus listed above that attach directly to the golf club or simulated golf club create unnatural tension on the hands, wrists and forearms and disrupt the "feel" of the freely swung golf club. Some of these devices also force an unnatural perfectly circular swing path. The other devices listed above that focus on axial skeletal muscle training do not permit the golfer to position the arms in a manner similar to a typical golf set-up position. They also don't permit the arms to swing or even move independent from the shoulders and upper torso. These devices are ineffective in training the upper body's most active golf swing muscles. [0011] A 2005 article entitled "A three dimensional examination of the planar nature of the golf swing" by authors Coleman and Rankin shows that the lead arm in the golf swing steepens or becomes more vertical as the downswing progresses. None of the apparatus discussed above addresses this golf swing characteristic. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0012] The present invention solves the aforementioned problems. The present invention provides resistance strength training for the largest, most active, upper-body muscles used in the golf swing. It does not, however, impede the normal activity of the smaller, forearm, wrist, and hand muscles nor does it disrupt the natural "feel" of the golf club. It accomplishes this by providing resistance without attaching to the golfer's golf club. Instead, it provides resistance against the golfer's leading forearm as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4. It employs a swing arm assembly that exhibits pivotal rotation around a central axis when the swing arm is rotated. The swing arm has an extension bar that extends out toward the golfer and supports a pad member. The pad member is typically cylindrical and has a hyperbolic shape designed to accept the golfer's leading forearm. When the golfer exercises with this apparatus, the golfer begins in a fully extended back swing position with the leading forearm placed against the cylindrical pad. As the golfer initiates the downswing the leading forearm applies pressure to the cylindrical pad, which rotates the swing arm assembly against a means of resistance. When the golfer finishes the downswing and reaches the ball contact position, he or she then relaxes and allows the resistance to push the arms back up to the peak of the back swing. The downswing is then repeated. Since there is no attachment to the golf club, there is no excess tension across the hands, wrists or forearms, and the club feels the same regardless of whether the golfer is using the apparatus or swinging the club freely. Therefore, the natural "feel" of the golf club is not lost when using this apparatus. [0013] The present invention also effectively strengthens the subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, pectoralis major, and other active, upper-body, golf swing muscles. It does so by focusing on translational motion of the arms during the downswing phase of the golf swing, and by providing a means of resistance to the swing arm assembly. Translational motion of the arms in the downswing accelerates the club and requires significant muscular activity. The downswing begins at the peak of the back swing and ends at the ball contact position. At the peak of the back swing the shoulders have rotated 90 degrees, but the arms have rotated back even further. Some golfers can reach 180 degrees with their back swing arm rotation. With the downswing, the arms must travel further and faster than the shoulders to "catch up" to them by the time the club reaches the ball contact position. The arms travel further and faster than the shoulders because of the activity of the subscapularis, latissimus dorsi, and pectoralis major muscles. The resistance applied by the swing arm assembly against the golfer's translational arm motion during the downswing strengthens these important muscles. [0014] In addition to translational motion the arms also exhibit rotational motion with the downswing. At the peak of the back swing the posterior aspect of the leading hand and it's knuckles face in the direction that the golfers feet are pointing. At the ball contact position, however, the posterior aspect of the leading hand and its knuckles face in the direction of where the ball is being hit. This rotation of the leading hand occurs because the arms rotate 90 degrees with the downswing. FIG. 4 demonstrates how the present invention provides a means for accommodating this 90 degree rotation of the arms during the downswing. In the preferred embodiment of the invention, the swing arm's extension bar has the cylindrical pad mounted slidably on its proximal end. The distal end of the extension bar has a spring biasing the cylindrical pad toward the proximal end. When the golfer exercises with this apparatus, the leading forearm is pressed perpendicularly against the cylindrical pad. With the downswing, the leading upper arm rotates at the shoulder joint and the forearm supinates at the elbow joint resulting in this 90 degree arm rotation against the cylindrical pad. The cylindrical pad responds to this arm rotation by sliding distally on the extension bar towards the spring. The cylindrical pad compresses the spring. When the golfer reaches the ball contact position, he or she relaxes and allows the resistance to push the arms back toward the backswing position. As the arms are pushed back into the backswing position, the leading upper arm counter-rotates and the forearm pronates against the cylindrical pad causing the cylindrical pad to slide proximally along the extension bar to its original position and allowing the spring to decompress. The downswing is repeated. In this manner, arm rotation in the downswing is not restricted by the present invention. [0015] Another advantage of this invention is that it accommodates the golf swing characteristic of the front or leading arm steepening or becoming more vertical as the downswing progresses. It does so by using a multi-plane element that adjustably changes the angle of the extension bar and cylindrical pad from the swing arm shown in fig. Angulating the cylindrical pad downward relative to the elevated swing arm results in the extension bar and cylindrical pad changing its plane as the swing arm is rotated downward by the exercising golfer. This results in the golfer's leading arm remaining perpendicular to the cylindrical pad as the golfer's arm steepens during the downswing. [0016] Another advantage of this invention is that it permits the golfer's slightly oblong swing path to deviate from the unnatural, perfectly circular path of the swing arm and cylindrical pad. The cylindrical pad is designed to rotate on the extension bar and roll on the golfer's leading forearm. As the leading forearm applies pressure against the cylindrical pad, the swing arm and the cylindrical pad exhibit pivotal motion around the central axis of rotation and follow a perfectly circular path. The golfer's arms, hands and golf club deviate from this perfectly circular path and follow a slightly oblong path. This deviation is accommodated by rotation of the cylindrical pad along the leading forearm allowing the golfer's arms, hands and golf club to deviate from the cylindrical pad's circular path and follow their natural swing path. [0017] The present invention utilizes a second mechanism to accommodate the golfer's oblong swing path from the perfectly circular path of the swing arm and cylindrical pad. The previously mentioned multi-plane element connects the cylindrical pad element to the swing arm element shown in FIGS. 19a, 19b, and 20. The multi-plane element has an extension bar base with associated bearings and two parallel shafts. The extension bar base and its bearing can move parallel to the swing arm on these two parallel shafts. Therefore, the extension bar base, the extension bar, and the cylindrical pad move in the same plane as the swing arm so that the golfer's swing can be independent from the swing arm's perfectly circular motion. [0018] Another advantage of this invention is that it promotes a straight leading arm in the golf swing. A straight leading arm is a well-known fundamental of the golf swing. It is essential for consistently returning the club head to the ball to make good ball contact. Since the leading arm is against the cylindrical pad in the present invention, it bears more of the resistance force than the back arm. Also, since the cylindrical pad is against the golfer's forearm, the muscles around the elbow and shoulder joints will bear the stress of the resistance force. Larger muscles can bear more force than smaller muscles, and contracted muscles can bear more force than extended muscles. If the elbow of the leading arm is bent during use of this exercise apparatus, considerable force will be placed on the relatively small, extended triceps muscles of the upper arm. Fully contracting the triceps muscle increases its ability to bear more force, straightens the elbow and reduces stress across this joint. The straightened elbow transmits greater force to the shoulder joint and the larger upper torso muscles that control and support the shoulder joint. Since larger muscles can handle greater force, it feels more comfortable to maintain a straight elbow than a bent elbow when using the present apparatus. [0019] Other features of this invention further define its objects and advantages. The swing arm assembly is elevated to the golfer's upper torso by a vertical frame that is stabilized by a base. A height adjustment means and a swing plane adjustment element permits the golfer to assume a comfortable golf swing position. A support arm, which has the swing arm assembly at its distal end, provides separation between the golfer and the vertical frame so that the golfer can swing the golf club unimpeded. The swing arm assembly is rotatable in both directions accommodating right-handed and left-handed golfers. The swing arm assembly also incorporates a means for adjusting the swing arm to various, backswing, starting position based on the golfer's flexibility. The swing arm has an approximate S-shape, L-shape, or J-shape that places the distal aspect of the swing arm parallel to the golfer's leading forearm while providing headroom for the golfer proximally. An adjustable slider and torque bolt on the proximal aspect of the swing arm allows the distal aspect of the swing arm, the multi-plane element and the cylindrical pad to be adjustable for varying arm lengths. [0020] Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent by a review of the specifications, claims, and appended figures. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Continue reading about Golf swing muscle strengthener... Full patent description for Golf swing muscle strengthener Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Golf swing muscle strengthener patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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