This invention relates to basketball, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for training a person to shoot free-throws.
A key aspect of the basketball free-throw or foul shot is the consistent environment presented to the player. From court to court, the distances involved in making the shot will be entirely consistent as are the particular properties of the equipment and environment largely relevant to accomplishing the shot. The absence of a defender attempting to block the shot removes any strategy considerations. Therefore, the ability to successfully make free-throws is a highly trainable skill. The most common method of training is simple unaided repetition. Unaided repetition is highly inefficient and has sporadic results.
In attempts to increase training efficiency and improve training results, a variety of techniques and associated equipment have been developed. Little of the equipment is in common use. There have been a number of patented brace-like structures configured to be worn on the user""s arm to restrict or otherwise guide motion (typically of the wrist) in a desired fashion. These orthotic structures appear to be awkward, address a limited aspect of the shooting motion, are not specifically tailored to foul shooting, and suffer from the inherent deficiency that their weight and restriction train the users to shoot under different circumstances than are actually encountered in a game. Other patented training devices involve fixed structures which have a mechanically-guided mock basketball and, appear to resemble exercise equipment. Such machines can only aspire to mimic the xe2x80x9cfeelxe2x80x9d of shooting a basketball, and are no substitute for the actual thing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,599,016 shows a free-standing device which is purported to develop muscle memory relative to proper hand, wrist, and arm movement, and, in particular to the follow through of the shooting hand after release of the basketball. This involves positioning a rectangular structure above the head of the user so that the user is forced to project the basketball through an aperture in the structure. This device fails to address what we believe are the key aspects of the movements involved in proper foul shooting and further fails to provide instructional feedback to the user.
We have come to observe and understand much about free-throw shooting techniques both good and bad. Because of the uniform circumstances presented by the free-throw, other than a small inherent randomness, the causes of shooting inaccuracy rest entirely with the player, technique, and training. By minimizing potential sources of such inaccuracy, the player""s free-throw shooting percentage can be increased. Most, if not all, competitive basketball players at the junior high school, high school, college; and professional levels have sufficient hand/wrist strength to accomplish a free-throw with relatively slight movement of the upper torso and even less movement of the legs. Nevertheless, even some professional players go through very extreme movements during free-throw shooting. In particular, the player often starts standing erect and then initiates a cocking or setting movement: squatting with his legs; lowering his shooting arm so that the shooting elbow is significantly below the shoulder; and flexing that elbow outward. To attempt the shot, the player simultaneously extends his legs and shooting arm, bringing his elbow inward as the arm extends. We believe this extreme range of motion presents a significant source of shooting inaccuracy. At a first level, the greater range of motion from the set point to the release point increases the likelihood that the shooter""s release position, speed, and the like may be other than optimal. At a second level, however, this is exacerbated by the fact that the longer range of motion puts the shooter in positions where he is more likely to be affected by fatigue. In particular, fatigued legs will greatly affect the amount of propulsion provided by the legs if the shooter makes a deep squat to the set position prior to shooting. Also, lowering of the shooting arm tends to bring the ball down to or below the level of the player""s chin. As the player extends his shooting arm the ball passes in front of the player""s face, moving through the line of sight to the rim so that the player must refocus on the rim as the shot is taken.
We have accordingly provided a method for teaching a player to shoot free-throws with a shooting technique configured to minimize sources of error and the effects of fatigue, thereby, maximizing accuracy. To implement this method, we have designed an apparatus which, while confining the practicing player to a desired range of motion, does so in such a way that the player ultimately experiences the exact same sensory inputs as in the absence of the apparatus.
Accordingly, in one aspect the invention is directed to a device for training a person to accomplish a basketball shot, by way of example a foul shot. The device includes a generally vertically extending frame and a horizontally extending support, supporting the frame. A lower body positioning member is supported by the support or the frame and is located in front of a leg area of the person when that person is in a position to attempt the shot. When the person so attempts the shot the lower body positioning member restrains forward rotation of the person""s leading shin. Preferably in addition to the lower body positioning member, but optionally alternative thereto, an upper body positioning member is supported by the support or the frame and is located in front of a torso area of the person. When the person attempts the shot, the upper body positioning member restrains downward rotation of the person""s shooting arm.
In various implementations of the invention, at least one ball rack may hold a number of basketballs reachable by the person when in the position. There may be two such ball racks each secured to an associated upright of the frame. An elbow positioning member may confine outward rotation of the person""s shooting elbow. The elbow positioning member may include a vertically-extending pad carried by the upper body positioning member. The positioning members may be height adjustable to accommodate different persons. The upper and lower body positioning members may be positioned to respectively contact a tricep area of the shooting arm and the leading shin upon threshold movement of such arm and shin. The upper body positioning member may be positioned to restrain (constrain or confine) movement of the upper shooting arm so that its elbow does not go below its shoulder. The lower body positioning member may be positioned to prevent movement of the leading knee beyond about 1 to about 3 inches (about 1.5 to about 7.5 cm) ahead of an initial knee position.
In another aspect, the invention is directed to a method for training a person to accomplish a desired basketball shot. A training apparatus is provided which defines a location for the person to utilize the apparatus. The basketball goal is provided. The apparatus is positioned relative to the goal so that the defined location has a desired relationship to the goal. The person is positioned in the defined location in a preferred stance for the desired shot. A first member of the apparatus is positioned in front of a lower portion of the person. A second member of the apparatus is positioned in front of an upper portion of the person. In a repetitive process, the person is provided with a basketball and shoots the basketball at the goal. During the shot, an initial squatting movement of the person, causing a lower leg of the person to rotate forward or beyond a threshold rotation, will be restrained by the first member. An initial movement of the person, otherwise causing an upper arm portion of the person""s shooting arm to rotate down to or beyond a threshold rotation, will be restrained by the second member (preferably little to no rotation is permitted). By this repetitive process the person learns to accomplish the shot without excessive rotation of the lower leg and upper arm. Advantageously, the shooter receives balls from racks positioned for access as close as possible to the desired initial position.