Athletic Training Aid and Method

Abstract

A training aid includes a garment including multiple securements. The securements are located at areas corresponding to predetermined anatomical areas of the torso including but not limited to the chest and abdomen. The training aid also includes at least one pair of securements worn on opposite upper extremities, such as the left and right forearms, wrists, hands, fingers, and/or thumbs and are configured to releasably attach the upper extremities in close proximity to any of the anatomical areas of the torso as desired by the wearer. When attached, the wearer is trained to emulate efficient running styles of world class runners. The various securements can include fibers that interlock when they are brought into pressing contact with each other.

1 . An athletic training aid comprising:
 a garment adapted to be worn by a user, the garment including a plurality of securement fibers located over an anterior surface of the user's torso when the garment is worn by the user;   a first band adapted to be worn by the user around a first upper extremity of the user, the first band including a plurality of securement fibers configured to attach to the securement fibers of the garment when pressed on to the securement fibers of the garment; and   a second band adapted to be worn by the user around a second upper extremity of the user, the second band including a plurality of securement fibers configured to attach to the securement fibers of the garment when pressed on to the securement fibers of the garment.   
     
     
         2 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the securement fibers of the garment are located over the user's chest when the garment is worn by the user. 
     
     
         3 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the securement fibers of the garment are located over the user's abdomen when the garment is worn by the user. 
     
     
         4 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the securement fibers of the garment are located only within a plurality of discrete regions of the garment spaced apart from each other, a first of the discrete regions located over the user's chest when the garment is worn by the user, and a second of the discrete regions located below the user's chest when the garment is worn by the user. 
     
     
         5 . The athletic training aid of  claim 4 , wherein a third of the discrete regions is located between the first and second discrete regions. 
     
     
         6 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the garment includes a first sleeve and a second sleeve, the first band located on or forming a part of the first sleeve, the second band located on or forming a part of the second sleeve. 
     
     
         7 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the first band is adapted to be secured around the left wrist or the left hand of the user, and the second band is adapted to be secured around the right wrist or the right hand of the user. 
     
     
         8 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the first band is adapted to be secured around a finger or a thumb on the left hand of the user, and the second band is adapted to be secured around a finger or a thumb on the right hand of the user. 
     
     
         9 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein the securement fibers of the garment are polymeric filaments that protrude outwardly and have a hook shape or a loop shape. 
     
     
         10 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , wherein:
 the securement fibers of the garment form an attachment surface on the garment; and   the securement fibers of the first band are configured such that, when the securement fibers of the first band are attached to the securement fibers of the garment, the securement fibers of the first band detach from the securement fibers of the garment with less pulling force when pulled in a direction perpendicular to the attachment surface compared to when pulled in a direction a direction parallel to the attachment surface.   
     
     
         11 . The athletic training aid of  claim 1 , further comprising a first hand glove and a second hand glove, wherein the first band is attached to the first hand glove and a second band is attached to the second hand glove. 
     
     
         12 . An athletic training aid comprising:
 a garment adapted to be attached to a user's torso, the garment including an upper securement located on an upper area of the garment over the user's chest when the garment is worn and a lower securement located at a lower area of the garment below the upper area;   a first securement adapted to secure a portion of the user's left arm below the elbow to the user's torso, the first securement movable by the user from an upper position, in which the first securement is attached to the upper securement, to a lower position, in which the first securement is attached to the lower securement; and   a second securement adapted to secure a portion of the user's right arm below the elbow to the user's torso, the second securement movable by the user from an upper position, in which the second securement is attached to the upper securement, to a lower position, in which the second securement is attached to the lower securement.   
     
     
         13 . The athletic training aid of  claim 12 , wherein the upper securement includes a left side portion and a right side portion, the left side portion located on an area of the garment over the user's left pectoralis muscles when the garment is worn, the right side portion located on an area of the garment over the user's right pectoralis muscles when the garment is worn. 
     
     
         14 . The athletic training aid of  claim 12 , wherein the lower securement includes a left side portion and a right side portion, the left side portion located on an area of the garment over the user's left external oblique muscle and spaced away from the user's abdominal midline when the garment is worn, the right side portion located on an area of the garment over the user's right external oblique muscle and spaced away from the user's abdominal midline when the garment is worn. 
     
     
         15 . An athletic training aid comprising:
 a device adapted to be worn over a user's torso, the device including left patch and a right patch, the left patch and the right patch each including an outward facing surface configured to grab fibers having a hook shape or a loop shape;   wherein when the device is worn, the left patch and the right patch are both located over the user's chest or both located below the chest away from user's rectus abdominus muscles.   
     
     
         16 . The athletic training aid of  claim 15 , wherein the device includes no strap and is a garment selected from the group consisting of a shirt with sleeves, a shirt without sleeves, or a shirt with an exposed midriff area, or a vest. 
     
     
         17 . The athletic training aid of  claim 15 , wherein when the device is worn, the left patch and the right patch are located over the user's chest. 
     
     
         18 . The athletic training aid of  claim 17 , wherein the device further includes a second left patch and a second right patch, the second left patch and the second right patch each including an outward facing surface configured to grab fibers having a hook shape or a loop shape; and wherein when the device is worn, the second left patch and the second right patch are located below the user's chest. 
     
     
         19 . The athletic training aid of  claim 15 , further comprising a second device including a patch of protruding fibers adapted to be grabbed by the outward facing surface of any one or both of the left patch and the right patch, the second device adapted to wrap around a body part selected from the group consisting a forearm, a wrist, a hand, a finger, and a thumb. 
     
     
         20 . An athletic training method comprising:
 positioning a first securement over a portion of the torso;   positioning a second securement over a portion of the right arm between the elbow and the fingertips;   positioning a third securement over a portion of the left arm between the elbow and the fingertips;   attaching the first securement to the second securement and to the third securement; and   running or jogging while the first securement is engaged to the second securement and the third securement.   
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein attaching the first securement to the second securement and to the third securement is accomplished by pressing a plurality of fibers over the right arm and the left arm against a plurality of fibers over the torso. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 21 , wherein positioning the second securement includes wrapping first strip of securement material around at least one finger of the right hand of the user and wrapping a second strip of securement material around the thumb of the right hand, wherein positioning the third securement includes wrapping a third strip of securement material around at least one finger of the left hand of the user and wrapping a fourth strip of securement material around the thumb of the right hand, and wherein the first securement includes at least two patches of securement material spaced apart from each other and located at different locations over the torso.