Cavitated Water Training/Exercise Ball

Abstract

A device and method for enhancing swimming exercises which can be used with the swimmer's legs, hands and head. The device can be a closed cell EVA foam sphere having opposite sides formed into concave cavities. The cavities permit a swimmer to position the device between his/her knees and against which the swimmer must apply leg-closing pressure. This causes the swimmer to maintain streamline during the entire pulling phase of the arm movement of the swimming stroke. With the device positioned at the same location, breaststroke kick training can also be enhanced as it causes the swimmer to apply pressure to maintain proper knee distance during kicking. Alternatively, the device can be held in one hand while the other hand is used to implement the particular swim stroke, and the device can be exchanged easily to the other hand. The device can also be placed under the chin during swimming exercises.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A water exercise device, said device comprising: a buoyant sphere having concave cavities on opposite sides thereof. 
     
     
         2 . The water exercise device of  claim 1  wherein said sphere comprises a foam. 
     
     
         3 . The water exercise device of  claim 2  wherein said foam comprises ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA). 
     
     
         4 . The water exercise device of  claim 3  wherein said EVA foam is closed cell foam. 
     
     
         5 . The water exercise device of  claim 2  wherein said EVA foam comprises a density in the range of 35-55 Shore. 
     
     
         6 . The water exercise device of  claim 5  wherein said EVA foam density comprises 45 Shore. 
     
     
         7 . The water exercise device of  claim 1  wherein each of said concave cavities comprises a plurality of ribs adapted for enhancing contact with a user's knees during use. 
     
     
         8 . The water exercise device of  claim 7  wherein said plurality of ribs comprise concentric raised rings. 
     
     
         9 . The water exercise device of  claim 1  wherein said sphere is sized to be held in a person's hand. 
     
     
         10 . A method for enhancing a swimmer's workout, said method comprising:
 (a) providing a buoyant sphere having concave cavities on opposite sides thereof;   (b) positioning a respective concave cavity against the side of a swimmer's respective knee; and   (c) applying pressure, by said swimmer, against said sphere to maintain his/her legs close together during a swimming exercise.   
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of applying pressure comprises allowing the swimmer to maintain his/her body alignment during said swimming exercise. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of applying pressure comprises maintaining a streamline profile of the swimmer during said swimming exercise. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said sphere comprises a foam. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said closed cell foam comprises ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA). 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  wherein said EVA foam is closed cell foam. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11  wherein said EVA foam comprises a density in the range of 35-55 Shore. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14  wherein said EVA foam density comprises 45 Shore. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10  wherein each of said concave cavities comprise a plurality of ribs adapted for enhancing contact with a user's knees during use. 
     
     
         19 . The method device of  claim 16  wherein said plurality of ribs comprise concentric raised rings. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 10  wherein said step of providing a buoyant sphere comprises sizing said sphere to be held in a person's hand. 
     
     
         21 . A method for enhancing a swimmer's workout, said method comprising:
 (a) providing a buoyant sphere having concave cavities on opposite sides thereof;   (b) positioning said sphere in one hand of the swimmer; and   (c) grasping said sphere, by said swimmer, in one hand and holding his/her arm of said one hand outstretched and straight forward while conducting the swim stroke using his/her other arm and legs.   
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said step of grasping said sphere comprises allowing the swimmer to maintain his/her body alignment during said swim stroke. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said step of grasping said sphere comprises maintaining a streamline profile of the swimmer during said swim stroke. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising the steps of:
 (d) switching, by the swimmer, said device to the hand of said other arm; 
 (e) grasping said sphere, by said swimmer, in the hand of said other arm outstretched and straight forward while conducting the swim stroke using his/her one hand and legs. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said sphere comprises a foam. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said closed cell foam comprises ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA). 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein said EVA foam is closed cell foam. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 25  wherein said EVA foam comprises a density in the range of 35-55 Shore. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said EVA foam density comprises 45 Shore. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 19  wherein each of said concave cavities comprise a plurality of ribs adapted for enhancing contact with a user's knees during use. 
     
     
         31 . The method device of  claim 30  wherein said plurality of ribs comprise concentric raised rings. 
     
     
         32 . A method for enhancing a swimmer's workout, said method comprising:
 (a) providing a buoyant sphere having concave cavities on opposite sides thereof;   (b) positioning said sphere under the chin of the swimmer; and   (c) compressing his/her chin against said sphere, by said swimmer, while conducting the swim stroke using his/her arms and legs.   
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said step of compressing his/her chin comprises allowing the swimmer to maintain his/her body alignment during said swim stroke. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 32  wherein said step of compressing his/her chin comprises maintaining a streamline profile of the swimmer during said swim stroke. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 28  wherein said sphere comprises a foam. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 35  wherein said closed cell foam comprises ethyl vinyl acetate (EVA). 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 36  wherein said EVA foam is closed cell foam. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 35  wherein said EVA foam comprises a density in the range of 35-55 Shore. 
     
     
         39 . The method of  claim 38  wherein said EVA foam density comprises 45 Shore. 
     
     
         40 . The method of  claim 32  wherein each of said concave cavities comprise a plurality of ribs adapted for enhancing contact with a user's knees during use. 
     
     
         41 . The method device of  claim 40  wherein said plurality of ribs comprise concentric raised rings.