Square up swing trainer

Abstract

An apparatus for and method of training a user's swing for sports. The user grasps a main shaft and positions the main shaft adjacent to a back shoulder when assuming a golf stance or batter's stance. The user supports a shape structure mounted to the main shaft in an orientation wherein the shape structure is facing upwards for golf swing training and faces downwards for baseball or softball swing training. The shape structure may be square in shape. The shape structure and main shaft have a center of mass that is offset from the longitudinal axis of the main shaft. The main shaft may have a segment of reduced diameter, e.g., a proximal shaft segment and a segment of shape diameter, e.g. a distal shaft segment. The proximal shaft segment may define grip features. The main shaft may be of solid construction.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A swing trainer comprising:
 a main shaft having a proximal shaft end, a distal shaft end and defining a longitudinal axis;   a shape structure mounted to said main shaft and extending away from said main shaft such that a center of mass of the swing trainer is offset from said longitudinal axis of said main shaft.   
     
     
         2 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 said main shaft has a segment of reduced diameter and a segment of shape diameter. 
 
     
     
         3 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 said main shaft has a proximal shaft segment and a distal shaft segment. 
 
     
     
         4 . The swing trainer according to  claim 3  wherein:
 said proximal shaft segment defines grip features. 
 
     
     
         5 . The swing trainer according to  claim 3  wherein:
 said proximal shaft segment has a smaller diameter than said distal shaft segment. 
 
     
     
         6 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 said main shaft is solid. 
 
     
     
         7 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 wherein said shape structure defines a shape approximating a shape of a square. 
 
     
     
         8 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 said shape structure comprises a proximal shape member, a distal shape member, and an offset parallel shape member. 
 
     
     
         9 . The swing trainer according to  claim 8  wherein:
 said offset parallel shape member defines a maximum offset from said main shaft. 
 
     
     
         10 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 said shape structure and said main shaft define a center of mass; 
 wherein said center of mass is between 5 and 20 inches from said longitudinal axis of said main shaft. 
 
     
     
         11 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 a proportion of a weight of said main shaft to said shape structure is approximately 3:5. 
 
     
     
         12 . The swing trainer according to  claim 1  wherein:
 a proportion of a weight of said main shaft to said shape structure is between 2:5 and 1:1. 
 
     
     
         13 . A method of training a golf swing of a user comprising steps of:
 grasping a main shaft, said main shaft having a proximal shaft end, a distal shaft end and defining a longitudinal axis;   positioning said main shaft adjacent to a back shoulder when assuming a golf stance;   supporting a shape structure mounted to said main shaft in an orientation wherein said shape structure is facing upwards, said shape structure and said main shaft having a center of mass that is offset from said longitudinal axis of said main shaft;   swinging said main shaft as if swinging a golf club, wherein said shape structure is rotated during a swing to be in a squared up orientation at a location of impact.   
     
     
         14 . A method of training a baseball or softball swing of a user comprising:
 grasping a main shaft, said main shaft having a proximal shaft end, a distal shaft end and defining a longitudinal axis;   positioning said main shaft adjacent to a back shoulder when assuming a batting stance;   supporting a shape structure mounted to said main shaft in an orientation wherein said shape structure is facing downwards, said shape structure and said main shaft having a center of mass that is offset from said longitudinal axis of said main shaft;   swinging said main shaft as if swinging a bat, wherein said shape structure is rotated during a swing to be in a squared up orientation at a location of impact.