Racquet Sports training mat and method of use thereof:

Abstract

The invention relates to a racquet sports five-sided shape mat and method of use. The mat is five-sided shape with a tennis ball inside. The tennis ball is marked with alphabets, numerical and/or geometric indicia, the indicia are clearly, visually and distinguishable at clock dial positions. The method is used to teach a player to properly grip the racquet handle and how to make ball contact at specific clock dial locations to produce topspin, backspin and angles. The five-sided shape mat with tennis ball inside need only be flipped on the left side when training left-handed players or flipped on the right side when training right-handed players.

Description

[0001] The Invention relates to racquet sports training shape mat, and more particularly to a five-sided shape mat with a circle tennis ball inside, which is marked with clock dial positions which assist in training a tennis player to properly grip the racket handle and how to make specific ball contact. The invention also relates to a method of training a tennis player by using such a training five-sided shape mat.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] The grips are the foundation of tennis strokes--how a player position their hand on the eight-sided handle has a direct impact on each ball they hit. As a certify United State Professional Tennis Association (USPTA) teaching professional, I have used tenths court shapes and/or spots for footwork, movement, positioning and check steps guides in tenths training. The court shapes may have different colors and sizes to provide variety and better visuals. Typically, the court shapes/spots are anti-slip and dirt resistant and stay in position when placed on the training court. The shapes/spots are made of rubber. My invention includes a method for teaching the grip and ball contact with one system using one five-sided shape mat that can be flipped over from left to right for teaching the left-handed or right-handed players respectively.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION

[0003] The Invention provides a tennis training five-sided shape mat having a circle tennis ball inside comprising of clearly visually distinguishable clock dial positions thereon. Such positions may be numerical digits, geometrical shapes or letters of the alphabet. No more than seven clock dial positions should be employed on the mat. For use in tennis training, the use is twofold:

1) The five-sided shape mat is a visual tool to help the tennis player hold the tennis racquet in a proper grip. 2) The tennis ball inside teaches the player to hit to a specific clock dial position at ball contact to impart topspin, sidespin and angles.

[0004] The player is therefore compelled to concentrate on the ball at the instant of impact/ball contact. Repetition of such training process makes such concentration habitual, whereby it persists even when a player is hitting a standard tennis ball.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0005] FIG. 1

[0006] Shows a racquet sports training five-sided shape mat with a circle tennis ball inside, which in accordance with the invention shows the five-sided left view of a racquet handle. The tennis ball, which is inside the shape mat, has clock dial positions at 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock, which are (decimal digits) clearly visually distinguishable at clock dial positions thereon.

[0007] FIG. 2

[0008] Shows a racquet sports training five-sided with a circle tennis ball inside which, in accordance with the invention, show the five-sided right view of a racquet handle. The tennis ball, which is inside the shape mat, has clearly, visually distinguishable clock dial positions at 3 o'clock, 6 o'clock and 9 o'clock, which are (decimal digits) clearly visually distinguishable at clock dial positions thereon.

Claims

1) A tennis training five-sided mat with circle tennis ball comprising of clearly visually distinguishable name patterns at clock dial locations there on, and said patterns being selected from the group consisting of decimal digits, geometrical shapes and alphabet letters.

2) A tennis training five-sided shape mat with circle tennis ball in accordance with claim 1, where said decimal digits are selected from the group consisting of 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12 o'clock and said alphabets letters are selected from the group consisting of a, b, c, d, e, f, g, h, I, j, k, l, m, n, o, p, q, r, s, t, u, v, w, x, y, z.

3) A method of training a tennis player, comprising of a five-sided shape mat that classify the grips. The five-sided shape mat for each grip show the top view of a racquet handle that has four main sides and four narrower bevels between the sides. The top-facing bevel is 1; move clockwise for 2 to 5. (Mirror for left-handed players.) Starting at the top bevel 1 down to 5, classifies the 1 Eastern backhand grip, 2 continental grip 3 Eastern forehand grip, 4 Semi-western forehand grip 5 Western forehand grip. The circle tennis ball having clearly visually distinguishable named patterns at clock dial location thereon, trains a tennis player to produce topspin, backspin and sidespin on the ball with which her racquet comes into contact at said clock dial location.