A tactile reference attachment for providing a user with tactile biofeedback. The attachment includes a tactile reference feature that extends longitudinally along an exterior body surface and is formed with dimensions specifically tailored to harness the user's natural attributes of sensibility, proprioception, and neuromuscular memory to improve a user's performance.

Training equipment includes a hollow shaft having a sidewall defining an internal cavity and at least one polymer material filling at least a portion of the internal cavity. The polymer material may fill the entire internal cavity of the hollow shaft. The polymer material may be a visco-elastic polymer material or polyurethane. A spacer or a filler may fill at least a portion of the internal cavity. A method of making weighted training equipment with a hollow shaft having a sidewall defining an internal cavity may include injecting a curable composition into at least a portion of the internal cavity. The method may further include curing the curable composition into a polymer material.

A device for determining the sequence in which a ball hits a first wall and a second wall, the device includes at least two sensors and a processing unit, the first sensor provides for a first sensor field and the second sensor provides for a second sensor field, the first sensor field is provided at least partly at a first distance from the first wall and at least partly in the playing field, and the second sensor field is provided at least partly at a second distance from the second wall and at least partly in the playing field, whereby the smallest distance between the first sensor field and the second sensor field is not bigger than 150% of the diameter of the ball.

A ball pick-up scoop can be attached to, or molded on, the head end of a tennis racquet. When mounted, formed, or attached the scoop protrudes roughly 80?-90? away from the face side of the racquet. While standing up straight and holding the handle of the racquet, the user slides/pivots the scoop under a ball (tennis, rubber, synthetic, etc.), which cradles the ball between the scoop's ball guides and the racquet's face to facilitate picking up the ball without ever bending over. Once the ball is cradled the user can pivot the racquet up to their opposite hand and grab the ball, or flip the ball up and hit the ball, or let it bounce and then hit the ball.

An exercise training system is provided having a system controller and a plurality of stimulant target units connected via a wireless network to the system controller. Each stimulant target unit has a light source providing light to stimulate a user, a proximity sensor providing an output of a distance between the proximity sensor and an object external to the unit, and means for providing feedback to the user to signal that the unit has been actuated by the user. The system controller includes a program for activating the stimulant target units in a sequence. The reaction by the user to the illumination is registered when the user brings a body part or other object to within a selected distance of the proximity sensor, this distance being programmable by the user.

A virtual target system, for training multiple sports, and in an example, tennis, can include a projector system that can display a virtual target on a surface, like a tennis court. A sensor system can detect activity near the virtual target, for example, the movement or impact of a tennis ball. A processor can be linked to the projector system and the sensor system to collect activity data based on the virtual target and the activity. In one example, the display of the virtual target may or may not change in reaction to the collected activity data.

A racket includes: a grip; an annular frame; and a shaft coupling the grip and the frame together; wherein a projection is provided to an outer peripheral face on a leading end half of the frame in a predetermined range including a location of maximum curvature in a peripheral direction.

A ball throwing machine can include a hopper for receiving one or more balls and a ball delivery device. The ball delivery device can be used to throw or pitch a ball from the hopper to a user of the machine. The ball delivery device can include wheels to impart speed to the ball and a direction system to control the projection angle of the ball. The direction system can control at least one of the up and down angle and the side to side angle of the ball as it is thrown, among possibly other throwing parameters. A controller may be provided for controlling operation of the ball throwing machine.

A sports training/exercise apparatus attached to a swinging sports apparatus, typically a racquet and most specifically a tennis racquet. The apparatus includes a drag chute with a rigid member disposed therearound and a clamp secured to each side of the drag chute. A transverse support rod is positioned between the clamps and includes an aperture therein, The apparatus further includes brackets at the top and bottom of the racquet head. A longitudinal support rod is positioned between the brackets and extends through the aperture in the transverse support rod. Thus, the transverse support rod, the side clamps, and the drag chute are slidable along the longitudinal support rod to adjust resistance. A locking mechanism can be used to lock the transverse support rod in a position along the longitudinal support rod.

A non-transitory storage medium having stored thereon logic is disclosed. The logic is executable by one or more processors to perform operations including receiving information associated with a selection of a first training drill, responsive to receiving the information associated with the selection of the first training drill and based on the first training drill, causing a first light to be placed in an activated state, wherein the first light is coupled to a first goal apparatus, and responsive to a triggering event, causing the first light to be placed in a deactivated state and causing a second light to be placed in an activated state. The goal apparatus includes posts that form a goal plane, wherein a first sensor pair is coupled to the goal, and wherein the triggering event is a detection of an object passing through the posts and across the goal plane.