A sleeve fits over the barrel of a bat. The sleeve defines an opening such that, when the sleeve is applied to the bat, a significant portion of the barrel of the bat is revealed. The sleeve is made of a light-weight, sound-dampening material, such that when the batter hits a pitched ball in an area of the bat covered by the sleeve, the normal “crack” or “ping” of the ball hitting the bat is not heard. Instead, the batter hears a duller, less sharp sound, providing immediate feedback to the batter that he/she did not hit the ball in the desired area of the bat.

Balance training systems and methods are disclosed. A balance training system is disclosed, comprising: a lower member having a ground contacting surface and an upward facing surface; an upper member having a foot receiving surface and a downward facing surface; the upward facing surface and the downward facing surface being shaped for contact with each other; and the upper member having a balance position when a balance point on the upper member is in contact with the lower member. A balance training system is also disclosed comprising a first platform having a top surface (ground plane) which supports the user's weight, a support having flexible and/or compressible upward facing surface in contact with a downward facing surface of the first platform, the ground plane being within 0.5″ of the top surface of the flexible and/or compressible upward facing surface to reduce or prevent horizontal movement of the ground plane when the first platform changes angle. A balance training system is further disclosed, comprising a first platform having a top surface (ground plane) that supports the user's weight, a curved downward facing convex surface of the first platform, the top surface being aligned within ½″ of the downward facing curved surface.

A ball useful for basketball practice and a method for manufacturing the same are provided. The ball includes an inflatable bladder covered with one or more flexible elongate elements wound around the surface of the bladder. The ball also includes an outer covering with at least two outer panels separated by at least one strip of elastomeric material. The outer panels and the strip(s) are placed directly onto the wound flexible elongate element(s). The manufacture-method particularly involves covering the inflatable bladder with the flexible elongate element(s) wound on the surface of the bladder, and placing the outer covering, including the outer panels separated by the strip(s) of elastomeric material, directly onto the wound flexible elongate element(s).

An apparatus comprising a base, support and resistive band to provide consumers a method for conditioning, preventing or rehabilitating injuries from running, sports and fitness activities.

A ball (100) for use in bat and ball games wherein the ball is struck with a bat having an untensioned, rigid ball-striking surface, includes a hollow spherical impact body (112) having a mass of between 10 g and 50 g which enables the use of lightweight bats. The wall of the impact body is of a resiliently compressible material and defines a convexly curved impact zone IB. The ball further includes a flight control assembly (114) including a tail (50) comprising flexible streamers (52), a spacer stem (54) and an anchor fitting (126) for anchoring the spacer stem to the impact body. The configuration of the impact body is such that the impact zone compresses to a minimum compression depth of 12 mm and the impact body bounces to a height of at least 100 cm when the impact body is subjected to a drop test wherein the impact body is dropped onto a test impact surface.

A length adjustable golf club includes a club head attached to a shaft at a lower end. A length adjusting kit includes a shaft insert that attaches to the shaft at an upper end. The shaft insert includes a coupling port that accepts one of an extension block or a grip adapter. To provide length adjustments of the overall club length, one or more extension blocks may attached between the shaft insert and the grip adapter. A grip assembly having a reinforcing sleeve connects to the grip adapter and extends over the shaft and any extension blocks. The grip assembly couples to the shaft through a grip adapter and grip coupling. The grip adapter and grip coupling are axially moveable prior to securement with a retaining fastener. The grip coupling may be rotationally constrained or rotationally adjustable relative to the grip adapter.

A suspension training based functional fitness element (11, 31) comprising: an essentially planar element (22) having an upper edge, a lower edge and two side edges, said planar element (22) being designed to form a pivotable connection to a support element (32) along said upper edge of the planar element (22), a first elongated element (23, 32, 52) connected to said planar clement (22) at a first connection point at said lower edge of the planar element (22), a second elongated element (23, 32, 52) connected to said planar element (22) at a second connection point at said lower edge of the planar element (22), and a first and second handle (24), said first and second handle (24) being connected to said first and second elongated elements (23) respectively, whereby that said first and second connection points are arranged such that there is a horizontal offset between the first and second connection points and such that there is a vertical offset between the first connection point and the pivotable connection and a vertical offset between the second connection point and the pivotable connection.

An athletic skill training apparatus includes a generally horizontal upper ring that defines an upper opening, preferably circular and the same diameter as a traditional basketball hoop, made from a strong, lightweight material. Three lower rings are attached to the upper ring and extend downwardly and inwardly to attach to a base plate. A shock absorbing base member is elastically suspended from the lower rings and absorbs a portion of the force from a ball shot through the upper ring. The base member includes vertically spaced concentric rings of different diameters to redirect the ball out of the lower rings. The rings, the shock absorbing base member and the base plate form a goal assembly that can be positioned on a support above a playing surface.

A multi-layered climbing apparatus in accordance with embodiments of the invention are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multi-layered climbing apparatus includes a plurality of vertical support members, including a first vertical support member, a second vertical support member, a third vertical support member, and a fourth vertical support member; a plurality of climbing panels, where the plurality of climbing panels includes a first climbing panel and a second climbing panel; where the first climbing panel is attached to the first vertical support member, the second vertical support member, and the third vertical support member; where the second climbing panel is attached to the fourth vertical support member and at least one of the vertical support members that are attached to the first climbing panel; and where the first climbing panel and the second climbing panel are different heights relative to each other.

The present disclosure is a game that has a mixer positioned at a first location on a gaming area and a plurality of balls randomly dispersed throughout the gaming area. In response to a command, a player on a team collects one or more of the plurality of balls, the score is incremented based upon the balls collected, the player throws the collected ball(s) into the mixer, and the mixer disperses the ball(s) back into the gaming area.