US3810614A

US3810614A - Training device for swimmers

Info

Publication number: US3810614A
Application number: US00267675A
Authority: US
Inventors: P Hessburg
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1972-06-29
Filing date: 1972-06-29
Publication date: 1974-05-14
Anticipated expiration: 1991-05-14

Abstract

A training device for swimmers which includes a framework with vertically disposed end frame sections having a cushioned body support provided therebetween to support a swimmer in an elevated prone or supine position for relatively free arm and leg movement, weights in weight cages at each corner of the end frame sections, hand hold grips tied to weight lifting ropes received through pulleys on the front frame section for fore and aft activated arm-shoulder muscle group toning, and foot slings tied to weight lifting ropes received through pulleys on the back frame section for vertical activated leg-pelvic muscle group toning. For easy access to the weights, the weight cages in which they are housed are provided with an open side and are pivotally mounted.

Description

United States Patent [191 Hessburg [451 May 14,1974

1 1 TRAINING DEVICE FOR SWIMMERS [76] Inventor: Philip C. Hessburg, 1169 Three Miles Dr., Grosse Pointe, Mich. 48236 22 Filed: June 29,1972

21 App1.No.:267,675

[52] U.S. CI. 272/71, 272/81 [51] Int. Cl A631) 69/10 [58] Field of Search 272/26, 71, 80, 81; 128/71, 75

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,395,672 11/1921 Fischer 272/71 2,706,632 4/1955 Chandler 272/80 2,949,110 8/1960 Lee 128/75 2,434,542 1/1948 Borroughs 272/71 149,249 3/1874 Redfearn 272/71 896,114 8/1908 Jacobson 128/71 964,836 7/1910 Sickels 272/71 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-R. T. Stouffer Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Dale Austin Winnie 5 7] ABSTRACT A training device for swimmers which includes a framework with vertically disposed end frame sections having a cushioned body support provided therebetween to support a swimmer in an elevated prone or supine position for relatively free arm and leg movement, weights in weight cages at each corner of the end frame sections, hand hold grips tied to weight lifting ropes received through pulleys on the front frame section for fore and aft activated arm-shoulder muscle group toning, and foot slings tied to weight lifting ropes received through pulleys on the back frame section for vertical activated leg-pelvic muscle group toning. For easy access to the weights, the weight cages in which they are housed are provided with an open side and are pivotally mounted.

3 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures TRAINING DEVICE FOR SWIMMERS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Various devices and different forms of apparatus have been proposed in the past for teaching nonswimmers the fundamentals of swimming and different swimming strokes.

Some of these simply include large body slings to support a person in the water and to enable an instructor to stand-by and give instructions. Others have been more complicated devices, and quite expensive, for use in schools and training institutions which require manipulation by the arms and legs in a particular manner, dictated by the equipment, in order to simulate various swimming strokes.

Although some of these devices have been usable by swimmers for practice almost all of them have been designed'to teach a particular swimming stroke rather than to assist in the actual development and toning of the necessary muscles for competitive swimmers.

Since only a small portion of the populated world has year round use of outdoor pools and relatively few people have access to indoor pools, there is a definite need for a dry land excercising device forcompetitive swimmers who should exercise two or three times daily. Besides being relatively simple and consequently reasonably priced, such apparatus must fulfill certain basic requirements to attain the desired and necessary results.

For example, the muscle groups of primary importance in various swimming strokes must be preferentially stressed and the muscle groups about the armshoulder and leg-pelvic girdles must be simultaneously rather than individually stressed. This is particularly important in the development of neurogenic pathways to assure coordinated arm and leg stroke rhythms. The equipment itself must be relatively simple to manufacture, to keep the cost down, readily adjustable or adaptable for use by both adults and children and it must be stable and sturdy enough for daily use by hard working athletes and it must be so swim-related that it can and will be effectively used to replace actual pool time.

The apparatus of the present invention required close monitoring of muscles and muscle groups by observation and by palpation to assure proper angles of pull, torque lines, and dimensional limits to assure precise dry land conformity with actual swimming conditions.

Although kick and pull exercises properly directed assure the strenghthening of certain muscle groups, they do not develop automatic or subcortical relationships between the arm and leg movements. Accordingly, arm and leg movements must be simultaneously effected and in a coordinated manner to assure proper rhythm. Certain simple means used with the apparatus disclosed assure such rhythmic and coordinated movement and preclude other than synchronized arm-leg movements.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION The present invention comprises a tubular framework including vertically disposed end frame sections spaced apart sufficiently to receive a swimmer in a horizontal prone position on a body supporting member therebetween and in a manner which allows relative freedom of arm and leg movement, as in all convention'ally known swimming strokes.

Weights are hung on each corner of the end frame sections, within weight cages to limit their movement up and down and sideways and guide ropes are reeved through strategically placed sets of pulleys and are connected to hand-hold grips and foot slings that are activated by a dry land swimmer on the body support mem ber.

The simplicity of the framework assures its relatively low cost, its dimensional size enables use by adults and children and the disposition of the weight activating hand-hold grips and foot slings enables ready use and like muscle group exercising regardless of the persons height.

The weights maybe conveniently changed-to suit the novice or experienced athletic swimmer and variations permit the use of the equipment for a variety of different swimming strokes.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURES FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the swim training apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top-plan view of the training apparatus with a part of the overhead frame brace broken away to better show the body support member.

FIGS. 3 and 4 are end views of the opposite and frame sections of the training apparatus shown in the first two drawing figures with parts of the weight cages broken away.

FIGS. 5 and 6 are pictorial presentations of a swimmer using the present apparatus in practicing different swimming strokes.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged detail view of one of the foot slings. v

FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view of an intermediate cross member with adapter ropes on one side and a foot sling connection on the other, as used in training for the frog-like kick used in the breast stroke.

FIGS. 9 and 10 are respectively enlarged detail views, from the side and top, of a detail of the weight cages showing their hinged connection to the end frame sections.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATED EMBODIMENT The training device shown in the drawing figures includes a frame l0 comprising a vertically disposed front frame section 14, lower connecting side rails 16 and I8, and an overhead centrally disposed connecting beam 20, that extends between the two end frame sections.

The two

end frame sections

12 and 14 and the overhead beam 20 are made of square sectional tubular iron or steel stock and the two side rails 16 and 18 are of angle iron stock. Flat angle strap 22 is used to fasten the side rails to the frame sections and the overhead beam 20 is fastened by appropriate brackets, not speframe section 12, a vertically disposed back A cushioned body support 36 is provided within the frame on a supporting rail 38 fastened to the intermediate cross member 34,'on the front frame section and held in a horizontally disposed disposition by a vertical leg 40 on a cross bar 42 between the two frame side rails 16 and 18. Suitable diagonal braces between the support leg 40 and the rail 38, as well as between the leg and cross bar 42 assures the necessary stability for the body supporting member 36.

The body support 36 is only about 8 inches wide at its forward end, just enough to provide support for the upper torso, and it is flared out near the back to about 17 inches to provide support for the lower trunk and so that a person lying on the body support has relative freedom of both arm and leg movement.

. The back or afterend frame support 14 includes

vertical frame members

46 and 48 with

cross members

50 and 52 between their ends and has no intermediate cross member. Consequently there is an open expanse between the upper and lower cross members allowing relative freedom of foot movement in this area, as required.

In order to provide more arm and shoulder room, for a dry land swimmer using the training device, the front frame section 12 stands somewhat taller than the after frame section 14 so that the overhead connecting beam 20, between the end frames, is higher at the front end.

Referring now to the two end frame sections, best shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, it will be noted that,

weight cages

54,56,58 and 60 are provided on each of the vertical frame members. The weight cages are formed by strap iron members 62 forming three sides of a square and having wire rod 64 extending between them in a cage forming manner. Although an open ended cylindrical member might be used to retain the weights, the open cage is preferred for greater ease in seeing what weights are in use and for changing them, as will be described.

Over the weight cages 54 and 56 on the front frame section 12, extending out from the overhead cross member 30, are provided arms 66 and 68 for pulleys 70 and 72. A second set of pulleys 74 and 76 are hung on the frame cross member, on relatively opposite sides of the center beam 20, and another set of

pulleys

78 and 80 are provided on the intermediate cross bar on member 34 just below them.

Hand ropes

82 and 84 are reeved through the different sets of pulleys and are provided with

weights

86 and 88 at their ends, in the weight cages, and

hand grips

90 and 92 which are accessible to a dry land swimmer on the cushioned body support 36. The right hand rope 82 passes through

pulleys

78,74 and 70 and the left hand rope is threaded through

pulleys

80,76 and 72.

The hand ropes are tied and knotted onto the

weights

86 and 88, so that they can be untied and changed if heavier or lighter weights-are desired.

sides of where the overhead connecting beam 20 is joined to it.

Leg ropes

108 and 110 are received through the pulleys on the after frame section, just as at the front frame section, and are provided with

weights

112 and 114 at their ends, in the weight cages, and with foot slings 116 and 1 18 to receive the feet of a dry land swimmer using the training device. The left rope 108 is threaded through pulleys 104 and 100 and the right rope 1'10 passes through pulleys 106 and 102.

FIG. 7 shows the foot sling l 16 as fastened to its rope 108 A snap hook connector 120 is tied to the end of the rope and is used to engage a ring 122 on a bolt 124 which fixes the two ends of the leather or canvas sling 116 together. This enables the sling to be disengaged and replaced or moved, as will be discussed'later.

Wherever the hand or foot ropes are I tied, to the weights, to the hand grips or at the snap hook connectors, short lengths of rubber tubing 126 are used to hold the loose end of the tied rope and also to serve as bumper stops should they engage the various pulleys.

FIG. 8 shows a crossbar 128 that is fastened to the overhead connecting beam 20 between the end of the body support 36 and the end frame 14, as by a pair of bolt fasteners 130. Eye bolts 132 and 134 are provided at opposite ends of the cross bar and

pulleys

136 and 138 are connected to them to receive extra lengths of

rope

140 and 142 with snap hook connectors 144 at their ends.

For .the frog kick that a swimmer must practice, as in the breast stroke, the foot slings-ll6 and 118 are removed from the

ropes

108 and 110, the extra lengths of

rope

140 and 142 are connected in theirplace and the foot slings are engaged to the snap hook connectors on the

ropes

140 and 142 to hang down from the cross bar 128 closer to the dry land swimmer and spread a little further apart as shown in H6. 6.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show details of the weight cages and in particular how they are hung on the vertical members of the end frames and made to swing open for access to the weights. Since the cages carry no weight, other than their own, short vertical pins 146 are welded to the cage members 62 to be received in aligned eye bolts 48 fastened to the vertical frame members, for supporting them on the frame members and allowing, them freedom of pivotal movement sideways to expose the weightsenclosed within them. Then a closure pin 150 is fastened to the other side of the cage members 62 to set in a single eye bolt 152 fastened either to the front frame crossmember 34 or to a strap 153 welded to the vertical frame member and extended out sidewardly. The weight cages are simply lifted slightly to disengage the closure pin 150 from its eye bolt, swung open, swung back, lifted and set in place.

A further accessory for the disclosed training device is shown only in the first drawing figure. It includes a floor plate member 154 with a plurality of holes 156 spaced about 2 /2 inches to 3 inches apart'which are made to receive and hold erect poles 158 of various lengths so that they may be strategically located to re quire certain arm movements of the dry land swimmer. For example, a set of low poles may be used to preclude a low elbow-straight arm recovery in a free style stroke by requiring the arm to clear the obstacle in an elbowhigh manner, The floor plate 154 may be placed ahead of cross bar 42 to correct errors in the mechanics of the arm stroke, or behind the crossbar 42 to correct errors in the leg kick.

CONSTRUCTION AND ASSEMBLY The disclosed apparatus is preferable made with the two

end sections

12 and 14 of pre-welded construction for maximum strength and stability; However, separate pieces may be provided and bolted together for a knock-down assembly.

The two side rails 16 and 18 are bolted to the end frames, as is the overhead back-bone connecting bar 20. And the body supporting rail 38, its leg 40 and the cross bar 42 are similarly fastened to the cross bar 34 and between the side rails 16 and 18.

The cushioned body support member 36 is securely fastened to the supporting rail 38 but, if desired, may be set for different positions on the supporting rail. However, this is not really necessary since the foot sling ropes are hung for the average height swimmer and whether they are inclined slightly forward, for a shorter person, or rearwardly, for a taller person, is of no serious consequence.

The overhead cross bar 128 is placed across the center beam and securely fastened to it and the short lengths of

rope

140 and 142 are normally wrapped around its ends so that they are out of the way when they are not being used.

OPERATIONAL USE In the use of the disclosed apparatus, a swimmer lies face down on the cushioned body support 36 in a manner to support the upper and lower body trunk and with the lower pelvic area essentially at the back of the support. The legs extend rearwardly towards the after 'frame section 14 and the swimmers toes are pointed downwardly, if the swimmer is practicing a free style or butterfly kick. If he is frog kicking, as in the breast stroke kick, then the

slings

116 and 118 are looped about the foot and toes point outwardly. If the swimmer intends to practice a backstroke, he lies on his back with the loops of slings I16 and 118 about the ankle and his toes point upwardly.

The

weight lifting ropes

108 and 110 at the after frame section are of such length that the

weights

112 and 114 are lifted from a rest position at the bottom of their respective weight cages when the foot slings 116 and ll8'are in use and will not bottom in use. Consequently, the weights impose a natural resistance toa down stroke kick similar to what a swimmer experiences in the water.

The hand grips 90 and 92 are retained 'on the body support rail, on the post 94, until ready for use for easy access to a swimmer lying on the body support, and the

ropes

82 and 84 connected to them are also of such a length that their respective '

weights

86 and 88 are raised from a rest position at the bottom of their re spective weight cages and will not bottom in the extended arm position of the swimmer.

Since all four of the weight cages are readily opened and all four of the weights are merely tied to the ends of the hand hold and foot ropes, it follows that the ropes may be tied to provide shorter or longer lengths for swimmers having appreciablydifferent arm stroke and kicking travel lengths. However, normally the travel allowed is adequate for most swimmers and the open cages are more for changing the weights than the rope lengths.

6 The use of the present equipment for free style swimming practice. is shown in FIG. 5. The dry land swimmer is disposed on the body support in a manner to provide complete and simultaneous freedom of action for both his arms and legs. The same muscle groups of importance in actual wet swimming are under stress at ap propriate times in each stroke on the dry land apparatus due to the particular torque lines and angles of pull built into the apparatus. The lifting of the weights simulates the resistance of the water against the arm and leg strokes and the timing of the arm and leg returns, during the fall of the weights, introducesa timing in the return strokes necessary to preclude a dropping of the weights; that is, in practice, the weights are underconstant control in being both raised and lowered.

Swimming is a neuromuscular activity which involves the whole body and which requires precise mental control for coordination of both arm and leg muscle groups in a rhythmic relationship. While voluntary muscular control is exercised by the cerebral cortex, in actual swimming the brain must be trained or programmed so that the-relationship of the actions of the body muscles becomes rhythmic automatic response.

Consequently, the present device not only subjects all four limbs to stress and relief situations but it also allows and may be so instrumented that it requires a rhythmic response andcoordination, which may vary with different swimming strokes, that will implant the necessary rhythmic patterns in the brain for automatic conditioned response under actual wet swimming conditions.

To further groove the brain for proper swimming strokes, mechanical devices such as the peg board floor plate 154 and poles 158, shown in FIG. 1, may be used. With younger aged swimmers, it is relatively common to have a low elbow-straight arm recovery in the free style stroke. To assist in self-correction" of this typical error the poles 158 are positioned so that with each recovery the arm must clear the top of the poles in an elbow high fashion. If the elbow is too low, the arm is not allowed to pass and the younger swimmer soon learns that to maintain the free style rhythm he must have a high elbow to bypass the poles. As practice continues he eventually accepts the correct stroke recovery as natural and the straight arm low-elbow recovery is completely unnatural and foreign to him. Another example of use of the poles I58 is in the butterfly pull, usually described as a key-hole pattern. Here again the poles are placed to require the correct stroke and to imprint the natural pattern of the brain.

FIG. 6 shows the apparatus in use for the breast stroke where a frog kick is used. Since this leg kick is from a completely different angle than in other strokes, the foot slings are hung on the

extension ropes

140 and 142 on the cross bar 128 and the extensions are connected to the leg ropes 108 and to activate the weights 11.2 and 114. When the ropes are so arranged the swimmer lifts the weights by simultaneously extending the thighs and legs and adducting the thighs and legs. This simulates the line of force vector followed in the water by the legs in the breast kick.

Variations beyond what'has been shown and de* scribed are also conceivable in coordinating arm and leg kick movements. These involve such as double or triple clutching means on the foot ropes, for example to induce and train the swimmer to perform two or three leg kicks to each arm pull in free style swimming,

Aside from strengthening and toning the necessary swimming muscles and muscle groups, it will be appreciated that the disclosed equipment also induces and teaches the automatic conditioned response which makes for good and profficient-swimmers' 1 claim:

1. A training device for swimmers, comprising; 7

a framework including a vertically disposed front frame section and a vertically disposed after frame section having a body support fixed against relative movement therebetween and to receive a swimmer in an elevated prone position thereon, said body support affording body trunk support only and relative freedom of leg and arm movement at opposite ends thereof for a swimmer disposed thereon, and independent variable pull-force resistant means provided on said frame sections and having pulley connected ropes engaged thereto and disposed for independent hand and foot activation by a swimmer for swimming muscle development and coordination control, said frame sections including vertical support members at'each corner and said pullforce resistant means including variable weights supported by said pulley connected ropes for vertical movements relative to said vertical support members, including weight cages provided on said vertical supportsand disposed to contain and guide said weights in the course of their vertical movement, said weight cages being pivotally mounted on said verticalmembers and having an open side for ready access to said weights by being swung open sidewardly.

2. A training device for swimmers, comprising;

a framework including a vertically disposed front frame section and a vertically disposed after frame section having a body support fixed against relative movement therebetween and to receive a swimmer in an elevated prone position thereon, said body support affording body trunk support only and relative freedom of leg and arm movement at opposite ends thereof for a swimmer disposed thereon, and independent variable pull-force resistant means provided on said frame sections and having pulley connected ropes engaged thereto and disposed for independent hand and foot activation by a swimmer for swimming muscle development and coordination control, said frame sections including vertical support members at each corner and said pull force resistant means including variable weights or two dolphin kicks for each butterfly arm pull. Similarly, bumper stops and other means may be used to require a certain are for a kick or arm pull, absent which the natural rhythm of the stroke is interrupted.

supported by said pulley connected ropes for vertical movement relative to said vertical support members, including sets of pulleys provided on said frame sections and including one pair on said front frame section disposed together in relatively close spaced relation and in relative horizontal alignment with and forwardly of said body support for said hand activated pulley connected ropes and to require simulated forward pulling arm strokes by a swimmer in the use thereof.

3. A training device for swimmers, comprising;

a framework including-vertically disposed relatively open rectangular end frame sections having longitudinally disposed rails connected therebetween to provide a relatively open box-like space therewithin; a cross rail provided'on one of said end frame sections and having a horizontally disposed rail and supporting leg connected centrally thereto and a body supporting member fixedly mounted against relative movement on top of said horizontally disposed rail to'receive a swimmer in an elevated prone position between said frame sections and to afford relative freedom of arm and leg movement within said framework, a first set of rope l pulleys provided at each of the corners of said end frame sections, a weight cage and a free hanging weight provided in each-of said weight cages at each of the corners of said end frame sections, a second set of rope pulleys provided on each of said end frame sections in relative horizontal alignment with said first set of rope pulleys and in close spaced proximity centrally of said end frame sections and relatively spaced above said body support near opposite ends thereof, foot receptive slings having pulley ropes engaged thereto and reeved through said pulleys sets on the end frame section behind said body support and engaged to said weights in said weight cages on said end frame section, a third set of rope pulleys provided on the cross rail of the other of said end frame sections relatively under the second set of rope pulleys provided thereon in relative horizontal alignment with and forwardly of said body supporting member, and a pair of hand'hold grips having pulley ropes engaged thereto and reeved through said pulley sets on said forwardly disposed end frame section, said foot receptive slings and said hand hold grips being disposed for activation by a swimmer on said body support and for raising and lowering the weights connected thereto in the simulation of dry I land swimming exercises.

Claims

1. A training device for swimmers, comprising; a framework including a vertically disposed front frame section and a vertically disposed after frame section having a body support fixed against relative movement therebetween and to receive a swimmer in an elevated prone position thereon, said body support affording body trunk support only and relative freedom of leg and arm movement at opposite ends thereof for a swimmer disposed thereon, and independent variable pull-force resistant means provided on said frame sections and having pulley connected ropes engaged thereto and disposed for independent hand and foot activation by a swimmer for swimming muscle development and coordination control, said frame sections including vertical support members at each corner and said pull-force resistant means including variable weights supported by said pulley connected ropes for vertical movements relative to said vertical support members, including weight cages provided on said vertical supports and disposed to contain and guide said weights in the course of their vertical movement, said weight cages being pivotally mounted on said vertical members and having an open side for ready access to said weights by being swung open sidewardly.

2. A training device for swimmers, comprising; a framework including a vertically disposed front frame section and a vertically disposed after frame section having a body support fixed against relative movement therebetween and to receive a swimmer in an elevated prone position thereon, said body support affording body trunk support only and relative freedom of leg and arm movement at opposite ends thereof for a swimmer disposed thereon, and independent variable pull-force resistant means provided on said frame sections and having pulley connected ropes engaged thereto and disposed for independent hand and foot activation by a swimmer for swimming muscle development and coordination control, said frame sections including vertical support members at each corner and said pull-force resistant means including variable weights supported by said pulley connected ropes for vertical movement relative to said vertical support members, including sets of pulleys provided on said frame sections and including one pair on said front frame section disposed together in relatively close spaced relation and in relative horizontal alignment with and forwardly of said body support for said hand activated pulley connected ropes and to require simulated forward pulling arm strokes by a swimmer in the use thereof.

3. A training device for swimmers, comprising; a framework including vertically dispOsed relatively open rectangular end frame sections having longitudinally disposed rails connected therebetween to provide a relatively open box-like space therewithin; a cross rail provided on one of said end frame sections and having a horizontally disposed rail and supporting leg connected centrally thereto and a body supporting member fixedly mounted against relative movement on top of said horizontally disposed rail to receive a swimmer in an elevated prone position between said frame sections and to afford relative freedom of arm and leg movement within said framework, a first set of rope pulleys provided at each of the corners of said end frame sections, a weight cage and a free hanging weight provided in each of said weight cages at each of the corners of said end frame sections, a second set of rope pulleys provided on each of said end frame sections in relative horizontal alignment with said first set of rope pulleys and in close spaced proximity centrally of said end frame sections and relatively spaced above said body support near opposite ends thereof, foot receptive slings having pulley ropes engaged thereto and reeved through said pulleys sets on the end frame section behind said body support and engaged to said weights in said weight cages on said end frame section, a third set of rope pulleys provided on the cross rail of the other of said end frame sections relatively under the second set of rope pulleys provided thereon in relative horizontal alignment with and forwardly of said body supporting member, and a pair of hand hold grips having pulley ropes engaged thereto and reeved through said pulley sets on said forwardly disposed end frame section, said foot receptive slings and said hand hold grips being disposed for activation by a swimmer on said body support and for raising and lowering the weights connected thereto in the simulation of dry land swimming exercises.