AU706399B3

AU706399B3 - Swim trainer

Info

Publication number: AU706399B3
Application number: AU87851/98A
Authority: AU
Inventors: Bruno Bois; Terry Robinson
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 1998-10-01
Filing date: 1998-10-01
Publication date: 1999-06-17
Anticipated expiration: 2004-10-01

Description

AUSTRALIA

Patents Act 1990 COMPLETE SPECIFICATION PETTY PATENT SWIM TRAINER The following statement is a full description of this invention, including the best method of performing it known to me: SWIM TRAINER The invention relates to improvements in devices for the practising of swimming strokes on dry land. The Swim Trainer is an exercising apparatus for out-of-water swimming training. It is designed to facilitate correct swimming actions of the human body with curving or straight arm pull-through strokes for the purposes of 'in-water' or 'dry land' training of the swimming stroke known as the 'Crawl', the 'Australian Crawl', 'Overarm' or 'Freestyle'.

For many people learning to swim and for experienced swimmers who wish to maintain a standard of fitness, the lack of ability to continue swimming training throughout the year due to cold water temperature in winter results in loss of form and particular arm and leg muscular condition relevant to Freestyle swimming.

There have been some attempts at cradling the upper torso of the human body in a horizontal position and constraining the arms to follow a circular rotation. These devices have the disadvantage of creating unnatural arm movements in relation to those of the Freestyle stroke and further, of ignoring the vitally important and correlated action of the legs and the swivel of the head for breathing when swimming Freestyle. The resulting exercise is not pertinent to the new learner or the trained athlete alike.

The problems of whole body training in a dry-land condition with particular focus and emphasis on the Freestyle stroke are overcome by the present invention which provides full support for the horizontal human body to simulate fully all of the co-ordinated and synchronised movements of the head, chest, arms, hips, thighs and lower legs particular to the Freestyle swimming stroke. Key features of the invention are firstly, that it provides complete body support for the correct and natural Freestyle stroke while practising on dry land. Secondly, a tension device on the belt running around the machine, enables the person in training to adjust the amount of 'pull' he/she requires against the palm handles while exercising the arm and chest muscles.

Thirdly, the head is cradled on a belt swivel to simulate the support for the head offered by water and to enable the swimmer to breathe to one or both sides as he/she chooses to do when in swimming the Freestyle stroke in water.

Fourthly, the chest pad enables the user's body to roll slightly to simulate body roll in water. Finally, on each side of the frame are suitably placed adjustable thigh supports and two rings of flexible rubber or similar material at the foot end of the invention support the ankle-instep part of the foot while allowing the full kick action of the swimmer.

To assist in the understanding of the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanyinmg drawing which shows an example of the invention.

The invention comprises ground support legs vertical arms with horizontal arms upon which are attached supports to form an upper frame for the human body when lying in a horizontal position.

The central body support device attached to the upper frame is a chest pad to support the upper trunk of the human body when lying on the stomach/chest.

The chest pad is adjustable around the horizontal arms of the upper frame.

c 3O At the forward end of the upper frame is an adjustable device to support, and allow part rotation of, the human head in face down position.

At the opposite end of the upper frame are the flexible rings to support the feet and allow movement of the legs without restriction, as in swimming. The device is adjustable along the upper frame. Between the feet supports and the chest pad are the thigh supports which can adjust along the upper frame.

At the head and foot end of the flame and attached to the vertical rising arms are fixed brackets which house guide rollers for the belt.(8) The rollers guide a webbing or similar material endless belt with adjustable tension control at the head Fixed to the belt are knobs or fittings (11) to be caught by the swimmer's hands and pushed back as each arm swings down in turn while completing the arm actions of the Freestyle stroke. As the left side fitting is pushed back by the swimmer's left arm commencing its pulling stroke through the 'water', the right side fitting is travelling forward as the swimmer's right arm is lifting out of the 'water' after completing its pulling stroke. Resistance against the pull of the swimming stroke can be gained through adjustment of the belt tensioner at the head of the frame.

Claims

4. The claim defining the invention is as follows: 1.A training machine for use when practicing freestyle swimming strokes out of water, comprising a frame of adjustable supports for the head, chest, thighs and feet and in a horizontal plane around the machine, a single adjustable tensionable perimeter belt with two knots attached, left and right, for optional use by the swimmer to create resistance on the back- pull of the freestyle swimming stroke.