GB2320202A - Exercise device for increasing suppleness and flexibility - Google Patents

Abstract

The device includes a part-circular rail 12 which can be gripped directly by the hand for "static" exercises, and/or can carry a sleeve (40, fig4) which can be gripped by the hand and slid around the rail for "ballistic" exercises. The device also includes mounting means 14 for the raid 12, which may have orienting means by which the orientation of the rail 12 may be adjusted. The device is primarily aimed at golfers seeking to increase the length by which they can swing the golf club on their backswing.

Description

EXERCISE DEVICE FIELD OF THE INVENTION This invention relates to an exercise device, and in particular to an exercise device for improving or increasing a user's suppleness and/or flexibility.

I believe that my invention will find it greatest utility for golfers wishing to increase the length of their back swing by improving or increasing the flexibility of their back and/or shoulders, and for this reason the following description relates to such use. However, I do not rule out the use of my device for exercises to improve suppleness and/or flexibility for other purposes.

In the specification, the male gender is used where necessary, though it will be understood that this is by way of brevity and the device could equally be utilised by female users.

BACKGROUND TO THE INVENTION In order to play the game of golf well it is necessary for a player to achieve a reliable swing in which the club head follows a repeatable path away from the ball on the back swing, and towards and then through the position of the stationary ball at impact. The path of the club head during the golf swing (and in particular during the back swing, down swing and through the point of impact with the golf ball), is referred to as the "swing arc", and the desired path of movement of the whole club is referred to as the "swing plane".

The better golf players are able to move the club in a consistent and repeatable swing plane, both on the backswing as on the down swing, i.e. the club is maintained on the same plane on the down swing as it was on the back swing.

It is generally accepted that a given golf player will hit the ball further if he or she has a longer back swing, so that on the down swing the player has a greater period of time in which to increase the club head speed prior to its impact with the golf ball. In seeking to achieve a longer back swing for this purpose, many amateur golfers seek to swing the club back beyond what their bodies will naturally achieve. To do this, either the player's hand grip on the club weakens to permit the club to swing further, or excess muscular effort is required during the back swing. In both cases, the club will tend to deviate from the desired swing plane at the top of the back swing, resulting in a less reliable and repeatable down swing (and thus impact of the golf ball).

The better golf players have developed their upper bodies to become sufficiently supple to achieve the length of back swing which they require, and have also practiced their golf swing to such an extent that swinging the club becomes routine, with little or no excess strain on the muscles of the torso or arms. Accordingly, the better players are more usually able to achieve a consistent swing plane.

Notwithstanding the above-stated development and practice, however, every golf player has a limit to the flexibility or suppleness of his body which limits the length of his back swing; the better golfers are aware of their limit and have developed a golf swing which is within that limit; poorer golfers often seek to go beyond their limit.

Exercises to develop suppleness and flexibility fall into two categories. The first category of exercises are referred to as static stretch exercises in which a particular part of the body is placed in a position near to the limit of its flexibility. This position is maintained for several seconds to permit the muscles to relax into this position, following which the degree of stretching is increased slightly. The new position is maintained for several seconds to permit the muscles again to relax, following which the degree of stretching is again increased slightly. At the limit of the person's stretching ability, the final position is maintained for an extended period of time, perhaps 30 seconds. Static stretch exercises such as these can be repeated daily, and after many days the degree of stretching (or flexibility) which can be achieved will be increased.

The second category of exercises are referred to as ballistic or dynamic stretch exercises, in which the part of the body is moved rapidly to its limit of flexibility.

Again, the repetition of this exercise over a period of time will result in an increase in flexibility.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PRIOR ART Golf swing trainers are known to assist in the maintenance of a golf club on a desired swing plane. One such device comprises a circular rail which is inclined at an angle; the player stands inside the rail with the golf club resting against the rail. As the player swings the club he seeks to maintain the golf club in contact with the rail, so that the desired swing plane is encouraged. The angle of the swing plane matches the angle of the circular rail, and this can be adjusted to suit the particular player.

Such an exercise device can be used for ballistic stretch exercises, for example by the player repeatedly undergoing golf swings and seeking to lengthen his backswing. However, the value of such exercise may be limited by the tendency of the player to partially release his grip on the club at the top of the back swing, so as to lengthen the back swing artificially.

In addition, the use of such a device is limited to larger buildings or outdoors, since the rail engages the club adjacent the club head and so is necessarily of a large diameter, preventing its use in a user's home or the like.

STATEMENT OF THE INVENTION I seek to provide an exercise device which can be used for static stretching exercises, and preferably also for ballistic stretching exercises, particularly stretching exercises suitable for increasing the length of a golfer's back swing. My exercise device may be employed in the user's home or the like.

According to the invention, therefore, I provide an exercise device comprising a rail, and mounting means for the rail, the rail being part-circular and having a radius in the approximate range 16 to 28 inches (41 to 71 cm). In use, a person will stand adjacent the rail, and grip a part of the rail with one hand, the hand being moved incrementally along the rail as above described towards the person's limit of flexibility, so achieving a static stretching exercise.

The radius of the part-circular rail will be suited to the arm length of the user, so that the user can move his arm and rotate his upper body during the stretching exercise but his body is required to undergo little or no translational movement.

Usefully, the mounting means includes orienting means for adjusting the orientation of the rail. The rail can be substantially horizontal, so that the user stands substantially upright during the exercise. Alternatively, the rail can be inclined so that the user has to incline his upper body, so replicating the inclination of the body which is undertaken during a golf swing.

Usefully also, the mounting means includes height adjustment means, whereby the height of the rail above the ground or floor can be adjusted to suit a particular user.

Desirably, the rail is a circular loop. By making the rail a full circle, its utility is increased.

Preferably, the rail carries a sleeve which is slidable along the rail. Such an exercise device can be used for ballistic stretching exercises, in which the sleeve is gripped and moved rapidly along the rail, so replicating a large part of a golf swing.

In an alternative embodiment, the sleeve carries a grip, the grip having a longitudinal axis, the grip being axially rotatable relative to the sleeve, the axis of the grip being substantially parallel to the radius of the rail. Such a device can further replicate a partial golf swing, such as a quarter golf swing, since the grip takes the place of the grip of a golf club.

Usefully, the mounting means includes radial adjustment means to adjust the radius of the part-circular rail; in this way a single rail can be adjusted to suit user's with differing arm lengths.

Preferably, the rail has a substantially circular cross section, usefully between 0.5 and 1.5 inches (1.27 to 3.81 cm) in diameter throughout its length.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig.l is a plan view of an exercise device according to the invention, including a representation of the hand of a user; Fig.2 is a front view of the mounting means of the device of Fig.l; Fig.3 is a side view of an alternative mounting means; Fig.4 is a partial view of the rail with a sleeve mounted thereon; Fig.5 is a side view of an alternative sleeve carrying a grip; Fig.6 is a partial view of a radial adjustment means; Fig.7 is a plan view of a height adjustment means; and Fig8 is a view of a base plate for the user to stand on whilst using the device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE EXEMPLARY EMBODIMENTS The exercise device 10 of Fig.l comprises a rail 12 and mounting means 14. In this embodiment the rail is a circular loop. The mounting means 14 includes a bracket 16 adapted to secure the device to wall 18, suitably by bolts (not shown).

In the embodiment of Fig.l, the rail 12 is substantially horizontal. To use the exercise device in this orientation the user stands upright facing away from the wall 18, so that the line of his or her shoulders in the free standing position runs roughly from top to bottom of the page (the left shoulder being nearer the top of the page). For use as an exercise device for lengthening the back swing of a right-handed golfer, the user passes his left hand 22 across his body and grips the rail 12 as shown. The user moves his fingers slowly around the rail in a clockwise direction, gradually increasing the degree of rotation of his shoulders and upper body, and stretching the muscles thereof. As above described, the exercise should be undertaken in a series of discrete steps, maintaining each stretched position for several seconds to permit the muscles to relax.

At the limit of the user's stretching ability, the position is maintained for an extended period of time, perhaps 30 seconds. Repetition of such an exercise over many days will gradually increase the degree of rotation of the shoulders which the user can achieve, thereby increasing the length of his back swing.

It will be understood that a rail comprising a circular loop is preferable, since it can be used by both right and left handed golfers (to be gripped respectively by their left and right hands), and they can stand facing a number of directions. However, the exercise could be achieved using a suitably positioned part circular rail, i.e. one comprising a segment of a circle rather than a complete circle as in Fig.l.

The curvature of the rail is necessary so that the user can increase the rotation of his shoulders without need to move his feet, or to undergo substantial translational movements of his body, so that the only part of his body which needs to move is his hand upon the rail (with the consequent turning movement of his shoulders and upper body). However, it will be understood that the exercise device of the invention would work if the curvature of the rail did not precisely match that of a circle, so that the word "circular" (including part-circular) as used in this specification in relation to the shape of the rail should be understood to include rails in which the distance of the rail from a common point varies by a small amount, perhaps as much as 10%. In addition, the word "radius" will be used to refer to the distance from a common point of a rail which is both circular (as herein defined) and part-circular.

In the embodiment of Fig.l the mounting means 14 includes orienting means by which the orientation of the rail may be adjusted, to replicate the stance of a golfer during a golf swing.

Thus, the mounting bracket 16 carries a substantially circular mounting plate 20. Circular base plate 22 is pivotally connected via pivot 24 to mounting plate 20. The mounting plate 20 has a number of apertures 26 at a common radius from the central pivot axis A of the base plate 22, the base plate 22 having a single aperture through which a peg 30 can be slid into engagement with a respective mounting plate aperture. The rail 12 is secured (suitably) welded) to the base plate 22, the peg 30 and apertures 26 permitting the rail to be fixed in a number of discrete orientations, as desired by the user.

In the embodiment of Figs. 1 and 2, the rail can be oriented at a number of positions about an axis which is substantially perpendicular to the wall 18. In the embodiment of Fig.3, the rail 112 can be oriented at a number of positions about the axis of pivot 124 which is parallel with the wall 118. Thus, in the embodiment of Fig.3, the bracket 116 is secured to the wall 118 as by bolts (not shown). The bracket 116 carries a pivot 124 to which is mounted arm 122. The bracket 116 has a number of apertures 126 at a common radius from the pivot 124, and the arm 122 has a peg 130 which can be received in a respective aperture to adjust the orientation of the rail 112.

It will be understood that the discretely variable orienting means of Figs. 2 and 3 could be replaced by a universally or continuously variable orienting means, for example if the mounting plate has a continuous recess into which a peg carried by the base plate could be clamped in any desired position (see for example the recess and peg clamping arrangement for the height adjustment shown in Fig.7); in such an embodiment, the base plate could be marked in degrees of angle so that the angle of the rail required for a particular user could be determined and repeated.

Fig.4 shows a sleeve 40, which is slidably located on rail 12,112. The sleeve 40 can be gripped by the user's hand, and moved at speed along the rail 12,112, to replicate the movement undertaken during a golf swing by way of a ballistic exercise. It is understood that the combination of ballistic stretch exercises and static stretch exercises which can be achieved with this embodiment offer a user a considerable opportunity to increase his flexibility.

In the embodiment of Fig.5, the sleeve 140 carries a grip 42, which closely matches a grip of a standard golf club.

The grip is carried upon curved bracket 44, employed so that the effective radius of the rail does not need to be altered for a given user. The grip is free to rotate axially upon the bracket, about junction 46.

It will be understood that in this embodiment the axis of the grip 42 is maintained in an approximately radial direction with respect to the rail, so that the user is unable to "break" his wrists as he would in normal golf swing. However, it is believed that persons learning to play golf could benefit from a device which permits them to undertake a partial golf swing (perhaps a one quarter swing or thereabouts) whilst maintaining a desired swing plane, and also preventing them "breakings their wrists too early.

Fig.6 shows a radial adjustment means 50 for adjusting the effective radius of the rail, so that a single rail may be adapted for use by user's with differing arm lengths. A beam 52 is carried by the mounting means (not shown, but could for example be the base plate 22 of Figs. 1 and 2).

The beam has a number of spaced threaded apertures 54, adapted to received bolts 56,58 passed through the respective flattened ends 60,62 of the rail 212. The rail 212 is sufficiently resilient to adopt a substantially circular condition regardless of the spacing of the ends 60,62, and the bolts 56,58 are sufficiently loosely fitted to the ends 60,62 so that they may be aligned with the respective apertures regardless of the spacing of the ends 60,62. It is believed that the embodiment with radial adjustment means would be suitable for institutional use, whereupon the device may be required to be used by persons having differing arm lengths. Alternatively, it would be possible to provide a number of differently sized rails, the particular rail which matched the intending user being fitted to the mounting means as required.

Fig.7 shows a means for adjusting the height of the device.

In this embodiment, the mounting means 214 has a pair of threaded pegs 70 which have heads adapted to run in undercut recesses 72. The recesses are located in a first part 74 of the mounting means (preferably that part which is secured to a wall or otherwise securely mounted), and run substantially vertically. The pegs are mounted in threaded apertures in a second part 76 of the mounting means, and carry handles 78 by which the pegs may be rotated relative to the respective apertures. On rotation of a handle 78 in a tightening direction, the respective peg 70 is drawn towards the second part 76, clamping the lip 80 of the undercut and so securing the second part 76 relative to the first part 74. It will be understood that such a mounting means permits the second part to be selectively clamped to the first part at a vertical position corresponding to the desired height of the rail.

Fig.8 shows a base 82 suitable for use with the embodiment of Fig.3, the base having a recess 84 into which is slidably mounted a wedge 86. The user stands on the wedge (for a right handed golfer the left foot stands on the wedge, and vice-versa), which causes the foot and lower leg to lean, to replicate the desired foot turn which is made during a golf swing, and maitaining the user's weight on the inside of his or her foot. Mounting the wedge in a recess permits the wedge to be moved relative to the base to suit the particular user, be he or she right or left handed. If the wedge is to be used with the embodiment of Fig.l, the recess should be aligned substantially perpendicular to the wall 88 rather than parallel therewith.

In order to measure the player's flexibility, it would be possible to mark the rail with a scale, perhaps measured in degrees, so that the position of the hand 2 (during a static exercise) or the sleeve 40 (in a ballistic exercise) at the player's limit of flexibility could be measured. In this way, an improvement in the player's flexibility after using the device for several days could be quantified. For use in a ballistic exercise, it would be preferable that the player did not have to move his head to see the extreme position of the sleeve; accordingly, a marker which is in frictional engagement with the rail and which is pushed around the rail by the sleeve could be used, which marker would be left at the extreme position for subsequent inspection.

In another alternative embodiment, the length of the backswing during a ballistic exercise could be limited. For example, if through experience it is known that a particular player has a tendency to "overswing", i.e. to rotate his arms beyond what his body will naturally achieve, a clamp or the like can be affixed to the rail so that the sleeve is physically prevented from moving beyond the limit established by the clamp; the player can then repeat the ballistic exercise seeking to swing the sleeve up to the clamp, i.e. to train his muscles to limit the length of the backswing.

Claims (13)

1. An exercise device comprising a rail, and mounting means for the rail, the rail being part-circular and having a radius in the approximate range 16 to 28 inches (41 to 71 cm).

2. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the mounting means includes orienting means for adjusting the orientation of the rail.

3. An exercise device according to claim 2 in which the orienting means permits discrete adjustment of the orientation of the rail.

4. An exercise device according to claim 2 in which the orienting means permits continuous adjustment of the orientation of the rail.

5. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the mounting means carries a scale so that the oriented position for a particular user can be determined.

6. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the mounting means includes height-adjustment means for the rail.

7. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the rail is fully circular.

8. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the rail carries a sleeve which is slidable therealong.

9. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the sleeve carries a grip, the grip having a longitudinal axis, the grip being axially rotatable relative to the sleeve, the axis of the grip being substantially parallel to the radius of the rail.

10. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the mounting means includes radial adjustment means to adjust the radius of the rail.

11. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the rail has a substantially circular cross section, usefully between 0.5 and 1.5 inches (1.27 to 3.81 cm) in diameter throughout its length.

12. An exercise device according to claim 1 in which the rail carries a scale so that the limit of a user's stretching ability can be determined.

13. A method of using an exercise device according to claim 8 including the steps of (i) gripping the sleeve with one hand, (ii) moving the sleeve around the rail in a reciprocating motion.

13. An exercise device according to claim 12 in which the rail carries a sleeve which is slidable therealong, and a marker which is in frictional engagement with the rail and which can be pushed around the rail by the sleeve.

14. A method of using an exercise device according to claim 1 including the steps of (i) gripping a part of the rail with one hand, (ii) moving the hand around the rail in a direction to increase the degree of stretching required, (iii) maintaining the stretched position, (iv) moving the fingers further around the rail in the said direction; (v) maintaining the stretched position; (vi) repeating steps (iv) and (v) until the user is at or close to the limit the limit of his or her stretching ability, (vii) maintaining the final position for an extended period of time.

15. A method according to claim 14 in which the position is maintained in steps (iii) and (v) for a small number of seconds, and in which the position is maintained in step (vii) for a longer period of time, for example thirty seconds.