GB2390037A

GB2390037A - Press-up exercise device

Info

Publication number: GB2390037A
Application number: GB0314186A
Authority: GB
Inventors: George Alfred Dowding
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2002-06-25
Filing date: 2003-06-18
Publication date: 2003-12-31
Anticipated expiration: 2023-06-18
Also published as: GB0314186D0; GB2390037B; GB0214652D0; AU2003204919A1

Abstract

In order to provide an exercise device which places the hands in the optimum position for carrying out a close hand press up exercise, the exercise device 1 comprises a pair of hand grips 2,3 which are fixed by support means 4 and 5. The angle between the axes of the hand grips 2 and 3 is in the range 20-50{ (preferably around 30{). The support means support the hand grips 2 and 3 at a level of 30-100mm above the floor and so that they are substantially horizontal.

Description

1 2390037

EXERCISE DEVICE

The present invention relates to an exercise device.

The exercise device of the invention is particularly intended to facilitate the close hand press up exercise, although it may be used for other types of exercise if desired.

The standard press up exercise is very well known. The raised position during the standard press up exercise is shown in figure 1. The close hand press up exercise is similar to the standard press up, accept that the hands are placed close together, inside the width of the shoulders. The close hand press up exercise directs a higher percentage of the effort to the back and the upper arms (triceps) compared to the standard press up exercise. Figure 2 shows the raised position in the close hand press up exercise. There are two problems with the close hand press up exercise. The first is balance; because the hands are placed very close together, it is difficult to prevent one self-rolling to one side or the other. Secondly, because of the way in which the hands have to positioned, a high degree of stress and discomfort is felt through the wrist joint due to the lateral movement of the wrist while acting as weight bearing joint as required to perform this exercise. The present inventor has set out to solve the problems of the close hand position press up exercise. The present inventor has realised that an exercise device can be provided to facilitate the close hand press up exercise, which provides hand grips in a more ergonomic position, placed slightly above the floor.

The present inventor has further set out to provide an exercise device which can prioritise muscles at the back of the arm.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an exercise device comprising: two longitudinally extending hand grips, the hand grips being fixedly mounted on support means for supporting the longitudinally extending hand grips above a floor surface with the hand grips in a generally horizontal configuration, the support means mounting the longitudinally extending hand grips so that the angle between the axes of the hand grips lies in the range 20-50 and so that the hand grips are supported at a distance above the floor surface in the range 30-l OOmm.

The hand grips can provide a much more comfortable support for the user. By mounting them above the floor, the hand grips can be placed so that they are roughly parallel to the floor surface, providing a much more ergonomic position for performing a close hand press up. A certain amount of space is required underneath the hand grips so that the hands can pass around the hand grips.

The hand grips may be of any suitable design. They may be provided simply by a cylinder or prismatic body or they may comprise specially designed ergonomic grips.

Due to the shape of the closed human hand, any hand grip will have an axis, being a direction running perpendicular to the lines of the fingers when gripping the handgrip.

The hand grips may have any suitable surface finish. For example, they may comprise a plain metal finish, plastic coated material or they may have specially designed grip surfaces, for example formed of elastomeric material and/or foamed material.

The angle between the axes of the two hand grips is in the range 0-80 , more preferably around 10-60 , most preferably 20-50 . 30 is a suitable angle.

In a preferred embodiment, the hand grips comprise longitudinally extending cylindrical or prismatic bodies of length in the range 1 50300mm, more preferably 200-250mm.

By providing hand grips which extend for longer than the normal size of the human hand, the user can select the position at which they place their hand, providing optimum support and comfort for the user.

The diameter of the hand grips is suitably in the range 20mm to 60mm, preferably 30rnm to 40mm.

The hand grips may be located in any suitable position with respect to one another.

However, preferably, they are spaced apart from one another. When stating the spacing of the hand grip, it has to be borne in line that they may be inclined to one another. The spacing of the hand grips, at their closest point may be in the range 0-50mm preferably 0-20mrn. The spacing of the hand grips at their furthest point is suitably in the range 1 00-400mm more preferably 1 50-250mm most preferably 1 75-225mm.

From the point of view of manufacture, the hand grips may be integral with one another or they may be separate pieces, joined by the support means.

The hand grips are fixedly mounted on the support means. That is, during use, they cannot move with respect to the support means. This is particularly important for obtaining a valuable exercise that prioritises selected muscles, as will be discussed further below. The hand grips may be permanently fixed on the support means or they may be configured so that they may be dismounted after exercise. For example, screws bolts, nuts, rivets etc may be used. Alternatively, the hand grips may be welded, brazed, soldered or adhered to the support means.

The support means may be of any suitable design for mounting the hand grips in the appropriate position. For example, the support means may comprise a plurality of separate supporting structures located at different points on the hand grips. They may comprise a pair of longitudinally extending supports, each located at one end of the pair of hand grips and joining the hand grips. The support means may be formed with the hand grips from a single piece of material or they may be formed from separate pieces of material which are subsequently joined together. For ease of manufacture, where the hand grips comprise cylindrical sections, the support means may be made from cylindrical sections as well, so that just one type of raw material is used.

The support means must define at least three contact points for contacting the floor surface, in order to provide a stable support. Preferably, the support means defines at least four contact points, at least one contact point and a t least one longitudinally extending contact area or at least two longitudinally extending contact areas.

Preferably, the contact points are spread apart from one another to provide a stable support. Preferably, the contact points are separated from one another by a distance in the range 100-400mm, more preferably 200-350mm. Alternatively, a contact surface of large area may be provided. For example the contact area could be in the range 10,000 nun sq to 60, 000mmsq.

The support means may comprise support structures of any suitable configuration. For example they may be linear, sections of curves, a complete circle or any other suitable structure. The support means preferably support the hand grips so that the hand grips lie in a plane which is substantially parallel to a floor surface. However, it is possible that the support means could support the hand grip so that they lie in a plane which is inclined with respect to a floor surface. The angle between the plane in which the hand grips lie and the floor surface is suitably in the range 0-20 .

The support means may be provided with suitable surface finish. For example, frictional surfaces may be provided on the support means to prevent the exercise device slipping on a floor surface when in use. For example, end caps formed in a thermo plastic or elastomeric material can be provided engaged on ends of tubular sections of the support means.

A particularly advantageous configuration of the exercise device comprises a regular trapezoidal shape comprising two parallel sides and two inclined sides. The first, longer, parallel side is defined by a first, longitudinally extending, support member and a shorter, parallel side is defined by a second longitudinally extending support member.

The inclined sides are defined by two longitudinally extending hand grips. The longer parallel side is suitably of length in the range 200-350mm and the shorter parallel sides

is suitably of length in the range 1 00-200mm. The hand grips are suitably of length in the range 200-250mm in the length. The parallel sides are suitably formed of tubular material of diameter in the range 45- 60mm. The hand grips are suitably of tubular material in the range 20- 40mm in diameter. The inclined sides are suitably arranged at 15 to the perpendicular joining the parallel sides so that the angle between the inclined sides is 30 .

The hand grips and the supporting means may be fommed of any suitable material. The material should be strong enough to bear the load imposed by a fully grown adult exercising rapidly. Suitable materials includes aluminium and steel.

The exercise device of the invention is designed to be used in the close hand position press up exercise. To achieve this, the user normally places the exercise device on a floor surface so that par of the handgrips which arte closest to one another are closest to the user. In this position the hand grips resemble the letter V. The user will normally carry out the exercise with their head directly above the device.

The device may be used with the handgrips pointing in the opposite direction so that they resemble the letter A. The exercise device of the invention can be used to prioritise muscles at the back of the upper arm in a way that is not possible with a standard push up.. Specific areas of the trice muscle groups can be prioritized. Pronation and supemation exercises are enabled. The device may also be used in an 'explosive power exercise'. This is an exercise in which the user pushes away from the floor at such speed that the device is lifted away from the floor.

This kind of exercise is made easier if the exercise device is light in weight.

Preferably the exercise device has a weight in the range 0.5 - 5kg, more preferably.75 3kg, most preferably 1-2kg.

The present invention allows the exercise device to have a weight in this range, because it is particularly simple in design.

As the handgrips are fixed with respect to the support structure, the exercise device can be used in exercise in which the user applies forces to the device in a direction tending to pull the handgrips apart or push them together.

The present invention will be further described by way of example with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Figure 1 is a sketch view showing a person performing a standard press up exercise. Figure 2 is a sketch showing a person performing a close hand press up exercise.

Figure 3 is a sketch view showing a person performing a close hand press up exercise using an exercise device according to the present invention.

Figure 4 is a sketch plan view of a first embodiment of exercise device according to the present invention.

Figure 5 is a sketch side view of the first embodiment of exercise device according to the invention.

Figure 6 is a sketch end view of the first embodiment of exercise device according to the invention.

Figures 7 and 8 are sketch isometric views of the first embodiment of exercise device according to the invention showing optional surface coverings.

Figures 9 - 14 are sketch isometric views of further embodiments of exercise device according to the present invention.

As described above, figures I and 2 compare the positions of the hands of a person performing a standard press up exercise (figure 1) and a person performing a close hand press up exercise (figure 2). In practice, it is found that the close hand position has problems of balance and can also be very uncomfortable due to the poor biomechanical position of the hands. High shearing forces are placed on the wrists and a high degree of stressing discomfort can be felt through the wrist joint due to the lateral movement of the wrist while acting as a weight bearing joint during the close hand press up exercise.

Figure 3 shows a person performing a close hand press up exercise using an exercise device according to the invention. It can be seen that the wrists have been moved through 90 compared to the position shown in figure 2. It can also be seen that weight forces act down through the wrist in a much more biomechanically effective manner, reducing stress and discomfort and possible damage to the wrist.

Figure 4 is a sketch plan view of the exercise device I according to the invention. The exercise device 1 comprises a pair of hand grips 2 and 3 comprising longitudinally extending cylindrical tubes. In use, a user can grip the hand grips 2 and 3 at any selected point along the length of the hand grips. The tubes 2 are of length in the range 200-250mm and diameter in the range 20-40mm. Support means is provided by two base supports 4 and 5.

It can be seen that the angle between the axes II-II and III-III of the hand grips 2 and 3 is 3oo.

The first base support 4 comprises a short tubular section of length in the range 100-

200mm. The second base support 5 comprises a longer tubular section of length in the range 200-250mm. The base supports 4 and 5 are both comprised of tubular material of diameter in the range 35-60mm. The base supports 4 and 5 are spaced apart by distance in the range 130-230mm.

The hand grips 2 and 3 are fixed to the base supports 4 and 5 by any suitable means, in this case welding. Accordingly, the base supports 4 and 5 support the hand grips 2 and 3 above a floor surface by distance in the range 35-60mm.

Plastic end caps 6 are provided at the ends of the tubular base supports 4 and 5 for closing the tubular sections and for providing a frictional grip with the floor surface during use, to prevent the device sliding around.

Figures 5 and 6 show, respectively, side and end views of the exercise device 1 of figure 4. All of the tube sections used to manufacture the hand grips 2, 3 and base supports 4 and 5 may be formed of steel or aluminium.

Figures 7 and 8 show the exercise device 1 of figure 4 with expanded foam hand grips 7 applied to the outsides of the hand grips 2 and 3 to improve grip and comfort for the user. Figure 9 shows a second embodiment of exercise device 8. The device comprises a pair of hand grips 9 and 10 which are substantially the same as the hand grips 2 and 3 of the exercise device of figure 1. They are mounted on a single, circular base support 11.

Figure 10 shows a third embodiment 12 of exercise device according to the invention.

It is generally similar to the exercise device 1 of figure 4 except that the second base support 5 has been replaced with a pair of shorter base supports 13 and 14 each of which supports the end of a respective hand grip 15, 16. The exercise device of figure 10 can be lighter and require less materials to manufacture.

Figure 11 shows a further embodiment, which is similar to the exercise device of figure 10 except that, instead of being formed by welding two hand grips 15 and] 6 to the base supports, the hand grips 18 and 19 are formed by bending a single tube 17 to an angle of approximately 30.

Figure 12 shows a fifth embodiment of exercise device according to the invention 20.

The exercise device 20 is similar to that shown in figure 4, except that the base supports 21 and 22 comprise sections of circular arc instead of longitudinally extending members. Figure 13 and 14 show how the exercise device according to the invention can be formed by suitably bending a single length of tubular section material. Figure 13 shows an embodiment in which the length has been bent into a shape comprising, in succession a first base support 24, a first inclined section 25 leading to a first hand grip 26, a second inclined section 27 leading to a second base support 28, a third inclined section 29 leading to a second hand grip 30 and a fourth inclined section 31 leading to a third base support 32. The inclined sections 25, 27, 29 and 31 raise the hand grips 26 and 30 above the level of the base support 24, 28 and 32 by a suitable distance.

In figure 14, the exercise device has been formed out of a single section of tubing which has been closed to form a closed loop. For example, the ends may be welded together or fixed together by any suitable means. The exercise device comprises, in succession, a first hand grip 33, a first inclined section 34, a first base support 35, a second inclined section 36, a second hand grip 37, a third inclined section 38, a second base support 39 and, finally, a fourth inclined section 40 supporting the other end of the hand grip 33 to the inclined section 34. Again, the inclined sections34,36, 38 and 40 support the hand grips 33 and 37 above the level of the base supports 35 and 39. The materials and dimensions of the hand grips of the embodiment shown in figures 9- 14 are generally the same as shown in figure 4.

The exercise device of the invention allows the close hand press up exercise. It can be used in proration and supernation exercises. It can be used in explosive power exercises as described above. It can be used in the configuration shown in figure 3, in which the handgrips are in the form of the letter V or it can be used in the opposite configuration so that the hand grips define a letter A. The exercise device suitably has a weight of around 0.75-3kg.

The present invention has been described above by way of example only and modifications can be made within the invention. The invention also extends to any individual features described or implicit herein or shown or implicit in the drawings or any combination of any such features or any generalization of any such features or combination.

Claims

CLAIMS:

I. An exercise device comprising: two longitudinally extending hand grips, the hand grips being fixedly mounted on support means for supporting the longitudinally extending hand grips above a floor surface with the hand grips in a generally horizontal configuration, the support means mounting the longitudinally extending hand grips so that the angle between the axes of the hand grips lies in the range 20-50 and so that the hand grips are supported at a distance above the floor surface in the range 30- 1 OOmm.
2. An exercise device according to Claim 1, wherein the hand grips comprise a

plain metal finish or plastic coated material.
3. An exercise device according to Claim 1, wherein the handgrips comprise surfaces formed of elastomeric material and/or foamed material.
4. An exercise device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the spacing of the hand grips, at their closest point is in the range 0-50mm preferably 0-20mm.
5. An exercise device according to any preceding Claim wherein the spacing of the hand grips at their furthest point is in the range 100- 400mm more preferably 150-

250mm.
6. An exercise device according to any preceding Claim, wherein the support means comprises a plurality of separate supporting structures located at different points on the hand grips.
7. An exercise device according to Claim 6, wherein the support means comprise a pair of longitudinally extending supports, each located at one end of the pair of hand grips and joining the hand grips.
8. An exercise device according to any preceding claim, having a weight in the range O.S - Skg, more preferably.75- 3kg, most preferably 1-2kg.
9. An exercise device substantially as herein described with reference to figures 3 to 14 of the accompanying drawings.