JP2725814B2 - Exercise equipment - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an exercise device, particularly for muscles of the upper leg and lower abdomen.

When exercising the legs and lower abdomen, make the adductor and abductor (tendons and ligaments) acting on the upper thighs, hips and hips (along with the muscles of the lower abdomen) stronger and more flexible. Consequently, there is a need to provide an exercise device that helps to build a more harmonious body shape, as opposed to training the undesirable bulky mass of muscle that would normally occur with the use of a weighted board machine. This more streamlined body shape is particularly important for women who care about the thighs, hips, and hips, and who want a slender, tight outline. Furthermore, and more importantly, the exercise device can be used for rehabilitation of a person recovering from lumbar trauma and especially before and after surgery on the lower back.

Studies on applied anatomical interactions of muscles have shown that to increase muscle strength (and, consequently, toning and tightening), ideally, the muscles should be moved by the full range of possible movements. , Must work against positive and negative resistance. In order to increase the strength, together with the improvement of flexibility, which is the most important by-product of the present invention,
This concept of positive and negative resistance is utilized in the present invention.

Currently, various forms of exercise devices are available for various parts of the human body. There are less preferred devices that simply provide a means of resisting muscle movement. However, in general, such devices include plates with springs or weights for various levels of resistance, and the pressure can be inward or outward, vertically upward or vertically at either or one end of the device. Given downward. Efforts to overcome spring or loaded resistance provide the necessary tension to strengthen flexor and extensor muscles of the arms, shoulders, chest, abdomen, legs and calves. Most of these devices work primarily by exerting pressure on muscles through the hand. In the case of a leg machine, pressure is applied through the foot and ankle. In each case, the resulting force is along the central axis of the body of the device, depending on the nature of the elastic means. The spring or weighted plate may be a semi-circular spring as well as various types of weights lifted through a pulley system (as in training machines having pulleys with positive and negative cam assisting weights). In the used machine, it can be mounted outside the shaft.

Because it is relatively easy to grip one or both ends with your hands, except for exercise equipment that can be freely held in your hand and is particularly suitable for exercising your arm, chest, shoulder and back muscles In addition, most equipment is usually very expensive, large, bulky and very heavy machines.

Accordingly, it is particularly desirable to provide a lightweight, portable exercise device for exercising the adductor and abductor muscles of the thigh along with the muscles of the lower abdomen.

According to the present invention, the adductor and the outer adductor of the leg comprise a cross member and two side members arranged to extend in the same direction substantially perpendicular to the cross member. A strapless exercise device for exercising the introductory muscles is provided. The exercise device can be placed across or between the legs, and the side members extend from the cross members by an amount that allows the upper portion of the thigh or leg to be securely placed inside or outside the exercise device. This allows training by moving the user's legs outward or in any direction.

The exercise device of the present invention can be isotonic in various forms and degrees,
It uses a combination of isometric and constant velocity principles, and gives the opportunity to strengthen the adductor and abductor muscles of the thigh (thigh) in the most basic and unique way, as detailed below. The resulting positive and negative resistance results in an improved trim and contoured profile. Preferred exercise devices that utilize springs or other resilient means include the adductor Longus, Magnus, Brevis, Gracilis, when transporting the thigh against resistance.
is) and Pectinius produce a positive resistance. Negative abduction resistance occurs when controlling to return to the initial position after achieving a partially or completely thighed position. When abducting or moving the thigh, Glutius, Medius, Minimus and Periformis muscles are used for positive muscle resistance function.

This contradictory effect of the adductor on the abductor and vice versa is largely responsible for smooth walking. Strengthening these muscles is therefore one of the most important functions of the present invention. If these muscles are weak or damaged, their walking will be greatly affected. Bending or standing with one leg is very difficult or impossible without support.

The exercise device of the present invention strengthens the adductor and abductor,
Proportioning and tightening, but also increasing the flexibility of the muscles of the hip joints, improving the harmony and strength of the muscles around the upper leg and hip joints, making the present invention particularly suitable for medical applications in hip rehabilitation It is equally important.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an exercise device for the dynamic relationship to the thigh (thigh) adductor and abductor muscles and particularly to the hips and especially the hip joints (ball and socket fossa). In addition, some will reconcile and tighten the muscles and ligaments of the lower Rectus Abdominus as a result of contraction and release in the effort of using the exercise device.

In one form of the invention, a portion of each end member may be curved slightly inward to surround the sides of the leg. For example, the interior of the member may be curved to surround the outer portion of the leg, while the interior portion may be straight or curved in the opposite direction to use the device between the legs.

In the simplest form of exercise device, the device consists of a transverse bar with two subordinate rigid side members. Side members include
A padded cushion portion may be provided at the portion that contacts the leg to make the device more comfortable during use. In this way, the device can be placed between the legs, providing resistance to the legs as they are moved together. Alternatively, the legs can be placed relatively close to each other, and the device can be placed down on both legs, or upwards under both legs, and then rest on the side members when the legs are released. The cushion cover on the exercise device may be a polymeric pad and the padded covering may be a cotton or lycra / nylon that can be removed for cleaning, as well as a vinyl wipe that has more permanent properties. Or it can be made of a material such as cotton / lycra. As already mentioned, the side members can be shaped to fit the curves of the legs as appropriate to provide comfort in use and better grip the device with the legs. The side members may be hinged to the main cross member so that they can be folded after use. However, in order to accommodate the inward movement of the leg movement, the side members must be able to lock in place.

The device can be made adjustable as a training aid or for an individual. For example, the cross member can be divided into two parts, one sliding in the other and locking means can be provided to lock one part of the cross member in a fixed relationship to the other. . This can be done by means of an integral locking device or by means of pins which pass through respective holes in the two parts of the crosspiece.

In another preferred embodiment of the invention, the crosspiece may again be divided into two parts. The movement of the two parts is resisted by a spring or other elastic means which opposes the inward or outward or bidirectional movement of the two end members. For example, the transverse member may be a tubular member having a spring located at one end, the other part of the transverse member being movable in the tubular member and supported by the spring or locked at the end of the spring. Yes,
As a result, the spring resists movement of the two parts of the cross member toward each other. In such a device, locking means may be provided to limit the degree of movement of the two parts of the cross member relative to each other.

The device can be provided with various means for recording the degree of movement. The recording means may be a simple mechanical pointer or a microelectronic device that measures movement by distance or by the potential of movement, ie the resistance used. The device may be provided with a memory for the previous operation so that the muscles being trained can be measured and recorded as they become progressively stronger.

For example, a single spring with spring groups or adjustment means of varying resistance can be provided and the spring or spring groups or other tensioning means adjusted to change the resistance of the exercise device. Such a device may be provided with a suitable conventional digital readout in liquid crystal or similar form.

 Next, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

 In the drawing, FIG. 1 shows a simple stationary exercise device according to the invention.

FIG. 2 shows a section of an adjustable exercise device according to the invention.

FIG. 3 shows a cross section of a spring-loaded exercise device according to the present invention.

In each device, a cross member 10 and two side or end members 11
And 12 are provided. In FIG. 1, there is a simple transverse member and the side members are in a fixed relationship. As shown at 13, the cushioning material may be provided on the inside and / or outside of the end member and on a suitable portion of the cross member. In FIG. 2, the cross members are two parts 14 and 15. Reference numeral 14 denotes a channel member or a cylindrical member, through which a portion 15 or a portion reduced in width slides. The fitting holes 16 are provided in the above-mentioned two portions, and the pins 17 are inserted therein to lock one portion with respect to the other.

In FIG. 3, similarly to FIG. 2, one part which is a channel member or a tubular member is provided as a horizontal member. The other part slides in the channel or tube. As shown in FIG. 3, a spring 18 is provided in one member and attached to the end of the other part. The mechanical pointer 19 moves along the scale 20 to indicate the movement of the applied pressure. However, this can be replaced by electronic display means which read the force directly or by movement of the member and convert it into a reading in a conventional digital reader.

Exercise devices in any of the illustrated configurations may place the device between the legs such that the inner portion of the leg is outside the end member, or the thigh, knee or other portion of the leg may strike the inner portion of the two end members. Either by laying the cross member over the upper leg, or by placing the cross member under the leg so that the end member is facing upward and engages the thigh, knee or other part of the leg. Used. By moving the legs inward, ie, by inversion, or by moving them outward, ie, by abduction, Longus, Magnus (Ma)
gnus), Brevis, Gracilis
s), Pectinius and Glutius, Medius, Minim
us) and Periformis muscles, respectively. By adjusting the force of the elastic means and alternating the position of the device from between the legs to the outside of the legs, the exercise can also be alternated. The device can be placed at various locations along the leg.

Although the exercise device of the present invention is described as having two springs 18, more than one spring may be used. The spring or springs 18 can be replaced by another resistance generating device, for example a pneumatic device. In either case, an adjustment device can be provided to adjust the resistance force of the exercise device, as indicated by the adjustment knob 21 in FIG.

It is convenient to connect the end member to the cross member by a hinge so that the end member can be bent with respect to the cross member when not used. A locking mechanism is preferably provided for locking the end member in the operating position.

Claims (5)

(57) [Claims] 1. A strapless exercise device for exercising adductor and abductor muscles of a leg, comprising: a cross member having two parts; and elastic means disposed between the two parts. Each having two side plates extending from one of the two portions substantially at right angles to and in the same direction as the transverse member, and placing the exercise device on both legs of the user. Or the two side plates are separated from each other so that they can be placed between the two side plates, and the side plates are provided in such an amount that the upper part of the user's thigh or leg can be firmly placed inside or outside the exercise device. Exercise device extending from the cross member, which can be exercised by moving the user's legs outward or inward with respect to each side surface of the side plates, i.e. with respect to the elasticity of said elastic means. . 2. The side plate can be hinged to the lateral member, and can be mounted on the lateral member when not in use. When the side plate is in a use position, the side plate faces outward from the lateral member. Apparatus according to claim 1, wherein locking means are provided for holding. 3. A locking means is provided for limiting movement of one portion of said transverse member relative to the other portion, said resilient means being adapted to resist movement of one portion of said transverse member relative to the other portion. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the device is provided on one or both parts of the cross member. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said elastic means is a spring. 5. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said side plates are provided at both ends of said cross member.