Note : Les descriptions sont présentées dans la langue officielle dans laquelle elles ont été soumises.
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RESISTANCE DEVICES, TOTAL-BODY EXERCISE MACHINES
OUTFITTED THEREWITH, AND EXERCISE METHODS USING SUCH DEVICES
AND MACHINES
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS
This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application
No. 60/259,293, filed on December 29, 2000, and incorporated herein by
reference.
TECHNICAL FIELD
This invention relates to exercise machines, and more particularly to
resistance devices for multiple uses, including for converting aerobic lower-
body exercise
1o machines to total-body exercise machines by providing an upper body
exercise component.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The exercise and fitness industry continues to be an area of high growth,
marked by a proliferation of exercise machines. Among many of the most popular
exercise machines are aerobic leg exercise machines such as but not limited to
treadmills,
air walkers/gliders, upright and recumbent bicycle machines, torso-twisting
disks, cross-
trainers, steppers, elliptical exercise machines, cross-country and downhill
ski machines,
trampolines, squat machines, rowing machines, stretching machines, abdominal
machines
and the like.
Many embodiments of these machines have some sort of handrail, grip, or
2o handlebars for resting the arms, while other embodiments provide nothing to
hold on to,
and still other embodiments have some type of mechanism to enable simultaneous
exercising of the arms and/or upper body. Such mechanisms may include but are
not
limited to poles, shafts, or arms that, for example, move back and forth.
Machines with
such mechanisms for exercising both the legs or lower body and arms or upper
body are
often referred to as "dual action" or "total body" exercise machines. In fact,
the inventor
coined the phrase "total body" and originated the concept of extending the
"total body"
idea to exercise machines beyond cross-country ski machines.
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Dual action or total body machines have a number of benefits, including
offering a more complete total body exercise including both the arms and/or
upper as well
as the lower body. The increased work raises the user's metabolism and heart
rates more
quickly than single action machines, and maintains the higher metabolism and
heart rate
throughout the workout. Such machines are therefore more efficient, providing
more
exercise in less time. The arm exercise features also strengthen, tone, or
shape the arm
muscles during the aerobic workout. The overall safety of machines with such
features is
also typically enhanced, as the arm exercise mechanisms typically provide
improved
1o balance to the user as compared to embodiments without such mechanisms.
There are, however, a number of disadvantages inherent in presently
available dual action machines. Typically, the upper body or arm motion
provided by such
machines is an unnatural motion, requiring the user to push forward and/or
pull backward.
For example, certain cross-country ski machines, have a cable or reel system
for the arms
that is mounted in front of the user. The front-mounted arm system produces an
awkward,
pull-down/backward motion on the backswing of the arms. This causes the body
to lean so
uncomfortably forward that a separate structure is typically provided as a
stomach/mid-
section support.
Additionally, arm-exercise mechanisms, such as poles, on existing machines
typically require the user's arms to be raised above the waist during the
entire push/pull
cycle. The poles or exercise arms are generally mounted in a fixed position,
in front of the
user, often making the user lean forward, straining the lower back and neck,
rather than
being in a more comfortable, upright posture position. Additionally, the poles
or exercise
arms typically travel in a fixed arc in a single plane, thus limiting the
range of motion of
the arms and upper body to a predetermined distance traveled and to a single
plane of
motion that is unnatural.
The poles or arms may often be dependent on or tied into the motion of the
leg exercise device. This limits the motion of the arms or upper body to the
motion of the
legs or lower body, typically in a one-for-one cycle. Poles that are dependent
upon the leg
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motion typically keep moving, even when not engaged by the exerciser. This
creates the
safety risk of striking the user. Also, because the poles or exercise arms
keep moving and
do not fold away, the user is basically forced to use them and has no choice
of exercising
in a non-dual-action, arms-free mode because the poles interfere with a
natural arm swing.
In many machines, the arms or poles do not fold away or fold down flat for
more compact
storage.
Arm exercise poles or other arm-exercise devices currently available
typically must be held in a closed grip fashion by the hands, which may cause
fatigue,
strain or cramping of the hand, wrist, and/or arm. A closed grip may also have
the
1o undesirable effect of raising blood pressure. Additionally, the act of
pushing a pole
forward may put considerable pressure on the palm of the hand, causing a
discomfort in a
sensitive pressure point.
In summary, current dual action exercise machines typically require arm
motion that may be unnatural and/or uncomfortable and in some circumstances
may be
unsafe. Additionally, the various arm exercise mechanisms known in the art are
often
relatively expensive. Thus, there is a need in the art for a dual action,
total body, arm
exercise mechanism that addresses some or all of the deficiencies noted above.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
~ne aspect of the invention comprises an exercise reel comprising an
2o elongated tension member having first and second ends; a user engagement
connected to
the elongated tension member first end for engaging a body appendage; a spool
connected
to the elongated tension member second end and on which the elongated tension
member is
adapted to be wound; a resistance mechanism for resisting unwinding of the
spool, the
resistance mechanism comprising a rotatable disk and a pair of calipers for
engaging the
rotatable disk; and a retraction mechanism for automatically rewinding the
spool. In one
embodiment, the retraction mechanism comprises a coil spring, the reel
comprises a
mounting connection for mounting to a surface, and the reel further comprises
a roller
clutch to disengage the resistance mechanism during rewinding of the spool and
a housing
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for enclosing the spool, the rewind mechanism, and resistance mechanism. The
resistance
mechanism may be adjustable. The adjustment mechanism may be remotely actuated
and/or motorized. In a preferred embodiment, the user engagement comprises a
hand loop
that is padded, adjustable, or a combination thereof.
Another aspect of the invention comprises an exercise machine, preferably
an aerobic lower-body exercise machine comprising at least one exercise reel
for
exercising the upper body as described above. Suitable lower body exercise
machines may
include but are not limited to: treadmills, air walkers/gliders, upright and
recumbent
bicycle machines, torso-twisting disks, cross-trainers, steppers, elliptical
exercise
1o machines, cross-country and downhill ski machines, trampolines, squat
machines, rowing
machines, stretching machines, abdominal machines and the like. The exercise
reel may
comprise a forward-stroke arm exercise reel positioned behind a user to
provide resistance
to a forward swinging motion of an arm of the user while allowing the user's
arm to
perform the forward swinging motion in a natural, free-swinging arm position.
For such
use, the elongated tension member may consist of a length sufficient to extend
from a
mounting point of the reel on the machine to a furthest point of a user's arm
swing from
the mounting point, and the spool is sized to hold substantially all of the
elongated tension
member length.
In one embodiment, the exercise machine may comprise at least two arm
2o exercise reels, a first reel adapted for use by a left arm of the user and
a second reel
adapted for use by a right arm of the user.
In some embodiments, the exercise machine may comprise a support
structure, such as a padded support adapted to engage the back or buttocks of
the user,
mounted behind the user for minimizing the possibility of the user being
pulled backward
off of the machine by the resistance of the arm exercise reel.
In another embodiment, the exercise machine may comprise a single arm
exercise reel comprising a first elongated tension member adapted for use by a
left arm of
the user, a second elongated tension member adapted for use by a right arm of
the user,
each elongated tension member having a portion engaged by the reel to provide
resistance
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to the forward swinging motion of each arm. The first elongated tension member
and the
second elongated tension member may comprise portions of a single elongated
tension
member and the portion engaged by the reel may comprise a middle portion of
the single
elongated tension member. The resistance mechanism may comprise a knob screw
having
a shaft coaxial with the spool and a spring coaxial with the knob screw shaft
and having
opposite ends, one end abutting the knob of the knob screw and the other end
abutting the
spool such that as the knob is tightened, the spring compresses and exerts
increased force
upon the spool.
Another aspect of the invention comprises a free-standing exercise device
1o comprising at least one exercise reel as described herein. In one free-
standing
embodiment, the user engagement may comprise a crossbar for engagement by both
hands
of the user. Another embodiment may comprise a platform having at least one
exercise
reel comprising an elongated tensioned device strung between the platform and
a user
engagement such that the user may lie or stand upon the platform and perform
an upper
15 body exercise against the resistance of the reel, optimally while
simultaneously performing
a lower body exercise such as jumping, running, kneebends, stretching, and the
like.
Yet another aspect of the invention comprises an exercise machine for
exercising a user, the machine comprising an upper body exercise component
comprising
one or more resistance devices adapted to provide resistance to a forward
swinging motion
20 of an arm of the user while allowing the user's arm to perform the forward
swinging
motion in a natural, free-swinging arm position. The resistance device
comprising a
elongated tension member having first and second ends, and a user engagement
connected
to the elongated tension member first end, wherein the user engagement is
padded,
adjustable, or a combination thereof. In one embodiment, the resistance device
comprises
25 a spool connected to the elongated tension member second end and on which
the elongated
tension member is adapted to be wound, a resistance mechanism for resisting
unwinding of
the spool, and a retraction mechanism for automatically rewinding the spool.
In another
embodiment, the resistance mechanism comprises an elastic member having
adjustable
resistance.
30 The exercise machine may comprise at least one user engagement rest
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positioned in front of the user for holding the user engagement when not in
use by the
user. The resistance mechanism may be mounted behind the user, or if the
resistance
device is not located behind the user, the machine may further comprise a
guide such as a
pulley, roller, or the like mounted behind the user for directing the
elongated tension
member to the user from the resistance device. In such an embodiment, the
resistance
device may comprise a spring having a first end connected to the exercise
machine and a
second end connected to the elongated tension member second end. In another
such
embodiment, the resistance device may comprise a single reel comprising at
least one
elongated tension member having a portion engaged by the reel, a first user
engagement
to adapted for use by a left arm of the user, and a second user engagement
adapted for use by
a right arm of the user.
Another aspect of the invention comprises methods of exercising comprising
using any of the devices described herein. One method of exercising, comprises
a user
engaging in total body exercise, including engaging in upper body exercise by
swinging the
user's arms in a natural, multi-planar, free-swinging motion against a tensile
resistance
force directed from a point behind the user and transmitted by an elongated
tension
member, the elongated tension member having a user engagement that is engaged
by
means other than a closed grip, such as in an open, loose grip.
Yet another aspect of the invention comprises an exercise machine
2o comprising a lower body workout component and an upper body workout
component, the
upper body workout component comprising at least one pole providing resistance
to
movement thereof, the pole having freedom to move in multiple planes. The pole
may
comprise a ball and socket interface with the machine, or the pole may be
axially attached
to a helical spring that is connected to the machine. In an ball and socket
embodiment
wherein the resistance is adjustable, the ball and socket interface may
comprise a member
for increasing and decreasing radial pressure on the ball.
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BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS
FIG. 1A is a perspective view illustration of a user on an exemplary
treadmill outfitted with exemplary exercise reels.
FIG. 1B is a perspective view illustration of a user on a treadmill similar to
that of FIG. 1A but with a single reel embodiment.
FIG. 1C is a perspective view illustration of a single reel embodiment
similar to that of FIG. 1B but with guides for the cable.
FIG. 2A is an exploded plan view illustration of an exemplary spring-return
cable spool mechanism.
1o FIG. 2B is perspective view illustration of the partially assembled
exemplary
spring-return cable spool mechanism of FIG. 2A, with the housing shown removed
to
reveal the inner workings.
. FIG. 3A is an illustration of a hand loop user engagement.
FIG. 3B is a plan view illustration of an exemplary micro-hook/micro-loop
adjustable hand loop embodiment.
FIG. 3C is an illustration of an exemplary adjustable cable-through-ring
hand loop embodiment.
FIG. 4A is a plan view illustration of an exemplary single reel embodiment.
FIG. 4B is a partial cross-section side view illustration of an exemplary
Zo resistance mechanism on the single reel embodiment shown in FIG. 4A.
FIG. 5A is an illustration of an exemplary cross-country ski machine having
two forward-stroke exercise reels.
FIG. 5B is an illustration of an exemplary elliptical machine having two
forward-stroke exercise reels, two backward-stroke exercise reels, and a
support structure.
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FIG. 5C is an illustration of an exemplary trampoline having two forward-
stroke exercise reels and a support structure.
FIG. SD is an illustration of an exemplary stepper having two forward-
stroke exercise reels and a support structure.
FIG. SE is an illustration of an exemplary exercise bicycle having two
forward-stroke exercise reels.
FIG. SF is an illustration of an exemplary rowing machine having two
backward-stroke exercise reels.
FIG. SG is an illustration of an exemplary torso-twisting disk exercise
1o machine having two forward-stroke exercise reels.
FIG. 5H is an illustration of an exemplary air walker/glider exercise
machine having two forward-stroke exercise reels.
FIG. 6A is an illustration of an exemplary exercise reel in a freestanding
floor-mounted configuration with a crossbar as a user engagement.
FIG. 6B is an illustration of an exemplary exercise reel in a freestanding
wall-mounted configuration with a crossbar as a user engagement.
FIG. 6C is an illustration of an exemplary exercise reel in a freestanding
ceiling-mounted configuration with a crossbar as a user engagement.
FIG. 6D is an illustration of an exemplary freestanding platform having two
2o exercise reels mounted thereto for upper body exercise.
FIG. 6E is an illustration of an exemplary freestanding platform having a
single-reel exercise reel embodiment mounted thereto.
FIG. 6F is an illustration of an exemplary freestanding platform having a
two exercise reels mounted thereto for leg exercises.
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Fig. 7 is a perspective view of an exemplary treadmill embodiment having a
plurality of exercise reels mounted thereon.
Fig. 8 is a side view of an exemplary treadmill embodiment having helical
spring resistance devices mounted underneath the treadmill.
FIG. 9 is a plan view of an exemplary treadmill embodiment having a single
reel mounted to the front thereof, with guides to direct the cable to a point
behind the user.
FIG. 10 is a partial longitudinal section illustration of an exemplary pole
mounted on a helical spring for mounting to an exercise machine.
FIG. 11 is an illustration of an exemplary treadmill having poles mounted
1o thereon with a ball and socket resistance mechanism.
FIG. 12 is an illustration of an exemplary stepper exercise machine having
the resistant units attached to the steps.
FIG. 13 is an illustration of an exemplary foot surface for providing
enhanced balance for a user.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF INVENTION
The invention will next be illustrated with reference to the figures. The
figures are intended to be illustrative rather than limiting and are included
herewith to
facilitate the explanation of this invention.
Referring now to FIG. 1A, there is shown a user 14 on an exercise machine
10, namely a treadmill. Machine 10 has two resistance units of this invention,
namely
exercise reels 12, mounted behind user 14 to be used for exercising the user's
arms. Reels
12 are positioned to enable the natural, free-swinging back and forth motion
of arms 16 of
user 14. User 14 swings each arm 16 forward in an upward arc along arrow A,
extending
from below the waist or preferably behind the user's body at or to the rear of
point B, and
moving alongside to point C in front of the user's body. Most of the effort is
exerted by
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pulling and lifting the arms on the upswing (in the direction of arrow A),
while letting the
arms swing backward freely on the downswing (opposite the direction of arrow
A).
One aspect of the invention allows the user to maintain this natural arm
swing motion while exercising, and in so doing provides a superior exercise
workout.
Reels 12 may be permanently attached to exercise machine 10 or may be
detachable, and
may be used to retrofit a pre-existing machine. Although mounting the devices
behind the
user for use in providing an arm workout is one preferred embodiment, the
resistance
devices of this invention may be placed anywhere on an exercise device in
relation to the
user, for use in working-out any portion of the user's body. Although any
number of
resistance units may be provided, a preferred embodiment comprises two
resistance units,
one for each arm and/or leg. Although four units may be provided so that both
legs and
both arms may be exercised simultaneously, one preferred embodiment comprises
two
units that may be adjustable for use with either arms or legs.
The resistance units may be permanently affixed to the machine, or may be
detachable and removable. The resistance units may also be fixed in a
particular place on
the machine, but are preferably adjustable in one or more dimensions. For
example, as
shown in Fig. 7, each reel 12 may be mounted on a shaft 700, each shaft
pivotable in the
direction of arrow Z to provide adjustability forward and backward relative to
the user.
_ Each reel may also be slidable up and down shaft 700 along arrow Y, such as
on a track,
providing vertical adjustability. Although not shown in Fig. 7, shaft 700 may
be jointed to
allow pivoting toward and away from each other, to provide right-to-left
adjustability
relative to the user. The arrangement shown in Fig. 7 is merely one example of
how
resistance mechanisms can be provided with adjustability in more than one
direction. Any
other structural arrangements known in the art may be used to provide one,
two, or three
directions of adjustability (up/down, forward/back, or left/right). Shafts 700
may be
provided as part of the original equipment for the exercise machine, or may
comprise a
retrofit kit for attaching to existing exercise machines.
The resistance units may allow for adjustment in the amount of resistance,
but units that are not adjustable may also be used. The adjustable resistance
may be
continuously adjustable within a certain range, may comprise incremental,
stepped, non-
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continuous adjustment, or a combination thereof. For example, a kit may be
provided
having a first set of resistance devices for providing continuous adjustment
between 1-5
pounds of resistance, and a second set of resistance devices interchangeable
for the first set
for providing continuous adjustment between 5-10 pounds of resistance. The
noted ranges
of resistance are merely exemplary, however, as any range of resistance may be
provided.
Referring now to FIGS. 2A and 2B, there is shown an exemplary exercise
reel 12 in further detail. Reel 12 is depicted in Figs. 2A and 2B as a spring-
return cable
spool reel, but other types of reels may also be used. In the embodiment shown
in Figs.
2A and 2B, however, cable 217 is attached to cable spool 207 at one end and
comprises
1o user engagement means, such as hand loop 219 on the opposite end. Although
the cable
may preferably be a plastic-coated, twisted-metal cable as is well known in
the art, the
term "elongated tension member" may be used herein to generically refer to any
type of
cable, line, cord, tubing, band, strip, rope, chain, string, or other means
known in the art
suitable for transmitting tensile resistance to the arm movement of the user
from spool
207. For simplicity, however, the embodiments described from this point
forward are
described with respect to a "cable" (except where specific to other types of
tension
members), but it should be understood that any applicable elongated tension
member may
be substituted for the cable described in any of these embodiments.
Cable 217 may be non-elastic or may have some elasticity. Cable 217 is
2o preferably just long enough to stretch from the mounting location of the
reel to the furthest
point of the user engagement from the mounting location during a standard arm
swing.
Thus, for a reel mounted behind the user, the length corresponds to the length
of a full
forward arm swing, and for a reel mounted in front of the user, the length
corresponds to a
full backward arm swing. The spool is preferably sized to just hold
substantially all of the
length of the cable. By "substantially all," it is meant the portion of the
cable not
including user engagement 219 or any portion of the cable between the cable
thimble 21g
and the user engagement. By "just hold" it is meant that the spool is
preferably not
substantially oversized, so as to conserve weight and size and to minimize
cost.
Restricting the length of cable and spool capacity enables a more compact unit
than if, for
3o example, the length of cable were indiscriminately long and the size of the
spool were
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correspondingly large. For example, previously known reel devices for use in
aquatic
training would be unreasonably bulky for use in the present application.
In the preferred embodiment, the user engagement is a comfortable, "hands-
free" design that may be in the form of a padded, soft, non-chafing hand loop
219, such as
is shown in FIG. 2B, or any other type of strap or grip that fits around the
hand without
requiring a closed grip by the hand. A material such as a dense foam rubber
may provide
the padded, soft, and non-chafing qualities. The user engagement may comprise
any of the
suitable mechanisms known in the art for enabling engagement by or attachment
to a
portion of the upper body, however, such as but not limited to handles, grips,
bars, wraps,
gloves, straps, cuffs, and the like. In other embodiments, where the exercise
reel of this
invention is used for the exercise of other muscles, the user engagement may
be any device
for engaging any part of the body, including the feet or legs, the waist, the
torso, the head,
the shoulders, and the like. Thus, although referred to as a "hand loop"
herein, it should
be understood that loop 219 may be used for engagement of other parts of the
body. The
user engagement may be permanently attached to or detachable from cable 217.
Upper
body user engagements may be designed to be attached to, engaged by, or held
by any
portion of the arms, wrists, hands, or fingers of the user. The user
engagement may be
securable to the arm or hands by any mechanism known in the art, such as but
not limited
to the user grasping or holding the means, or the means being secured to the
user by any
type of fastener such as one or more buckles, Velcro° fasteners, snaps,
pressure fittings,
hooks, loops, clips, and the like. User engagements for other parts of the
body may be
securable to the feet, legs, waist torso, head, shoulders, and the like. The
user
engagement is preferably padded for comfort, and/or lined for sweat
absorption.
Although the user engagement may be a member suitable for gripping by the
user, a loop is preferred because it may simply engage the user's hand 17 in a
naturally
open position as shown in FIG. 3A with the loop passing between the user's
thumb 19 and
forefinger 20. Loop 219 may also be adjustable for sizing and comfort, while
allowing for
a quick release of the hands. For example, as shown in FIG. 3B, loop 319
comprises a
section 302 of micro-hooks and mating section 304 of micro-loops (or vice
versa), such as
a commonly known Velcro° fastener, that enables the diameter D of loop
319 to be
adjusted. Any number of equivalent devices for providing adjustability are
known in the
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art and may be used, however, such as but not limited to snaps, buttons, a
"cable-through-
ring" mechanism 419 such as is shown in FIG 3C with cable 417 and ring 418,
and the
like.
Returning now to Figs. 2A and 2B, reel 12 further comprises a split housing
having a left component 201 and right component 202 that enclose the moving
parts. Shaft
end caps 220 are attached to either end of shaft 205 to keep the assembled
housing in
place. Reel 12 also may comprise a swivel mount, such as yoke 203 and swivel
tongue
204, that allows the reel to swivel with respect to its attachment point to
the exercise
machine. Although the yoke / swivel tongue mechanism allows only a single
degree of
to freedom (pivoting in the either direction along arrow X), the swivel mount
may comprise
multiple swivel mechanisms, each of which provides additional degrees of
freedom, or
may comprise a single mechanism, such as a ball-and-socket mechanism that
provides
multiple degrees of freedom. Instead of being attached to shaft 205 running
through cable
spool 207, the swivel mount may also be attached to one or both of the housing
components 201 or 202. A swivel mounting, in general, may protect the reel
mechanism
by reducing stresses on the reel. In other embodiments, however, the reel may
be attached
to the exercise machine, mounting bracket, wall, bench, platform, or the like,
by a non-
swiveling mechanism.
Reel 12 preferably has a retraction mechanism so that cable 217 is wound
back on the reel as the user's arm moves backward on the back swing. As shown
in FIG.
2A, an exemplary retraction mechanism embodiment comprises a retractor spring
206,
such as a coil spring. Other retraction mechanisms may also be used. Spring
206 is
loaded as cable 217 is unwound from spool 207 (and also exerts some
resistance) and then
automatically springs back to rewind the cable as the user moves hand loop 219
back
below the waist and behind the body so that it can be pulled forward again to
point C on
the upswing to complete a full cycle of the arm swing. The retraction
mechanism also
enables reel 12 to retract cable 217 so that cable thimble 218 abuts reel 12
when the reel is
not being engaged by a user, to neatly store the cable when not in use. Cable
thimble 218
prevents too much cable, including hand loop 219, from being pulled into
housing 201 and
3o 202. Opening 230 in the housing is sized to stop thimble 218 from being
drawn inside.
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The cord on the reel mechanism may fully retract up to thimble 218,
providing compact storage. In other embodiments, holders may be provided
forward of
the user for resting the user engagements where they may be readily picked up
and put
down by the user. For example, as shown in Fig. 1A, console 18 in front of
user 14 may
comprise wings 20 having upright posts 22 around which the loops 219 (shown in
Fig. 2B)
may be optionally placed. So, a user wanting to discontinue the arm exercise
portion of
the workout for a period of time may merely continue exercising his legs while
temporarily
putting the loops 219 down on posts 22 where they can be readily picked up
again without
discontinuing the leg workout.
1o Although shown in FIG. 2A as a spring 206, the retraction mechanism on
reel 12 may be of any type known in the art, however, such as but not limited
to a spring,
weight, or elastic member. The cable retraction mechanism may even be
motorized, if
desired. The retraction mechanism may be adjustable to provide a range of
retraction
forces or may be non-adjustable. In the exemplary embodiment shown in FIG. 1B
and
described herein later in which a single reel has a cable with one end used by
the user's
right arm and the other end used by the user's left arm, the retraction
mechanism for one
arm is powered by the forward stroke of the opposite arm.
Reel system 12 also has at least one resistance mechanism. In some
embodiments, the resistance mechanism and retraction mechanism may be the same
2o mechanism, or at least a portion of the resistance mechanism may also
comprise at least a
portion of the retraction mechanism. In other embodiments, at least some
substantial
portion of the resistance mechanism may be separate from the retraction
mechanism. For
example, spring 206 provides some resistance force as well as the retraction
force. In the
embodiment shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the resistance mechanism additionally
comprises
a brake disk 211 and a pair of caliper arms 212 and 213. The element providing
the
resistance may be anything known in the art, however, such as but not limited
to a spring;
an elastic member, including a tension band or ring; a weight; a friction
brake, including a
brake on a reel or on the cable itself; a pressure pad; a screw; a device
using magnetic,
hydraulic, or pneumatic resistance; a bendable shape memory material such as a
composite
(i.e. a BOWFLEX° rod); or the like.
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The resistance mechanism may be adjustable, such as for example, by
turning caliper adjustment knob 216 which is connected to shaft 214. Shaft 214
is
coaxially mounted within spacer 215 and has a threaded end that interfaces
with threaded
portion of left caliper arm 212 to change the distance between left caliper
arm 212 and
right caliper arm 213, as shown in FIG. 2A. Shaft 214 protrudes through
housing
component 202 via opening 221, allowing adjustment knob 216 to be accessible
without
removing the housing.
The resistance mechanism may also be non-adjustable. For example, if
permanently set to be used for an aerobic workout, the arm mechanism may be
non-
to adjustable and set to provide less than about 5 pounds of resistance. If
the arm mechanism
is designed to provide a simulation of weight exercise, the arm mechanism may
be
adjustable to offer a range of different resistance forces that may typically
exceed 5
pounds. This range of resistance forces may be infinitely adjustable within
the range along
a continuum, or the range may be adjustable stepwise.
As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, the resistance mechanism typically further
comprises a clutch mechanism, such as roller clutch 210 that disengages from
spool clutch
hub 208 when spool 207 spins in the direction for retraction of cable 217, and
engages it
again when the cable causes the spool to spin in the opposite direction. The
clutch
mechanism allows retractor spring 206 to quickly rewind cable 217 on spool 207
without
2o resistance. Embodiments without a clutch may also be provided.
Although shown in FIG. 1A with two reels 12 with independent cables 217
coming from each reel 12, referring now to FIG. 1B, a single reel 112 may be
shared by
both arms. Reel 112, as shown in greater detail in FIGS. 4A and 4B, may
comprise one
cable 117a for one arm and another cable 117b for the other arm, each cable
wound on
spool 107 in a different direction. Cables 117a and 117b may be two distinct
cables or
may comprise a common cable with its middle section wound around spool 107.
Reel 112
as shown in Fig. 1B may be mounted so that it can swivel up and down to
accommodate
users of different height while assuring that the tension forces on the cable
are
perpendicular to the axis of the spool. Referring now to FIG. 1C, to further
facilitate a
3o natural, straight forward and backward arm motion and to keep the cable
from touching
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the back of the user's body, the single reel embodiment may further comprise a
set of
pulleys or guides 114 which move the origin point of the resistance force more
toward the
outside of and behind the body.
As shown in FIG. 4B, resistance may be provided in the single reel
embodiment by a spring 110 mounted around shaft 120 of knob screw 122. As knob
screw 122 is screwed downward to advance threads 123 into nut 126, which abuts
one end
of spool 107 via washer 128, knob 124 compresses spring 110 so that the
pressure exerted
by the spring on spool 107 increases. FIG. 4B shows only one exemplary
mechanism for
providing resistance, however, and other mechanisms may be used as are known
in the art
without limitation. The advantages of a single reel embodiment include the
simplicity of
design and the economic benefit of having only a single reel and cable. Single
reel
embodiments may limit the motion of one arm to the opposite motion of the
other arm,
however, which in some circumstances may not be desirable. Furthermore, single
reel
embodiments can provide only the same resistance for each arm, and the cable
is not fully
retractable when not in use.
Although arm exercise reels 12 are particularly useful for providing total
body workouts for aerobic leg exercise machines, such as on a cross-country
skiing
machine 510 as shown in FIG. 5A, an elliptical machine 520 as shown in FIG.
5B, a
trampoline 530 as shown in FIG. SC, a stepper 540 as shown in FIG. SD, an
exercise bike
550 as shown in FIG. SE, a torso-twisting disk 560 as shown in Fig. SG, or an
air
walker/glider 570 as shown in Fig. 5H, the invention is not limited thereto.
This invention
may be used in conjunction with any type of exercise machine, such as but not
limited to
home gyms, strength training machines, upper body exercise machines, and the
like,
including specific machines such as but not limited to treadmills, air
walkers/gliders,
upright and recumbent bicycle machines, torso-twisting disks, cross-trainers,
steppers,
elliptical exercise machines, cross-country and downhill ski machines,
trampolines, squat
machines, rowing machines, stretching machines, abdominal machines and the
like.
Because of the backward resistance force applied by the arm-exercise
mechanism, in some embodiments it may be desirable to include one or more
attendant
3o structures for facilitating the invention. Such structures may include a
support structure
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behind the user, and/or, for devices such as steppers with a limited area for
engaging the
foot, an oversized or at least full-sized foot support. For example, as shown
in Fig. 13,
foot support 1300 has a length L and width W greater than the comparative
length and
width of a human foot 1302, and optionally further comprises a raised lip or
railing 1304
on the periphery to make it easier for the foot to stay in the foot support
area. The foot
support area surface 1306 may optionally comprise a high-traction material.
Exemplary support structures 60 behind the user are illustrated in FIGS. 5B,
5E, SG and SH, and may be provided to minimize the possibility that a user may
lose his
or her balance. The support structure may be designed to support the back or
buttocks of
the user, and may be adjustable in one or more directions, such as up/down,
right/left, and
forward/back. For example, as shown in Fig. SD, support 60 may rest on a pole
63 that
pivots forward and backward in the direction of arrow Z, and support 60 may
further be
adjustable up and down the pole along arrow Y. Other mounting means for
support 60
may also be used, however, such as a crossbar behind the user supported by a
pair of
posts. Any means for mounting the support may be used, but optimally should
not
interfere with the natural, free-swinging arm motion of the user. In an
exemplary exercise
bicycle embodiment 550, back support 60 may comprise a back rest that is part
of the seat
62, as shown in FIG. SE. Support structures may be particularly desirable for
machines
where there may be a risk of imbalance or instability, such as, for example,
with an
elliptical machine 520, trampoline 530, stepper 540, torso-twisting disk 560,
or air glider
570, as shown in FIGS. SB-SD, SG, and SH, respectively, where the user is in a
somewhat elevated position when using the machine. Support structures are not
limited to
use only with these machines, however, and may be provided on any machine,
including
but not limited to treadmills. Embodiments without such a support structure
may also be
provided for any type of machine.
The resistance provided by the exercise device is preferably unidirectional,
preferably provided on the forward arm swing as shown in FIGS 1A, 1B and SA-
5E, SG,
SH, 8, 9, and 12. The unidirectional resistance allows for two phases of
exercise: an
exertion phase (on the foreswing for rear-mounted devices) and a resting phase
(on the
backswing for rear-mounted devices). As shown in FIG. SF, however, reel 12 may
also
be used to provide resistance for backward arm motion, such as for use with a
rowing
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machine 560. Reels 12 or 112 may be used to provide resistance to forward or
backward
arm motion on any exercise machine known in the art. Although reel 112 is
generally
known for providing upper body exercise in conjunction with a cross-country
ski machine,
it has not been known for use with other exercise machines. Accordingly, it is
within the
scope of this invention to use reel 112 to provide resistance to forward arm
motion when
mounted to any exercise machine and to provide resistance to backward arm
motion when
mounted to any exercise machine other than a cross-country ski machine.
Furthermore,
the scope of this invention includes the use of any source of mufti-planar
(non-pole-type)
arm swing resistance on any lower body exercise machine other than a treadmill
or a
to cross-country ski machine and the use of any source of mufti-planar (non-
pole-type) arm
swing resistance permanently integrated with a treadmill. By "permanently
integrated" it
is meant that the arm-swing resistance is not a retrofit unit. Thus, this
invention serves
needs and fills gaps currently not addressed by existing exercise machines on
the market.
A plurality of reels 12 may also be used to provide bi-directional resistance
both on the forward and backward swing. An exemplary bi-directional resistance
design,
shown in FIG. 5B, shows one reel 12a in front of the user and one reel 12b
behind the user
for each arm. The user may optionally use both reels 12a and 12b at the same
time to
provide resistance on the upswing and backswing, or may only use one reel at a
time, to
provide resistance on the upswing or the backswing, depending upon user
preference.
2o Although shown in FIG. 5B with use on an elliptical machine 520, the bi-
directional
resistance design is not limited to use on elliptical machines, nor are
elliptical machines
limited only to bi-directional designs.
Preferably the arm exercise mechanism has at least one anchor point for
each reel 12. The anchor point or points may be located anywhere, but are
preferably
located on the exercise machine itself, as shown in FIGS lA-1C, SA-SH, 7-9,
and 12. The
anchor point may be located on the base or lower frame of the exercise
machine, and
preferably to the rear of the user at a height within a range between and
including the
user's feet to the user's hips, as shown, for example, in FIGS lA-1C and SA-
SE, 5G, 5H
and 7. In other embodiments, discussed herein later, the anchor point for the
resistance
3o device may actually be located somewhere other than behind the user, with
guides used for
bringing the cables to the rear of the user. Reels 12 may be detachable or
permanently or
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semi-permanently anchored. The attachment mechanism at the anchor point may be
a
quick-connect mechanism that allows for reels 12 to be quickly replaced or
moved easily
from place to place around the machine, from machine to machine, or from
machine to
non-machine or free-standing locations. The attachment mechanism may also be a
standard bolt and nut combination (with washers or special brackets as needed
to adapt to
each machine). The attachment mechanism may be adapted for easy detachment by
the
user, or may be intended to remain fixed without routine detachment by the
user.
Reels 12 may also be used in a free-standing mode. For example, one or
more reels 12 may be mounted to any type of floor 600, wall 610, ceiling 620,
pole,
1o bench, or the like in a gym or home at a desired height to provide an arm
and/or leg
workout, as shown in FIGS. 6A-C. Cable 217 may have hand loops 219 as the user
interface as shown and described previously, or may have a crossbar 619
similar to a
weight-lifting bar on which weights are typically mounted.
In another embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6D a pair of reels 12 may be
mounted on a platform 50 on which a user 14 may stand, with the opposite end
comprising
any of the user interfaces described previously. A user standing on platform
50 may thus
approximate a curling or lifting exercise using free weights using the reel
mechanisms of
this invention, optionally with a bar (such as crossbar 619 shown in FIGS. 6A-
C). A user
. lying on his or her back on platform 50 between reels 12 with a crossbar 619
connected to
2o the respective cables may approximate a bench press exercise. A single reel
112 may also
be used in a freestanding mode with or without a platform 50, as shown in FIG.
6E
mounted on a platform. Single reel 112 may be mounted at an angle or on a
swivel or
cable guides may be used so that the pulling force is always perpendicular to
the axis of the
spool for smooth operation regardless of the height or position of the user.
In one
embodiment (not shown), the platform may be relatively small, with just enough
size for
the user to stand on, such that the user typically must keep one foot down at
all times to
prevent the platform from moving. In another embodiment, shown in Fig. 6D, the
platform may be relatively large and heavy. An advantage of a relatively
large, heavy
platform is that the platform does not rely on the user stepping on it to keep
it in place.
3o Thus, the user may run in place, jump, stretch, perform kneebends, or other
lower body
exercises while using a relatively heavy platform. Although some lower body
exercises
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may be possible in conjunction with upper body exercise on a lightweight
platform,
exercises such as jumping and running in place are not readily facilitated.
Reel 12 may also be used to exercise other body parts, such as the legs, in a
natural motion. In one embodiment, loop 219 may be placed around the user's
foot or leg,
as shown in FIG. 6F and the user may perform leg lifts with a natural motion.
For
example, reels may be connected to a platform 50 and the user may position
himself or
herself against a wall 610 for balance. Such exercise may be beneficial for
developing leg
muscles above the knee and muscles in the waist and buttocks, and may further
provide an
enhanced aerobic workout. The use of reels for leg exercises is not limited to
freestanding
l0 reels as shown in FIG. 6F, however, but may include reels mounted to
exercise machines,
benches, poles, walls, floors, and the like. The uses of the reels of this
invention are not
limited to exercising leg and arm muscles, however, as other muscles may also
be
exercised, such as muscles in the neck, midsection, shoulders, waist, and the
like. Neck
muscles may be exercised, for example, by using a headband as the user
engagement
means.
Thus, in one aspect, the subject invention solves a number of the problems
associated with present dual action machines in one simple, compact, economic,
easy-to-
use mechanism. Embodiments including placement of the mechanism behind the
user
allow for a more natural, free-swinging arm motion and promotes a more
natural, upright
2o body position, which is safer for the user. The natural, free-swinging
motion promotes
better overall body coordination during exercise, as the upper body typically
sets the
rhythm fox performing the exercise. As compared to pole-type mechanisms, the
present
invention provides a more flexible and versatile range of motion, allowing the
user to
choose the amount of upswing and backswing distance most comfortable for him
or her
and to choose the plane of motion relative to body most comfortable.
Furthermore, the
user may choose between dual action or non-dual action mode, and in some
embodiments,
unidirectional or bi-directional resistance.
The use of a padded, non-chafing loop for engaging the hand provides a
more comfortable engagement than a grip, exerting less pressure on the hand or
wrist.
3o The loose or open grip of a padded loop also avoids the undesirably higher
blood pressure
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that, according to some sources, may be promoted by a closed grip. An
adjustable and/or
padded cuff 1210 that merely slips around the user's wrist, such as shown in
Fig. 12 may
also be used to avoid the drawbacks of a closed grip. The hand loop 219 may be
used as a
cuff around a user's wrist, if desired. The arm exercise mechanisms discussed
herein,
such as reel 12, are relatively inexpensive to manufacture and are relatively
easy and
inexpensive to repair or replace. The mechanisms discussed herein are also
lightweight
and are compact for storage.
Other mechanisms besides reel mechanisms may also be used to provide
total body workouts on lower-body-focused exercise machines. The use of
elastic
1o members for enhancing a workout is taught generally in U.S. Patents No.
5,405,305, No.
5,476,431, and No. 5,632,70, incorporated herein by reference. As used herein
the term
"elastic member" refers to any type of exercise bands, tubing, ropes, or cords
known in
the art that provide resistance to being stretched, and include any type of
materials of
construction, including natural and synthetic materials. Elastic members can
also be made
to have an adjustable resistance force. For example, by shortening the length
of the elastic
member that is allowed to stretch, the resistance provided by that member can
be
increased. Devices are known in the art to provide such shortening capability
with relative
ease of adjustment. One such device for use with exercise tubing is described
in U.S.
Patent No. 5,10S,096 to Ponce, incorporated herein by reference, and another
such device
2o is marketed by Innotrainer of Tanumshede, Sweden, as described generally
with respect to
adjusting the distance between handles for aerobic exercise on
www.innotrainer.com, also
incorporated herein by reference. Thus, a pair of adjustment devices may be
mounted to
the frame of an exercise device, such as in the position of reels 12 shown in
Fig. 7, and
elastic members may be used to provide the resistance from behind the user.
Another mechanism for providing adjustable resistance with elastic members
is to use a plurality of elastic members, with the ability to engage or
disengage selected
members to increase or decrease the resistance force. Use of the adjustable
and/or padded
user engagements described herein may be particularly advantageous over
standard user
engagements typically used with such elastic members, for all of the reasons
discussed
herein.
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Although described above with respect to self contained resistance
mechanisms mounted behind the user, the resistance mechanism may be mounted
elsewhere on the machine and directed to a point behind the user with rollers,
pulleys or
guides. For example, as shown in Fig. 8, the resistance mechanism may comprise
an
elastic member or helical spring 800 mounted underneath the machine, with
guides such as
rollers or pulleys 802 for directing the cable to the user. Adjustability of
the amount of
resistance may be provided by increasing or decreasing the amount of pre-
stress on the
spring or elastic band, such as by shortening the length of the spring or band
allowed to
expand as a result of the workout, or by preloading the spring or band. An
exemplary
to method of adjusting the preload on a helical spring is shown in Fig. 20 of
U.S. Patent No.
6,123,649, incorporated herein by reference. The spring or elastic member may
be
enclosed in a tube if desired for aesthetic or safety purposes. Only one
helical spring
mechanism 800 is shown in Fig. 8, but it should be understood that optimally
there is one
spring mechanism for each arm to provide independent resistance. One
embodiment (not
shown), however, may comprise a single spring configured so that each end of
the single
spring serves as a spring mechanism for one of the arms.
As shown in the treadmill embodiment of Fig. 9, a single reel 112 may also
be mounted in front of the user or under the machine with guides such as
pulleys 900 and
stays 902 provided for guiding the cables to a point behind the user to
provide an exercise
2o workout for the natural arm swing of the user.
When used with a treadmill, the resistance devices of the present invention
provide an increased workout without requiring, for example, an inclined or
motorized
treadmill. The resistance devices of the present invention also enable a
natural, free-
swinging motion when walking or running on the treadmill. Thus, the relatively
inexpensive addition of resistance mechanisms may eliminate the need for more
expensive
mechanisms, such as inclines or motors, typically used with treadmills known
in the art.
Of course, the resistance mechanisms may also be coupled with inclined and
motorized
treadmills for an even greater workout.
As described herein, one aspect of the invention comprises an exercise
3o machine for exercising a user, the machine comprising an upper body
exercise component
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comprising one or more resistance devices adapted to provide resistance to a
forward
swinging motion of an arm of the user while allowing the user's arm to perform
the
natural, free-swinging forward motion in a naturally extended arm position.
The resistance
device comprises a elongated tension member having first and second ends and a
user
engagement connected to the elongated tension member first end, wherein the
user
engagement is padded, adjustable, or a combination thereof. Although the
resistance
device is preferably the exercise reel described herein, or one of the other
resistance
systems described above, any resistance device known in the art may be used in
conjunction with such an exercise machine. For example, the following U.S.
Patents
to describe exemplary resistance mechanism, all of which may be used to
provide resistance
for the upper body workout: U.S. Patents No. 518,967 to Poole; No. 3,929,331
to
Beeding; No. 4,114,875 to Deluty; No. 4,557,480 to Dudley; No. 4,779,866 to
Marshall
et al. ; No. 5,147,264 to Braathen; No. 5,176,599 to Beliakov; No. 5,486,149
to Smith et
al.; No. 5,618,249 to Marshall; No. 5,733, 231 to Corn et al.; Nos. 5,876,310
and
6,149,559 to Mackey, and No. 6;123,649 to Lee et al. This list is not
limiting, however,
as a multitude of other resistance devices are known in the art, and
applicable for use as
described generally herein.
Using resistance devices to provide upper body workouts on machines
otherwise designed for lower-body workouts, provides greater exercise in less
time,
2o enabling a total body workout with more aerobic benefit. The increased
exercise provides
increased calorie consumption, as compared to equal time on a machine without
the
additional resistance mechanisms, ultimately leading to increased weight loss
for those
incorporating exercise into a weight loss regimen. The resistance devices also
provide
strengthening, toning, shaping, and stretching of the muscles using the
devices.
Although described primarily herein where the resistance devices are
independent from the lower body workout, the upper body resistance devices may
be
dependent upon the lower body exercise device. For example, as shown in Fig.
12, in a
stepper-type machine 1200, each resistance unit 12 may be attached to one of
the steps
1202 so that the stepping motion and upper body exercise motion are tied
together. The
feature of making the upper body exercise dependent on the lower body exercise
may also
be extended, as applicable, to any of the exercise machines discussed herein.
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The resistance devices may be provided as original equipment on an
exercise machine, or provided as retrofit units. Retrofit units may have
components
allowing universal or near-universal attachment to any machines known in the
art.
Reels 12 as shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B have a manual resistance adjustment
effected by turning knob 216. It should be understood that the resistance
adjustment may
also be motorized, such as with a remote control that activates a motor which
turns shaft
214. Motorized adjustment also enables adjustment of the resistance "on-the-
fly", such as
with a remote control integrated into the user engagement, or provided on the
exercise
machine, such as on a panel in front of or beside the user. Thus, the user may
increase or
1o decrease the resistance without stopping the exercise. The remote control
may be provided
by a knob or push button. For knob control, turning the knob one direction may
increase
resistance whereas turning the knob the other direction may decrease
resistance. In push
button embodiments, dual or single push button control may be provided. In a
single
button mode, the adjustment may continuously run through a loop of increasing
and
decreasing resistance when the button is depressed, such that the user need
merely hold the
button down until the desired resistance is achieved. In a dual button mode,
one button
increases resistance and the other button increases resistance. Mechanical, as
opposed to
electrical, on-the-fly adjustment mechanisms may also be provided.
Although the devices as described herein for use with exercise machines
have numerous advantages, one of the advantages is providing freedom of
movement in
multiple planes, which is typically not provided by the types of poles
typically included for
upper body exercise on lower-body exercise machines. Poles may be provided,
however,
that enable this functionality. In one embodiment, for example as shown in
Fig. 10, a pole
1000 may be mounted axially on a heavy-gauge helical spring 1002 to enable
movement in
more than one plane. Resistance adjustment may be provided by adjusting the
length of
the portion of the spring allowed to bend. In another embodiment, shown in
Fig. 11, pole
1100 may have a ball 1102 at the end that mounts in a socket 1104, with an
adjustable
member, such as a compression screw 1106, for adjusting the radial pressure on
the ball
for increasing and decreasing the resistance to movement of the ball within
the socket. In
3o some embodiments, to overcome the disadvantage of typical pole grips 1108
(shown on
pole 1100), a user engagement 219 as described herein may be attached to the
poles
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(illustrated with respect to right pole 1110), with an elastic or spring
member 1112
provided to increase resistance and to provide a retraction mechanism for the
pole on the
backswing .
The various embodiments described herein lend themselves to novel
methods of exercising, including any exercise using the physical embodiments.
A
particularly novel exercise method comprises exercising the upper body with a
natural,
free-swinging arm motion, wherein resistance is provided to the arm motion by
a
resistance device providing tensioned resistance from a point of origin behind
the user, and
the resistance device is engaged by the user's upper body by means other than
a closed
to grip, for example engagement by the hand in an open, loose grip such as
provided by a
hand loop described herein. The various exercise methods may comprise
combining the
upper body exercise with a lower body exercise, such as provided by any of the
exercise
machines discussed herein. The methods of exercise may include performing warm-
up
exercises, aerobic and/or strength training exercises, or cool-down exercises,
and
preferably may comprise a combination thereof integrated into an exercise
program.
Although various embodiments of the invention have been described, it will
be understood that the invention is not limited to these embodiments, but is
capable of
numerous modifications of parts, elements and materials without departing from
the
invention.
