Aerial exercising device and method
An exercise device for allowing a user to perform functional tasks during training or exercise. The exercise device has an upper frame from which various exercise stations are positioned. The exercise device is provided which enables users to achieve jumping, horizontal movement, bounding, suspended sit-ups and leg-lift exercise movements. The exercise device comprises a harness system attached to an elastic suspension system to enable the user to jump vertically, another harness system attached to a flexible line to hoist the user up the wall and enable user to move horizontally on a vertical surface, and a cradle system with a ring attachment that allows a user to use upper body strength for suspension and perform abdominal exercises.
Not Applicable
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTNot Applicable
REFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTINGNot Applicable
BACKGROUND OF INVENTIONThe present invention relates, in general, to exercise devices and methods. This invention relates more particularly to an aerial or suspended exercise device enabling users to achieve vertical jumping and bounding, horizontal movement, and suspended exercise movements to achieve exercise positioning, including upright, horizontal, seated, and supine, etc.
Exercise apparatus for use in a workout facility are well known in the art. However, the current equipment used for the average person seeking muscular and aerobic workout are fairly restricted to floor or ground placement, thereby restricting the amount of equipment available at one facility or location due to space requirements. In the majority of workout facilities, the vertical spaces of the structure is of little or no use to the exerciser or user of the workout equipment placed on the floor throughout the building or structure.
Devices for suspending an exercising individual for limited aerial aerobatics is well known in the art. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,052,070 and 4,125,257 disclose two such devices. Both devices rely on a mechanical advantage achieved by the use of a complicated system of pulleys and cables. These devices require the user to have considerable strength and athletic ability. Further, the complicated mechanical systems do not lend themselves to quick assembly and disassembly. These devices are more suitable for gymnastics-type exercises such as are ordinarily achieved through the use of flying rings but not necessarily usable by the average person seeking to perform aerobic training exercises. Other aerial exercise devices that include pelvic harnesses are disclosed by U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,107,377 and 3,432,163. These devices, for the most part, limit the range of exercises to tumbling and gymnastic maneuvers that can be accomplished through their use. U.S. Pat. No. 3,519,239 discloses a simple device to be used by a child which includes means for storing and reusing the energy of the child as he moves in a vertical plane. A simple bounding or bouncing motion is all that may be achieved through use of this device.
Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to alleviate the above-described problems and shortcomings of the exercise devices heretofore available to people who exercise. Therefore, a device which provides the versatility of working in multi-planar directions and does not require significant amounts of athletic strength and agility, and does not require any gymnastic technique would be a useful device to the average person seeking an aerobic workout. Furthermore, the present invention does not require excessive amount of floor or ground space since the workout area is defined to be vertical and aerial spaces and multi-planar directions which minimize floor and ground space needed.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF INVENTIONIn an exemplary embodiment of the invention, a user performs functional tasks during training or exercise using the exercise device. The exercise device has an upper frame which supports the various workout stations. The first workout station includes a harness assembly that is worn by the user. The harness assembly is located substantially beneath the upper frame and is connected to the upper frame by at least one resilient member, such as, but not limited to, a spring or a hydraulic device, in which the resilient member have a predetermined vertical extension tension force. The resilient member has a first end connected to the harness assembly and a second end connected to the upper frame. There could be a line connected to the first harness system to enable a spotter to aid the user in jumping vertically. The second workout station includes a harness assembly that is worn by the user and is located substantially beneath the upper frame. The harness assembly is connected to at least one flexible line which has one end connected to the harness assembly by at least one harness connectors and the other end passes though a pulley system attached to the upper frame by the frame connectors or attached to the upper frame by a sliding system. The flexible line is operatively disposed to the pulley system or the sliding system whereby said flexible line aerially suspends the user in a horizontal position and allows a horizontal planar movement on a vertical surface. The flexible line extends to the floor and is operatively disposed to another pulley system whereby a spotter can pull the flexible line to aid the user up the vertical surface. The third workout station includes a cradle system comprising a seat and back rest. The seat may be composed of a different material than that of the back. The cradle system supports the user substantially beneath the upper frame. At least one vertical member is attached to the cradle system and connected to the upper frame by the frame connectors. An elastic cord connects the flexible back to the upper frame by the connectors. Handles, such as but not limited to, flying rings, are located next to the seat. A vertical member connects to the handle and connects to the upper frame. The handle may be connected to the vertical member connected to the seat of the cradle system.
The exercise device of the current invention is further directed to a method of exercising and allows the user to perform functional exercises. The first step is to put the first harness assembly on the user. The second step is to attach the first end of the resilient members to the harness assembly. With the user located beneath the upper frame, the third step is to attach the second end of the resilient members to the upper frame. The user is now secured by the harness assembly and resilient members and may now perform functional exercises, such as but not limited to, side-lunges, 2-and-1 legged lunges, reverse lunges, frog jumps, sumo dead lifts, knee lifts, mid-air hand-to-toe touches and other exercise programs as might be designed by one skilled in the art. The fourth step is to put the second harness assembly on the user. The fifth step is to attach the first end of the flexible line to the harness assembly. With the user located beneath the upper frame, the sixth step is to operatively dispose the flexible line to the pulley systems connected to the upper frame and to the pulley system connected to the floor. The user is now secured by the harness assembly and flexible line and may now be pulled up the vertical surface by a spotter and perform functional exercises, such as but not limited to, an aerobic workout by running horizontally back and forth across the vertical surface while the spotter pulls on the ends of the flexible line performs a seated row exercise. The seventh step is to attach the vertical member to the cradle system. The eighth step is to attach the elastic cord to the flexible back. The ninth step is to attach the handles to the vertical members. The tenth step is to attach the vertical members and the elastic cord to the upper frame. With the cradle system located beneath the upper frame, the user can now securely be seated in the cradle system and perform functional exercises, such as but not limited to, various abdominal exercises.
Advantages and novel features of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, which simply illustrates various modes and examples contemplated for carrying out the invention. As will be realized, the invention is capable of other different aspects, all without departing from the invention. Accordingly, the drawings and descriptions are illustrative in nature and not restrictive.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGSSo that the manner in which the above recited features, advantages and objects of the present invention are attained and can be understood in detail, a more particular description of the invention, briefly summarized above, may be had by reference to the embodiments thereof which are illustrated in the appended drawings.
It is to be noted, however, that the appended drawings illustrate only typical embodiments of this invention and are therefore not to be considered limiting of its scope, for the invention may admit to other equally effective embodiments. While the specification concludes with claims particularly pointing out and distinctly claiming the present invention, it is believed that the same will be better understood from the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the present invention may be produced in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The present embodiment, is therefore, to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of the equivalence of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein. Reference will now be made in detail to various exemplary embodiments of the present invention, examples of which are illustrated in the accompanying drawings wherein like numerals indicate the same elements throughout the views and numbers with the same final two digits indicate corresponding elements among embodiments. It should be understood that the present invention can be adapted for any other uses and applications to exercising or performing functional tasks while exercising.
Referring now to the drawings and first to
As shown in
Co-located with the cradle system 70 is a handle system 90 comprising a pair of flying rings 91,92. Each ring 91, 92 has a handle connector 93, 94 which is connected to a support member 95,96 extending upwardly to the upper frame 11 and connected via the frame connectors 17. The support members 95, 96 can be connected to the same frame connectors 17 as the vertical members 81, 82.
The exercise device of the current invention may be used in a variety of exercises. One embodiment of a basic method, see
The second step of one embodiment of a basic method, see
The third step of one embodiment of a basic method, see
While certain specific materials and arrangements have been detailed in the above description of exemplary embodiments, these may be varied, where suitable, with similar results. For example, while a steel upper frame is preferred, the upper frame may be formed from any suitable material such as wood, plastics, fiberglass, composite materials, or combinations of these or other materials.
Having shown and described the preferred embodiments of the present invention, further adaptations of the exercise device of the present invention as described herein can be accomplished by appropriate modifications by one of ordinary skill in the art without departing from the scope of the present invention. Several of these potential modifications and alternatives have been mentioned, and others will be apparent to those skilled in the art. For example, while exemplary embodiments of the inventive system and process have been discussed for illustrative purposes, it should be understood that the element described will be constantly updated and improved by technology and advances. Similarly, as described, the exercise device of this invention could be applied with just about any user or accessory exercise or athletic equipment such as a trampoline or a ball. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention should be considered in terms of the following claims and is understood not to be limited to the details of structure, operation, or process steps as shown and described in the specification and drawings.
Claims
1. An exercise device comprising:
- an upper frame comprising a plurality of beams, each beam having a plurality of frame connectors along said beam;
- a first harness assembly to be worn by a user beneath said upper frame, said first harness assembly comprising a plurality of first harness connectors connected to a plurality of resilient members, said resilient members connected to said frame connectors, whereby said plurality of resilient members apply variable vertical elastic tension forces on said user;
- a second harness assembly to be worn by a user beneath said upper frame, said second harness assembly comprising a plurality of second harness connectors connected to a flexible line, said flexible line operatively disposed to a sliding system attached to said upper frame, whereby said flexible line aerially suspends said user in a horizontal position and allows a horizontal planar movement on a vertical surface;
- a cradle system comprising a seat having a front seat end, a back seat end, a first seat end and a second seat end, a flexible back having an top end and a bottom end, said bottom end attached to said back seat end, a plurality of cradle connectors connected a plurality of vertical members, a first vertical member having a first vertical end hanging from said frame connector and a second vertical end connected to said cradle connector located at said first seat end, a second vertical member having a third vertical end hanging from said frame connector and a fourth vertical end connected to said cradle connector located at said second seat end, an elastic cord having a first cord end hanging from said frame connector and a second cord end connected to said cradle connector located at said top end of said flexible back, whereby a user can be seated in said cradle and recline to a supine position.
2. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein the said upper frame is fixedly attached to ceiling joists.
3. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein said upper frame is supported by a plurality of legs whereby said legs are configured to allow said user freedom of movement beneath said upper frame.
4. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein said first harness assembly is attached to a rigid anchor box comprising a horizontal bar with a right end and a left end, a first vertical bar with a first top bar end and a first bottom bar end, and a second vertical bar with a second top bar end and a second bottom bar end wherein said right end is attached to said first bottom bar end and said left end is attached to said second bottom bar end, said first top bar end and said second top bar end are connected to a stopper, said rigid anchor box attached to said harness connectors, said stopper attached to said resilient members.
5. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein said resilient members are connected to said frame connectors at a first location, and wherein said sliding system is located at a second location, and wherein said first vertical member, said second vertical member, said third vertical member, said first support member and said second support member are connected to said frame connector at a third location, whereby a first user can be exercising using said first harness assembly while a second user is exercising using said second harness assembly and a third user can be exercising using said cradle system.
6. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein a handle system comprising a first handle having a first handle connector and a second handle having a second handle connector, said first handle connector attached to said second vertical end of said first vertical member and said second handle connector attached to said fourth vertical end of said second vertical member.
7. The exercise device according to claim 1 wherein a handle system comprising a first handle having a first handle connector and a second handle having a second handle connector, a first support member having a first top support end and a first bottom support end, said first support end hanging from said frame connector and said first bottom end attached to said first handle connector, a second support member having a second top support end and a second bottom support end, said second support end hanging from said frame connector and said second bottom end attached to said second handle connector, whereby a user can grasp said pair of handles and maintain aerial suspension.
8. The exercise device according to claim 6 wherein said first handle comprises a first ring and said second handle comprises a second ring.
9. The exercise device according to claim 7 wherein said first handle comprises a first ring and said second handle comprises a second ring.
10. An exercise device comprising:
- an upper frame comprising a plurality of beams, each beam having a plurality of frame connectors along said beam;
- a first harness assembly to be worn by a user beneath said upper frame, said first harness assembly comprising a plurality of first harness connectors connected to a plurality of resilient members, said resilient members connected to said frame connectors, whereby said plurality of resilient members apply variable vertical elastic tension forces on said user;
- a second harness assembly to be worn by a user beneath said upper frame, said second harness assembly comprising a plurality of second harness connectors connected to a flexible line, said flexible line operatively disposed to a plurality of block and tackle pulley systems fixedly attached to said frame connectors, whereby said flexible line aerially suspends said user in a horizontal position;
- a cradle system comprising a seat having a front seat end, a back seat end, a first seat end and a second seat end, a flexible back having an top end and a bottom end, said bottom end hingedly attached to said back seat end, a plurality of cradle connectors connected a plurality of vertical members, a first vertical member having a first vertical end hanging from said frame connector and a second vertical end connected to said cradle connector located at said first seat end, a second vertical member having a third vertical end hanging from said frame connector and a fourth vertical end connected to said cradle connector located at said second seat end, an elastic cord having a first cord end hanging from said frame connector and a second cord end connected to said cradle connector located at said top end of said flexible back, whereby a user can be seated in said cradle and recline to a supine position;
- a handle system comprising a first handle having a first handle connector and a second handle having a second handle connector, a first support member having a first top support end and a first bottom support end, said first support end hanging from said frame connector and said first bottom end attached to said first handle connector, a second support member having a second top support end and a second bottom support end, said second support end hanging from said frame connector and said second bottom end attached to said second handle connector, whereby a user can grasp said pair of handles and maintain aerial suspension.
11. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein the said upper frame is fixedly attached to ceiling joists.
12. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein said upper frame is supported by a plurality of legs whereby said legs are configured to allow said user freedom of movement beneath said upper frame.
13. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein said first harness assembly is attached to a rigid anchor box comprising a horizontal bar with a right end and a left end, a first vertical bar with a first top bar end and a first bottom bar end, and a second vertical bar with a second top bar end and a second bottom bar end wherein said right end is attached to said first bottom bar end and said left end is attached to said second bottom bar end, said first top bar end and said second top bar end are connected to a stopper, said rigid anchor box attached to said harness connectors, said stopper attached to said resilient members.
14. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein said resilient members are connected to said frame connectors at a first location, and wherein said block and tackle pulley system is connected to said frame connectors at a second location, and wherein said first vertical member, said second vertical member, said third vertical member are connected to said frame connector at a third location, and wherein said first support member and said second support member are connected to said frame connector at a fourth location, and whereby a first user can be exercising using said first harness assembly while a second user is exercising using said second harness assembly and a third user can be exercising using said cradle system and a fourth user can be exercising using said handle system.
15. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein said cradle system and said handle system are connected to said same frame connector.
16. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein said first handle comprises a first ring and said second handle comprises a second ring.
17. The exercise device according to claim 10 wherein said flexible line is operatively disposed between a mountain climbing ascender and a mountain climbing descender whereby said user in said second harness is prevented from free falling.
18. The exercise device according to claim 17 wherein said flexible line is operatively disposed to a floor-anchored block and tackle pulley whereby a spotter can pull said flexible line to hoist said user up a vertical surface.
19. The exercise device according to claim 18 wherein said flexible line is connected to a seated rowing machine whereby said spotter performs a seated rowing exercise with a resistance resulting from a tension from said flexible line supporting said user.
20. A method of exercise with an exercise device, comprising the steps of:
- providing a first harness assembly to be worn by a user, said first harness assembly comprising a plurality of first harness connectors connected to a plurality of resilient members, said resilient members connected to said frame connectors, whereby said plurality of resilient members apply variable vertical elastic tension forces on said user;
- providing a second harness assembly to be worn by a user beneath said upper frame, said second harness assembly comprising a plurality of second harness connectors connected to a flexible line, said flexible line operatively disposed to a plurality of block and tackle pulley systems fixedly attached to said frame connectors, whereby said flexible line aerially suspends said user in a horizontal position;
- providing a cradle system comprising a seat having a front seat end, a back seat end, a first seat end and a second seat end, a flexible back having an top end and a bottom end, said bottom end hingedly attached to said back seat end, a plurality of cradle connectors connected a plurality of vertical members, a first vertical member having a first vertical end hanging from said frame connector and a second vertical end connected to said cradle connector located at said first seat end, a second vertical member having a third vertical end hanging from said frame connector and a fourth vertical end connected to said cradle connector located at said second seat end, an elastic cord having a first cord end hanging from said frame connector and a second cord end connected to said cradle connector located at said top end of said flexible back, whereby a user can be seated in said cradle and recline to a supine position;
- providing a handle system comprising a first handle having a first handle connector and a second handle having a second handle connector, a first support member having a first top support end and a first bottom support end, said first support end hanging from said frame connector and said first bottom end attached to said first handle connector, a second support member having a second top support end and a second bottom support end, said second support end hanging from said frame connector and said second bottom end attached to said second handle connector, whereby a user can grasp said pair of handles and maintain aerial suspension.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 30, 2003
Publication Date: Feb 3, 2005
Inventor: Nya Creary (Freeport, NY)
Application Number: 10/629,732