PORTABLE EXERCISE DEVICE AND METHOD
A portable exercise device comprising: a support member, configurable to be installed such that it is generally stationary when in use; a first rotatable hand grip device attached to the support member, the rotatable hand grip device comprising: a first housing attached to the support member; a first grip rotatable within the first housing, the rotation taking place generally within an imaginary plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of earth's gravity, and where the first grip is generally sized so that a user's hand can grasp and hold on to the first grip; a second rotatable hand grip device attached to the support member, the rotatable hand grip device comprising: a second housing attached to the support member; a second grip rotatable within the second housing, the rotation taking place generally within an imaginary plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of earth's gravity, and where the second grip is generally sized so that a user's hand can grasp and hold on to the second grip. A method of using a portable exercise device with rotating grips, the method comprising: grasping grips in a chin-up position; pulling body up towards the grips; rotating grips into a pull-up position; finishing pulling body to the top of the exercise position, but with hands in a pull-up position; beginning to lower body back to a starting position; rotating the grips of both hands back to a chin-up position; and completing a repetition of the exercise back at the start position, with hands in a chin-up position. A method of using a portable exercise device with rotating grips, the method comprising: grasping grips in a pull-up position; pulling body up towards the grips; rotating grips into a chin-up position; finishing pulling body to the top of the exercise position, but with hands in a chin-up position; beginning to lower body back to a starting position; rotating the grips of both hands back to a pull-up position; and completing a repetition of the exercise back at the start position, with hands in a pull-up position.
The present application claims the benefit of provisional patent application No. 61/369,687 filed on Jul. 31, 2010, by Leighton Barchi, entitled “Double Up Revolutionary Pull-Up Bar”, the entire contents of which are fully incorporated by reference herein.
TECHNICAL FIELDThis invention relates to a portable, personal exercise device, and more particularly to a personal exercise device that allows for the rotation of the hands, wrists, and/or arms during the exercise.
BACKGROUNDPresently, there is an increased awareness of the importance of good health. The medical industry has made significant technological advances, and people are more aware of the positive effect that proper diet and exercise can have on life expectancy. Toward that end, an increasing number of people closely monitor their diets and participate in some form of physical exercise in order to maintain their health and increase their chances of living longer.
The active and busy lifestyles of many individuals often necessitate an exercise program that can be completed in a short period of time without having to travel a long distance to a gym or other exercise facility. The ability to exercise outdoors in one's neighborhood is often negatively impacted by adverse weather conditions, limited number of daylight hours, traffic, and the prevalence of criminal activity. Therefore, indoor exercise in one's home, office or hotel room is often the best and most convenient choice for a place to exercise. Perhaps the most common indoor exercises are pull-ups and chin-ups. Such types of exercise require minimum equipment in terms of size and cost. Pull-ups and chin-ups may be done on any convenient horizontal bar or support which may be grasped by a user. Such activities may be performed using any number of devices of modest cost and size that may be mounted with respect to a door opening. The great majority of devices of this type requires coupling through screws or the like to the periphery of a door opening. Such coupling, however, normally involves defacing of the door that leaves an unsightly appearance when the device is removed.
One other disadvantage of a straight pull-up or chin-up bar is that it limits the number of exercises, and therefore, the number and type of muscles that can be exercised. Also, since the hands are in a static position during the pull-up or chin-up exercise, strain may be placed on the hands, wrist, arms, back, and chest while performing the exercise. In addition, there is no known portable exercise device that allows for performing a pull-up and/or chin-up while being able to rotate hands, wrist, and/or arms during the exercise. Such an exercise may lead to better training and exercise.
Therefore, there is a need for a portable exercise device that overcomes the above and other disadvantages.
SUMMARYThe disclosed invention relates to a portable exercise device comprising: a support member, configurable to be installed such that it is generally stationary when in use; a first rotatable hand grip device attached to the support member, the rotatable hand grip device comprising: a first housing attached to the support member; a first grip rotatable within the first housing, the rotation taking place generally within an imaginary plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of earth's gravity, and where the first grip is generally sized so that a user's hand can grasp and hold on to the first grip; a second rotatable hand grip device attached to the support member, the rotatable hand grip device comprising: a second housing attached to the support member; a second grip rotatable within the second housing, the rotation taking place generally within an imaginary plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of earth's gravity, and where the second grip is generally sized so that a user's hand can grasp and hold on to the second grip.
The invention also relates to a method of using a portable exercise device with rotating grips, the method comprising: grasping grips in a chin-up position; pulling body up towards the grips; rotating grips into a pull-up position; finishing pulling body to the top of the exercise position, but with hands in a pull-up position; beginning to lower body back to a starting position; rotating the grips of both hands back to a chin-up position; and completing a repetition of the exercise back at the start position, with hands in a chin-up position.
The invention, in addition, relates to a method of using a portable exercise device with rotating grips, the method comprising: grasping grips in a pull-up position; pulling body up towards the grips; rotating grips into a chin-up position; finishing pulling body to the top of the exercise position, but with hands in a chin-up position; beginning to lower body back to a starting position; rotating the grips of both hands back to a pull-up position; and completing a repetition of the exercise back at the start position, with hands in a pull-up position.
The present disclosure will be better understood by those skilled in the pertinent art by referencing the accompanying drawings, where like elements are numbered alike in the several figures, in which:
The disclosed portable exercise may be used in many ways.
The disclosed invention has many advantages. The disclosed portable exercise device allows a person to do pull-ups on independently-rotating grips or hand-holds. The rotatability of the grips allows the user to do front pull-ups: pull-ups with pronated palms facing away; rotate both hands simultaneously to do under-handed chin-ups: pull-ups with supinated palms facing the body; mixed-grip pull-ups (one hand front, one hand under); rotating a single hand during a pull-up from front to under; and alternate hand pivots during an exercise. The portable exercise device allows a user to engage more muscle groups during a single pull-up set without changing grips. The disclosed device allows one to rotate the grips so one can start in a chin-up position, rotate to a pull-up position, and back to a chin-up position, all during the execution of pulling oneself up to the bar/grips, thereby exercising many more muscles as compared to doing a straight pull-up or a straight chin-up. Of course, one will recognize that a user can start in a pull-up position, rotate to a chin-up position, and so forth, during the execution of pulling oneself up to the bar/grips.
It should be noted that the terms “first,” “second,” and “third,” and the like may be used herein to modify elements performing similar and/or analogous functions. These modifiers do not imply a spatial, sequential, or hierarchical order to the modified elements unless specifically stated.
While the disclosure has been described with reference to several embodiments, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that various changes may be made and equivalents may be substituted for elements thereof without departing from the scope of the disclosure. In addition, many modifications may be made to adapt a particular situation or material to the teachings of the disclosure without departing from the essential scope thereof. Therefore, it is intended that the disclosure not be limited to the particular embodiments disclosed as the best mode contemplated for carrying out this disclosure, but that the disclosure will include all embodiments falling within the scope of the appended claims.
Claims
1. A portable exercise device comprising:
- a support member, configurable to be installed such that it is generally stationary when in use;
- a first rotatable hand grip device attached to the support member, the rotatable hand grip device comprising: a first housing attached to the support member; a first grip rotatable within the first housing, the rotation taking place generally within an imaginary plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of earth's gravity, and wherein the first grip is generally sized so that a user's hand can grasp and hold on to the first grip;
- a second rotatable hand grip device attached to the support member, the rotatable hand grip device comprising: a second housing attached to the support member; a second grip rotatable within the second housing, the rotation taking place generally within an imaginary plane that is generally perpendicular to the direction of earth's gravity, and wherein the second grip is generally sized so that a user's hand can grasp and hold on to the second grip.
2. The portable exercise device of claim 1, wherein the support member may be removably attached to a doorway.
3. The portable exercise device of claim 1,
- where the first rotatable hand grip device further comprises; a first outer race fixedly attached to the first housing; a first inner race fixedly attached to the first grip; a plurality of rolling elements located between the first outer race and the first inner race, and configured to allow the first inner race to rotate with respect to the first outer race;
- where the second rotatable hand grip device further comprises; a second outer race fixedly attached to the second housing; a second inner race fixedly attached to the second grip; and a plurality of rolling elements located between the second outer race and the second inner race, and configured to allow the second inner race to rotate with respect to the second outer race.
4. The portable exercise device of claim 1,
- where the first rotatable hand grip device is slideably attached to the support member,
- where the second rotatable hand grip device is slideably attached to the support member;
- and where both the first and second rotatable hand grip devices may be locked in place with respect to the support member, with the first and second grips still able to rotate with respect to the first and second housings, respectively.
5. The portable exercise device of claim 3, wherein the rolling elements can sustain both radial and axial loads.
6. The portable exercise device of claim 1, further comprising:
- a first attachment means attached to the support member;
- a second attachment means attached to the support member;
- a first curved member attached to the first attachment means at generally a first end of the first curved member;
- a second curved member attached to the second attachment means at generally a first end of the second curved member;
- a bumper attached generally to the second end of the first curved member and to the second end of the second curved member;
- wherein the bumper is configured to rest against a top of a doorway molding, allowing a user to use the grips to pull the user up for exercise.
7. A method of using a portable exercise device with rotating grips, the method comprising:
- grasping grips in a chin-up position;
- pulling body up towards the grips;
- rotating grips into a pull-up position;
- finishing pulling body to the top of the exercise position, but with hands in a pull-up position;
- beginning to lower body back to a starting position;
- rotating the grips of both hands back to a chin-up position; and
- completing a repetition of the exercise back at the start position, with hands in a chin-up position.
8. A method of using a portable exercise device with rotating grips, the method comprising:
- grasping grips in a pull-up position;
- pulling body up towards the grips;
- rotating grips into a chin-up position;
- finishing pulling body to the top of the exercise position, but with hands in a chin-up position;
- beginning to lower body back to a starting position;
- rotating the grips of both hands back to a pull-up position; and
- completing a repetition of the exercise back at the start position, with hands in a pull-up position.
Type: Application
Filed: Jul 29, 2011
Publication Date: Feb 2, 2012
Inventor: Leighton Barchi (New Haven, CT)
Application Number: 13/193,733
International Classification: A63B 21/00 (20060101);