Abstract: Exercise equipment comprising a stationary support frame including ground engaging means and an upwardly spaced pivot location. A pivoting frame is mounted at the pivot location, and a sled is slidably mounted on the frame. The sled defines a support area whereby a person exercising can be positioned on the equipment. Means are engageable by the person to move the sled relative to the frame, and there are means for maintaining the pivoting frame at a selected angle relative to the support frame. There is a motor-driven means for changing said angle.

Abstract: A health improving gymnastic apparatus comprises a fixed frame, a carrier for carrying a body of a user, a rotary handle to be operated by the user getting on the carrier, and a power transmission mechanism. The carrier is provided with a foot holding unit to hold feet of the user. The carrier is rotatably supported by the fixed frame to give a rotary motion about a horizontal axis relative to the fixed frame between a standing position, where the user stands upright with one's feet held by the foot holding unit, and an upside-down position, where the user is suspended one's head down with one's feet held by the foot holding unit. The rotary handle is mounted on the carrier to give a rotary motion about a handle axis. The power transmission mechanism transmits the rotary motion of the rotary handle to the rotary motion of the carrier relative to the fixed frame.

Abstract: A torso trainer has a user platform mounted on a pivoting, rotating shaft. The lower torso of the user is strapped to the platform with the upper torso supported by the user who employs the waistline muscles. As the platform rotates, different muscle groups are worked so that during the course of a complete 360.degree. revolution all the waistline muscles are exercised. The user effort required varies with the degree of tilting of the shaft and platform. At a nearly vertical tilting position user effort is minimal, while, at a horizontal tilting position, user effort is maximum. A user hand control starts platform rotation and overrides the stopping of platform rotation so that there can be multiple rotations.

Abstract: An exerciser includes a base supported on a support in a suitable inclined angle for supporting a user. An extension is slidably engaged in the base and has one end extended outward of the base and has a clamping device for clamping the feet of the user to the extension. A bracket is secured to the extension. A lever is pivotally coupled to the base and a handle is secured to the lever for rotating the lever. A cable couples the lever to the bracket for moving the extension outward of the base and and for pulling the feet of the user so as to straighten the spinal column.

Abstract: An apparatus for training muscles of the back, abdomen, arms, neck and shoulders, consisting of two equally dimensioned parallely disposed and coaxial rings (1) which are fixedly connected with a support frame (2) and a U-shaped swing (4) with a foot rest (7) and a locking device (23, 24) to support the feet of the user. A fixing device (15-21, 25-28) for the waist of the user is arranged close to the axis of rotation of the swing. In use, the rings (1) serve as a handrail. The swing is adjustable in length. The fixing device for the waist of the user consists of a back support (16) and a front support (15) on each side of the rotational axis of the swing. The distance of the back support and front support to the axis of rotation is adjustable, so that the user may be strapped in such a way that his center of gravity will be kept near the axis of rotation of the swing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a self-rotational exerciser including a fixed stand and a rotational frame freely rotatably connected to the fixed stand via two pivots. The rotational frame includes two elongated side posts, a seat lever connected to lower ends of the side posts, and a foot confining device downward extending from the seat lever for confining a user's feet thereto. A handle lever is connected between upper portions of the side posts for the user to grip. A stand-up position of the user on the rotational frame gives the rotational frame a center of gravity higher than the two pivots and therefore allows the rotational frame to rotate whenever the user tilts his/her body forward or backward. A sitting position or other positions of the user on the rotational frame that give the latter a center of gravity lower than the two pivots shall allow the rotational frame to stay in still either in a normal postion, an upside-down position, or an angularly inclined position.

Abstract: An inversion practice exerciser includes a base member including a horizontal beam and two side beams each attached to one distal end of the horizontal beam. A pair of handgrip members are each mounted on a corresponding one of the two side beams. A pair of upright members are mounted on the base member and each includes a lower post and an upper post pivotally engaged with each other. A pair of shoulder supporting members are each mounted on a corresponding one of the two upper posts and each have a buffer pad mounted thereon. A pair of buffer pads are mounted around an upper end portion of a corresponding one of the two upper posts.

Abstract: An exercise device comprises a frame, a back rest set and a leg pressing rod. The back rest set is mounted obliquely on the frame and provided with a back rest having respectively on two sides thereof with a hanging member. The back rest is provided on the back thereof with a fastening rod and two hanging lugs fastened respectively to the hanging member for fastening the back rest with the frame. The leg pressing rod comprises a height adjusting rod to which two rest pads, one pedal and one operating rod are fastened pivotally. The operating rod is provided at the lower segment thereof with another two rest pads and at the upper segment thereof with a plurality of projections spaced equidistantly. The operating rod and the height adjusting rod are joined together by a retaining ring to restrain both legs of an exerciser who can do an upside-down exercise by placing his or her feet on the pedal, having his or her legs located by the leg pressing rod, and lying on the back rest.

Abstract: An apparatus to relieve back and leg pain comprising a housing with fasteners for mounting the housing to a ceiling. A pair of cable lines extend downwardly from the housing, while a foot support is affixed to the lower ends of the cable lines. A mechanism is for controlling the vertical movement of the foot support by raising and lowering the cable lines. A person can lie down on their back upon a horizontal surface under the ceiling adjacent the foot support and place their feet upon the foot support when lowered. The foot support can be raised to assist in easing the back and leg pain the person is suffering from.

Abstract: An apparatus wherein a framework is arranged to pivotally mount a bed structure including a mattress to permit an individual to elevate the feet portion of the individual relative to the head. The feet of the individual are secured within a strap structure, with the strap structure rotatably mounted relative to a rotary support. The tilting bed apparatus allows a person to sleep in a tilted position, whereby beneficial effects of gravity, such as increased blood flow to the brain and reduced spinal column compression, may be obtained.

Abstract: A rearwardly tiltable chair set sturdily in a frame. The chair allows a user thereof to tilt back and thereby decompress the spine. The user may subsequently engage in exercises that flex, stretch, and strengthen the spine and its accompanying tendons, ligaments and muscles. The user is tilted back to a limited degree so that while the spine is allowed to decompress, blood does not rush to the head. The chair is pivotably held by the frame and tilts easily backward or forward so that the user can easily control his position. In an alternative embodiment, a resistive element is interposed between the back of the chair and the floor so that the user can exercise by pressing back upon the resistive element with the upper torso. A gauge may be coupled to the resistive element to measure the force applied by the user to the resistive element.

Abstract: An adjustable and collapsible bench system (10) is provided for supporting the body of a user while allowing a plurality of orientations to be fixed at the user's behest. The bench system (10) includes a body support mechanism (16) which is adjustably mounted on a base frame mechanism (24). The body support mechanism (16) may be rotationally actuated with respect to the base frame mechanism (24) and releasably secured to the base frame mechanism (24) to provide a plurality of angular orientations of the body support mechanism (16) with respect to the base surface (12). The body support mechanism (16) may be rotationally collapsed to allow for a minimization of the dimensional volume of the bench system (10).

Abstract: An exercise apparatus, comprising a support structure; a platform mounted on the support structure to support a user's legs, and to allow pivoting of the user's trunk about a generally horizontal axis as the user relatively bends his body and his legs; and other structure associated with the platform to induce contraction of the user's thighs relatively toward one another in response to the trunk pivoting, for producing anterior rotation of the user's ilium, thereby inducing distraction of the user's sacroiliac joint, at the ilium posterior; the other means including a thigh grippable element projecting into an inter-thigh region of the user's legs, to be clamped between the user's thighs.

Abstract: Disclosed is an exercise device 10 including an elongated upright ladder section 14 which has at an upper end a body support section. There is a base 12 adapted to rest on a horizontal surface and support in a stable, vertical orientation the upright section. The body support section includes a seat rest support member 16 oriented substantially horizontally and adapted to be sat upon by a user and a second support member spaced from the seat rest support member and adapted to be gripped by the user with either legs or hands depending on the exercise being performed. A generally flat, planar, back support 84 has its upper end pivotally mounted to the seat rest support member 16 and a lower free end movable between a first position where the back support is generally vertical and a second position where the back support pivots and is at an acute angle with respect to the upright section 14.

Abstract: Apparatus for supporting a user in an inverted position supported on their shoulder that includes foot members, an abdomen rest member, a support member, a pair of shoulder rest members that are disposed between the abdomen rest member and support member, and a pair of grip members that are disposed below the shoulder members. To use the apparatus, a user first bends their abdominal region over the abdomen rest member, positioning their shoulders above the shoulder rest members and grasps the grip members with their hands. They then rest their shoulders onto the shoulder rest members with their head fitted between which shoulder rest members. The user then pivots their hips and knees away from the abdomen rest member, straightening their legs, that engage the support member, at the backs of the legs or their hips, the support member supporting their legs in an inverted position.

Abstract: In an exercise apparatus of the type in which a user is suspended in an inverted position for the purpose applying traction to his spinal column and for the purpose of performing strengthening exercises such as abdominal rotations and oblique curls, the user is provided with an unrestricted exercise space by mounting the conventional pivotable pelvic cushion and knee cushion assembly at the upper end of a single forwardly inclined post so that obstructing structure members are not used.

Abstract: A back exerciser is portable, stores in a collapsed position, accommodates people of all different sizes, and allows one to safely exercise all the muscle groups in one's back using resistance provided by one's own weight. First and second pairs of support legs are pivotally connected together at one end of each. Pivotal movement between a collapsed position and an operative position in which the legs of the supports have an angular relationship of about 45.degree.-75.degree. with respect to each other is provided, with positive stops supporting the legs in their maximum angular orientation. The first legs have an angle of about 20.degree.-30.degree. to the vertical. A platform is mounted for movement between a first position in which it is between and parallel to the legs of the first support, and a second position in which it is generally horizontal and disposed above the second support legs.

Abstract: An exercise apparatus, comprising a support structure; a platform mounted on the support structure to support a user's legs, and to allow pivoting of the user's trunk about a generally horizontal axis as the user relatively bends his body and his legs; and other structure associated with the platform to induce contraction of the user's thighs relatively toward one another in response to the trunk pivoting, for producing anterior rotation of the user's ilium, thereby inducing distraction of the user's sacroiliac joint, at the ilium posterior.