Abstract: An exercise apparatus has a body supporting carriage that moves relative to a frame in a direction having a vertical component. Levers are movably mounted on the carriage and connected to the frame in such a manner that movement of the levers relative to the carriage is linked to movement of the carriage relative to the frame.
Type:
Grant
Filed:
April 19, 1996
Date of Patent:
September 22, 1998
Assignee:
Nordic Track Inc
Inventors:
Laurence J. Hullett, Jeffrey G. Zwiefel, Steven D. Sokol
Abstract: A variable resistance exercise device provides a variable resisting force in response to a user applied force. The variable resistance exercise device includes at least one rotating force transmitting means for inputting a user applied force as a rotational force to be resisted, and at least one force transmission member for transmitting the user applied force. The user applied force is resisted by varying the viscosity of a viscosity variable fluid which surround plates rotated by the user applied force. Thus a braking force is applied to actively resist the user applied force. In accordance with the invention, a multi-configurable multi-programmable exercise device is provided which may be used in a variety of exercise modes to provide a resistive force to a user-applied force during a range of motion of a particular exercise. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, a variable resistance means resists a user-supplied force in one rotational direction only.
Abstract: The present invention provides an exercise apparatus having a stabilizing device pivotally mounted relative to the frame of the exercise apparatus. A bolt is rotatably mounted relative to the frame at a fixed distance from the pivot point of the stabilizing device, and a nut is threaded onto the bolt. The stabilizing device is rotatably mounted relative to the nut at a point intermediate the pivot point and a body support member on the stabilizing device.