Abstract: An exercise apparatus for toning the mid-section and lower portion of the body, especially helpful for handicapped individuals who have marginal or only functional use of their lower extremities on an involuntary basis whereby a physically able person or a physically challenged person manipulates a pendulum bar, freely suspended from a semi-flexible member in a quarter circular oblique movement, while strapped to the apparatus in a seated position, and whereas the flexibility of the flexible member is predetermined by design or controlled hydraulically by the user.

Abstract: A method of abdominal exercise utilizing an apparatus which includes a flexible element mounted to a seat, the flexible element having a transverse handle manipulated by a user in at least two planes when sitting on the seat straddling the flexible element. The apparatus further includes a back strap and a lap belt. The flexible element in one embodiment being a urethane column having rigidity control by vertical adjustment of the handle relative to the column. The flexible element in a second embodiment is a self-contained fluidized unit providing resistance in at least two planes.