Abstract: Apparatus for the exercise of a person's upper torso wherein there is minimal unnatural motion or positioning of the glenohumeral joint and/or the wrist and elbow joints and including means for carrying each of the person's arms through movement generally within a transverse plane that is occupied by the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints, this means comprising at least one set of outrigger arms arranged for pantographic motion about fixed axes which are substantially coincident with the median sagittal plane of the person's body. A method for the upper torso exercise is disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for the exercise of a person's upper torso wherein there is minimal unnatural motion or positioning of the glenohumeral joint and/or the wrist and elbow joints and including means for carrying each of the person's arms through movement generally within a transverse plane that is occupied by the wrist, elbow and shoulder joints, this means comprising at least one set of outrigger arms arranged for pantographic motion about fixed axes which are substantially coincident with the median sagittal plane of the person's body. A method for the upper torso exercise is disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatus for docking of an exercise machine wherein the control over the docking activity is under the control of the user, employing means other than those limbs of the user which are primarily engaged in the grasping and physical movement of the movable component of the machine, and including at least one dock which is frictionally engaging with the movable component, activator means actuated by the user to impart stored energy in a connector means disposed between the dock and the activator whereby upon disengagement of the movable component from the dock, the stored energy in the connector means effects movement of the dock from its docking position with respect to the movable component. A method for controlling the docking is disclosed.

Abstract: An apparatus utilizing squat maneuvers is provided for exercising and/or rehabilitating muscles and joints in the lower back, hip and legs. A single carriage assembly comprising four elongated members pivotably connected in the form of a rectanglar provide a parallelogram-type arrangement which provides a pantographic-type motion to a vertically oriented back support that is supported in cantilever fashion by a vertically disposed member of the carriage assembly. The back support is maintained in its vertical orientation during squat maneuvers while being moved along an arcuate path as provided by the pantographic motion of the carriage assembly. The elongated members of the single carriage assembly are formed of structures exhibiting high resistance to twisting moments and the pivotal connections between these members are of near pressed-fit tolerances so as to inhibit any looseness at the pivotal connections which could cause binding at the pivotal connections during squat maneuvers.

Abstract: An apparatus for dynamically exercising the leg and hip muscles employing squat maneuvers. Specifically, the apparatus includes a base on which the user stands and a back support that is mounted such that it maintains a vertical attitude while being moved by the user along a arcuate path as the user performs a squat movement with his back in contact with the back support. The controlled movement of the back support is accomplished by first and second parallelogram-type side assemblies so mounted with respect to the base at one of their respective ends and having the back supported therebetween adjacent their outboard ends, that such side assemblies provide pantographic type motion to the back support. Shoulder blocks associated with the back support are adjustable to accommodate users of various physical heights.