Exercise kit
An exercise kit including an exercise mat, an exercise belt and a carrying bag—with hand grips and a foot pouch on the mat to allow a user's swinging of a leg forward and backward while lying on either the left side or right side while holding onto the hand grips with the opposite foot inserted, in aerobic exercise and/or body toning.
NONE
STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENTResearch and development of this invention and Application have not been federally sponsored, and no rights are given under any Federal program.
REFERENCE TO A MICROFICHE APPENDIXNOT APPLICABLE
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to such fitness programs as body toning and aerobics performance, in general, and to a floor exercise mat usable in cushioning the body in carrying out such routines, in particular.
2. Description of the Related Art
As is well known and understood, full body toning is often accomplished with the assistance of gym-type equipment at a spa or fitness center—or in an exercise room devoted to such purposes. As is also understood, the more energy the exerciser exerts, the greater the overall health benefit.
Analysis of the total toning of the leg muscles has led to the realization that upon each forward leg kick, an exerciser's diaphragm moves upwardly—while each backward kick moves the diaphragm downwardly. Inhalation upon each forward leg kick, and exhalation upon each backward kick has been found to be necessary in order to keep the symmetry between the lungs and the diaphragm aligned. Moreover, the optimum health of the lungs has been found to depend upon such symmetry, and upon the health of the diaphragm. Obviously, a user cannot readily take any of the equipment along with him/her to a different location for continuing these exercise activities without undue hardship and, further analysis has shown that these same problems and limitations exist in aerobics training, where exercise mats are typically utilized.
OBJECTS OF THE INVENTIONIt is an object of the present invention, therefore, to provide an exercise kit which can easily be carried about to allow an exerciser a more total control of the benefit he/she can derive without the assistance of any gym-type equipment.
It is an object of the invention, also, to provide such an exercise kit which is able to maintain the symmetry between the lungs and diaphragm alignment during use.
It is yet a further object of the invention to provide such an exercise kit which can be sized for storage in bags, cabinets, shelves, and under a bed, for example—and for use by all, regardless of body proportions and shapes.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONAs will become clear from the following description, the present invention consists of an exercise kit including an exercise mat, an exercise belt, and a carrying bag. The invention also encompasses the recognition that a new method of exercise can be developed for the complete toning of the body as well as for aerobics performance through the utilization of the exercise mat alone, but preferably with the exercise belt. As will be seen, this exercise consists of the user lying on the mat and holding onto hand grips there provided, while inserting one foot into a pouch on the mat and swinging the other leg. Upon completion of the exercise lying on one side, the user then repeats the exercise by turning onto the other side, holding onto additional hand grips provided, and inserting the opposite foot into the pouch, swinging the other leg. The new method exercise—termed THE LUNG PLUNGE—thus follows from the use of this exercise mat, an exercise belt to protect the lower vertebrae and lumbar-sacral area during the exercise, and the carrying bag in which the exercise mat and belt can be rolled into for convenient toting about by a provided hand or shoulder strap.
These and other features of the present invention will be more clearly understood from a consideration of the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
In particular, as shown in
In the back-side view of the exercise mat 100 shown in
To utilize the exercise mat when performing aerobics and/or body toning exercises while lying down on either the right side or left side, the user would first place the exercise mat 100 on the ground, floor or flat surface. With the user lying down on his/her left side on the front-side of the mat 101, for example, the user may utilize any of the hand grips 102, 103, 104, and 105 to stabilize the body while performing a desired exercise. The user's left foot is intended to be placed in the foot pouch 110 at such time, allowing the user to continuously swing his/her right leg forward and backward in carrying out the exercise.
As will be apparent to those skilled in the art, after the left side exercise has been completed, the user can then turn over to lie on his/her right side on the front-side of the mat 101. Then, with the right foot placed in the foot pouch 110, the user is able to utilize any of the hand grips 106, 107, 108 and 109 to stabilize his/her body while performing the desired exercise. Here, the-user will continuously swing the left leg forward and backward as desired.
To use the carrying bag 300, the exercise mat 100 and exercise belt 200 of
While Applicant does not wish to be limited to any particular manufacture of the exercise mat 100, exercise belt 200, or carrying bag 300 of
a. The exercise mat 100 may be 45″ wide×72″ long of imitation leather or semi-stretchable double knit fabric with eight hand grips 6″ long×2″ wide made of the same material. The upper hand grips 102, 103, 106 and 107 may be sewn into the mat 12″ from the top edge 93 of the mat, with the hand grips 102, 104, 106, and 108 being sewn into the side edges, or slightly inwardly therefrom as shown. The inside hand grips 103, 105, 107 and 109 may be spaced inwardly thereof 6″ measured horizontally—with the hand grips 104, 105, 108 and 109 spaced vertically some 2″ from the row above. The foot pouch 110 may be 12″ long×12″ wide sewn in at the midway point of the mat's front-side 101, extending upwardly from its lower edge 95. Such foot pouch 110 may be composed of a double layer leather or double knit cotton construction.
b. The exercise belt 200 of
c. The carrying bag 300 of
In this preferred embodiment of the invention, while four hand grips on the right upper-side and four hand grips on the left upper-side, it will be apparent that other numbers of grips and other alignments of them may be employed in carrying out the body toning and aerobics exercise. Each such hand grip may be placed flatly on the mat, and quadruple-stitched into place. Different sized mats may be employed for users of differing dimensionings and shape—such as by being available in “small”, “medium”, “large” and “extra large” sizes. Similarly, the hand grip dimensions, like those of the foot pouch may be varied, with the foot pouch also being attachable to the mat by quadruple stitching. In carrying out the new exercise method of the invention, one would kick that leg which is not stabilized by the foot pouch forward and back anywhere from 20 to 50 times according to his/her level of practice and muscular strength, while continuing to hold onto that one hand grip dictated for comfort. For a right leg kick, for example, the right hand might grasp hand grip 105 with the left hand grasping hand grip 103, for example, while for a left leg kick, the left hand might grasp hand grip 109 and the right hand grasp hand grip 107.
While there have been described what are considered to be preferred embodiments of the present invention, it will be readily appreciated by those skilled in the art that modifications can be made without departing from the scope of the teachings herein. For example, whereas the exercise mat of the invention has been described with two pairs of hand grips at its top, right area and at its top, left area, it will be noted that other pairs or trios of hand grips may be used, and/or at different locations—even with just a single hand grip adjacent to each edge of the mat—and the exercise method of the invention still able to be carried out. For at least such reason, therefore, resort should be had to the claims appended hereto for a true understanding of the scope of the invention.
Claims
1. Body toning and aerobic exercise apparatus comprising:
- an exercise mat of given thickness having a front-side and a back-side;
- a foot pouch on a lower area portion of said front-side of said mat;
- at least one hand grip adjacent a right edge of said front-side of said mat;
- at least one hand grip adjacent a left edge of said front-side of said mat; and
- means on said back-side of said mat for stabilizing said mat in position when said mat is placed on one of a ground, floor and flat surface.
2. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein said foot pouch is adjacent a bottom edge of said front-side of said mat.
3. The exercise apparatus of claim 1 wherein said hand grips are positioned on an upper area portion of said front-side of said mat.
4. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, including two hand grips adjacent a right edge of said front-side of said mat and two hand grips adjacent a left edge of said front-side of said mat.
5. The exercise apparatus of claim 3, including two pairs of horizontally and vertically spaced hand grips adjacent said right edge of said front-side of said mat and two pairs of horizontally and vertically spaced hand grips adjacent said left edge of said front-side of said mat.
6. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said foot pouch and said hand grips are sewn onto said front-side of said mat.
7. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said foot pouch is constructed of the same material as said exercise mat.
8. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said hand grips are constructed of the same material as said exercise mat.
9. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said foot pouch and said hand grips are constructed of the same material as said exercise mat.
10. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said exercise mat is constructed of foldable fabric.
11. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said exercise mat is constructed of foldable, rollable fabric.
12. The exercise apparatus of claim 3 wherein said exercise mat is constructed of one of semi-stretchable double knit and imitation leather fabric.
Type: Application
Filed: Nov 7, 2006
Publication Date: May 8, 2008
Inventor: Kharis A. Macey (Ocean Grove, NJ)
Application Number: 11/593,703
International Classification: A63B 6/00 (20060101);