Weightlifting Neck Support Harness
A harness providing neck support for weightlifters, to reduce the risk of neck injuries, resulting from improper lifting form. The harness includes a soft foam support collar worn around the neck. Furthermore, it includes a strap, ring, loop, and fastener system to secure the harness to a weightlifter's pre-existing lifting belt. The harness provides downward tension for support, ease of removal between uses, and enables the wearer to adjust for a comfortable fit. The harness stabilizes the neck, while allowing full range of motion of the arms, shoulders, and chest. This invention is unique in that it provides neck support specifically for weightlifting, and attaches to a waist-level supportive device.
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BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[1] Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to the field of human physical training equipment, and more specifically to a novel neck support harness, to be worn by a person engaging in an exercise procedure, in order to stabilize the neck to reduce risk of injury in the event of improper form or fatigue.
[2] Description of the Related Art
Weightlifters are susceptible to neck injuries, caused by movement of the neck during heavy lifting. Improper form and sudden fatigue during exercise procedures such as overhead press, deadlift, clean, snatch, military, and bench press, place the lifter's neck at considerable risk for injury. Strained muscles, pinched nerves, and irritated cervical vertebrae are common neck injuries associated with weightlifting. Neck injuries can take several weeks, to a few months to heal; and in extreme cases may require physical therapy or surgery to repair. A neck injury may result in significant pain, limited range of motion, and prevent the individual from exercising for an extended period of time. In the past, weightlifters have used equipment to reduce their risk of injury. Lifting belts are used for back protection, wraps are used to protect elbows and knees, and gloves are used to protect hands. The Weightlifting Neck Support Harness will provide similar protection for a weightlifter's neck.
A similar device is used in the sport of football to prevent neck injuries, which involves a padded collar affixed to the player's shoulder pads to limit neck movement during collisions. Such a device does not currently exist for the sport of weightlifting. Some attempts have been made to provide a person the ability to lift and sustain load weight. These devices are useful for their intended purpose, but involve directly bearing load weight with the device, which obstructs exercise procedures where load assistance isn't desired. Additionally, some of these devices apply load to the neck and shoulder area when in use, which is counterproductive to the objective of reducing the risk of a neck injury. Other attempts have been made to provide exercise equipment that offers minimal neck support, but those devices either occupy the weightlifter's hands and feet to perform specific exercise procedures, or involve a thick chest-level pad that interferes with the path of the barbell during exercise procedures such as Snatch.
Therefore, a long-standing need has existed to provide a neck support harness which is comfortable and may be readily worn by a person engaged in an exercise procedure, which provides neck support without applying load to a person's neck and shoulders, while enabling the person's hands and feet to be free to perform a variety of exercise procedures. Additionally the present invention does not involve a thick chest-level pad, thus eliminating interference with the path of the barbell during lifting procedures such as Snatch.
BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTIONThe objective of this invention is to stabilize a weightlifter's neck, during exercises that could cause neck injuries. The harness limits range of motion to reduce over-extension of the cervical vertebrae and neck related muscles. The wearer attaches an adapter to their preexisting lifting belt, which positions a strap loop on the belt, providing downward tension for the neck collar. The wearer places a soft foam collar around their neck and loops a mid-section connector through an anchored lifting belt adapter. The mid-section connector is pulled upwards, thus pulling the collar downward, and around the neck. The mid-section connector is attached to itself using a hook and loop fastener.
Advantages of this invention include the ability to adjust the length of the harness at the neck collar, mid-section connector, and lifting belt adapter. This enables the wearer to customize the harness for their body size, to ensure the best fit. Additionally, the adjustable lifting belt adapter enables the harness to fit on lifting belts of varying thicknesses and widths. Furthermore, the hook and loop fastener, on the mid-section connector, enables easy removal of the neck collar between uses. The lifting belt adapter is non-intrusive, and may remain on the belt when the neck collar is not in use. The harness permits full range of motion of the arms, shoulders, and chest, so as not to obstruct proper form while lifting. The neck collar consists of soft foam to provide comfort during use. The foam collar has a cloth covering, consisting of lightweight, breathable fabric, to ensure minimal heat retention and sweat wicking.
As illustrated in the drawings, the preferred embodiment of the Weightlifting Neck Support Harness, as shown in
In the preferred embodiment, the neck collar component consists of a soft foam tube 1, as shown in
As shown in
The purpose of the mid-section connector is to connect neck collar 14 to lifting belt 9, to provide downward tension for neck support. The top portion of mid-section connector 15 begins with d-ring 4, as shown in
Next loop-fastener 5 is attached to the front side of strap 6, as shown in
Hook-fastener 11 is attached to the front side of strap 6, as shown in
As part of the invention process it was identified that a lifter's preexisting lifting belt 9, was the most secure anchor to provide downward tension for neck collar 14, as shown in
Lifting belt adapter 16 secures an anchoring loop 7, onto lifting belt 9, for the purpose of securing neck collar 14, and mid-section connector 15, to lifting belt 9. The adapter 16, as shown in
Loop-fastener 10 is attached to the front side of strap 8, below loop 7, as shown in
Hook-fastener 12 is attached to the backside of strap 8, adjacent to the hemmed threading, at the second end portion, as shown in
Once completed, lifting belt adapter 16, as shown in
Once all components are completed, and lifting belt adapter 16 is secured to lifting belt 9; the wearer places neck collar 14 over their head and around their neck, as shown in
An additional embodiment of the Weightlifting Neck Support Harness would not require usage of lifting belt adapter 16. In this alternate embodiment, the second end portion of strap 6 is laced behind the top of, and underneath lifting belt 9, then pulled upwards. The resistance provided by the bottom of lifting belt 9, pulls mid-section connector 15 and neck collar 14 downwards, thus wrapping foam support collar 1 around the wearer's neck. Securing hook-fastener 11 to loop-fastener 5 sets the tension. At this point the Weightlifting Neck Support Harness would be ready for use. This embodiment would require strap 6 to be approximately 67 cm to account for the additional distance.
In the preferred embodiment straps 2, 6, and 8 are made of nylon webbing; additional embodiments could use polyester, propylene, or cotton webbing, as well as leather; all of these materials would accomplish the same objective. The dimensions of straps 2, 6, and 8, fasteners 5, 10, 11, and 12, foam support collar 1, and cloth collar cover 13, may vary from the preferred embodiment, to provide multiple sizes for the final consumer product (small, medium, large, extra-large, etc.),
Claims
1. A support harness, for the purpose of stabilizing a person's neck during an exercise procedure, comprising a padded neck collar, and mid-section connector that attaches to a waist-level supportive device for tension.
2-15. (canceled)
16. The harness of claim 1, wherein the neck collar is configured to reduce sideways, and backwards range of motion of the neck by 50% or greater.
17. The harness of claim 1, wherein the harness does not interfere with the path of a barbell during execution of the Snatch exercise procedure.
18. The harness of claim 1, wherein the harness does not support load weight or impact.
19. The harness of claim 1, wherein use of the harness is not limited to specific exercise procedures.
20. The harness of claim 1, wherein use of the harness does not require a person's hands and feet, while performing exercise procedures.
21. The harness of claim 1, wherein the harness is configured to be adjusted to ensure proper fit.
Type: Application
Filed: Jan 29, 2016
Publication Date: Aug 3, 2017
Inventor: Benjamin David Sapp (Johnstown, OH)
Application Number: 15/011,469