Functional Fitness Garment
A fitness garment that includes any of the following structures. An exercise vest having a plurality of vest attachments, each of the plurality of vest attachments being configured to couple to an external force structure. A wrist strap having a plurality of wrist strap attachments, each of the plurality of wrist strap attachments being configured to couple to the external force structure. Exercise pants having a plurality of pants attachments, each of the plurality of pants attachments being configured to receive the external force structure. An ankle strap having a plurality of ankle strap attachments, each of the plurality of ankle strap attachments being configured to couple to the external force structure. In addition, the external force structure may be used to couple any of the structures to each other.
This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application 62/527,942 entitled “Functional Fitness Garment,” filed on Jun. 30, 2017, the entirety of which is incorporated herein by reference.
FIELDThe exemplary embodiments are related to the field of fitness. More particularly, the exemplary embodiments relate to active wear used for physical fitness.
BACKGROUNDConventional active wear pieces, sweat pants, weight vests, compression shirts are made solely for comfort and do not provide any further functionality. In the field of athletics, external resistance is often used during training to enhance the level of performance. Typically, resistance bands, light weights and other external forces are used to add this external stimulus. At times, this type of training is restricted because some fitness practitioners lack the equipment to carry out the programs or they do not have access to the proper facilities.
SUMMARYThe exemplary embodiments describe a fitness garment having one or more of an exercise vest, a wrist strap, exercise pants and an ankle strap. The exemplary exercise vest has a plurality of vest attachments, each of the plurality of vest attachments being configured to couple to an external force structure.
The exemplary wrist strap has a plurality of wrist strap attachments, each of the plurality of wrist strap attachments being configured to couple to the external force structure, wherein the fitness garment is configured to couple one of the vest attachments to one of the wrist strap attachments via the external force structure, couple one of the vest attachments to a further structure via the external force structure or couple one of the wrist strap attachments to the further structure via the external force structure.
The exemplary exercise pants have a plurality of pants attachments, each of the plurality of pants attachments being configured to receive the external force structure, wherein the fitness garment is further configured to couple one of the pants attachments to one of the wrist strap attachments via the external force structure or couple one of the pants attachments to the further structure via the external force structure.
The exemplary ankle strap has a plurality of ankle strap attachments, each of the plurality of ankle strap attachments being configured to couple to the external force structure, wherein the fitness garment is configured to couple one of the vest attachments or one of the wrist strap attachments to one of the ankle strap attachments via the external force structure.
In a further exemplary embodiment, exercise pants are described. The exercise pants include a waistband having a first plurality of attachments, each configured to be in an area of a user's hip when worn, wherein each of the first plurality of attachments is configured to receive an external force structure, a calf portion having a second plurality of attachments, each configured to be in an area of a medial aspect of the user's tibia when worn, wherein each of the second plurality of attachments is configured to receive the external force structure and a thigh portion having a third plurality of attachments, each configured to be in an area at or near a mid-point of the user's Illiotibial band when worn, wherein each of the third plurality of attachments is configured to receive the external force structure.
The exemplary embodiments may be further understood with reference to the following description and the appended drawings, wherein like elements are referred to with the same reference numerals. The exemplary embodiments describe functional exercise pants, a functional exercise vest, a functional wrist strap, a functional ankle strap and methods for use by a user to enhance the user's level of performance through added resistance. However, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that a functional exercise pants, a functional exercise vest, a functional wrist strap, a functional ankle strap and the methods described herein are not all inclusive and several variations are possible by implementing the exemplary embodiments in accordance with the functionalities and principles described herein.
It is noted that throughout this description, the terms external force structure, external resistance component, resistance and force are used to describe structural components that may be connected or coupled to the exercise pants, exercise vest, wrist strap and/or ankle strap to provide a resistance. Typically, this structural component may be described as an exercise band or a resistance band and is constructed of elastic or rubber latex. They may also be referred to as tubes or other similar nomenclature. There may also be alternative structural components that perform the same functionality as the resistance bands (e.g., weights, sandbags, dumbbells, kettle balls or other weighty items) and the terms above are also meant to cover these alternatives.
As described above, the attachments 101 may be clips, rings, loops (including secure cloth or textile loops) or any other structural component that allows an external resistance component to be attached thereto. The attachments 101 may be continuous (e.g., a continuous unbroken ring) or may also include a sealable opening allowing the external resistance component to be attached and detached through the sealable opening. Where the attachments 101 are continuous, it is assumed that the external resistance component will have a sealable opening that may be used to attach or detach from the attachments 101.
The attachments 101 may be coupled to the waistband of the exercise pants 100 in any manner that allows the attachments 101 to be secure and not rip off or otherwise tear the exercise pants 100 when the external resistance component is attached and the user is performing various exercises. In one exemplary embodiment, the attachments 101 are coupled to the exercise pants 100 through the use of a sturdy textile material that overlays a portion of the attachment 101 and that is then sewn to the exercise pants using a secure stitching method. In another example, the waistband of the exercise pants may include a belt and the attachments 101 may be secured to the belt. Other methods of coupling rings and clips to garments may also be used. In addition, the attachments 101 may be removeably coupled to the exercise pants 100 such that the attachments 101 may be moved to different locations on the exercise pants 100 as needed for different exercises or that the attachments 101 may be removed for washing of the exercise pants 100.
A second plurality of attachments 102 are located in an area of the exercise pants 100 that correspond to the medial aspect of the user's tibia when the exercise pants 100 are worn by a user. This placement of the attachments 102 generally corresponds to a location that is at or near the top of the soleus muscle of the user to support external resistance from either direction, front or back. Similar to the attachments 101, the attachments 102 may be constructed of metal or any other suitable material having the strength to perform the functionalities described herein. The attachments 102 may be the same type of attachments as described above for attachments 101 or may be a different type. For example, the attachments 101 may be continuous metal rings, while the attachments 102 may be a sturdy plastic clip having a resealable opening. Also, the attachments 102 may be coupled to the exercise pants 100 in the same manners as described above for the attachments 101.
In an example of use, the attachments 102 may be connected to one another (e.g., using a resistance band) for strengthening of the Iliotibial band and development of the Gluteus Maximus. This may also provide added resistance for various exercises including front and lateral leg raises to strengthen the hip abductors, hamstrings, quadriceps, rectus abdominis, and various smaller muscle groups. The aforementioned exercises may be performed standing or supine. The placement of attachments 102 also allows for seated variations of the hip abduction exercise. In addition to connecting the attachments 102 to each other, external resistance may be applied to provide resistance for hip adduction and other exercises as well.
A third plurality of attachments 103 are placed at or near the mid-point of the Illiotibial band for the enhancement of upper body exercises to help strengthen the back as well as the shoulders. Again, the attachments 103 may have a physical structure and be coupled to the exercise pants 100 similar to the attachments 101 and 102 described above. The attachments 103 may also be used to perform calf raises and strengthen the calf muscles by connecting the attachments 103 to the floor or to a structure or object capable of performing the activity described by way of a resistance band or otherwise.
The above described attachments 101-103 show examples of various locations of the exercise pants 100 where the attachments 101-103 may be placed. However, it should be understood that the exercise pants 100 are not required to have all the attachments 101-103 and that the exercise pants 100 may also have additional attachments in other locations. These additional locations may correspond to specialized exercises that are used for different sports.
Some examples of using the attachments 101-103 were provided above. However, in general, the attachments 101-103 may be connected via a resistance band to a wall, pole, floor, column, or other stationary object capable of withstanding the pulling force exerted when the user is performing an exercise. Further, the attachments 101-103 may be used to secure weights, sandbags, dumbbells, kettle balls or other weighty items for added resistance when the user is walking, running, jumping, or otherwise performing activities which include engagement of any number of leg muscles.
The 4-digit reference numbers as shown in
As described above, the attachments 101-103 may be coupled to the exercise pants 100 in various manners. In this example, it may be considered that the attachments 101-103 are continuous rings that are attached via canvas straps to the exercise pants 100. Given the stress and forces expected to be put on the attachments 101-103 from the external resistance components, the stitching that is used to attach the canvas straps may be doubled or may be a secure form of stitching that is able to withstand the resistance. The 4000 series represents the canvas straps. Specifically, canvas straps 4009 may be placed on the waistband and sewn on to the rib knit to support the attachments 101. Canvas straps 4109 may be sewn to the rib knit area 3009 to support the attachments 102 and canvas straps 4309 may be sewn to the rib knit area 3209 to support the attachments and 103. In another example, the straps 4009, 4109 and 4309 may be padded to provide extra cushioning and comfort for the user by decreasing any painful sensation experienced when working against resistance.
It is noted that the above use of different materials in different areas of the exercise pants 100 is only exemplary. Other combinations of material, stitching, and placement may be possible to perform the activities described herein.
In further detail, still referring to
Referring now to
In further detail, still referring to the exercise pants 100 of
The exercise vest 300 further comprises attachments 302 and 304 placed at or near the midpoint of the torso where the user would engage the stabilizer muscles in the thoracic area of the back. The vest 300 further comprises an attachment 305 that is placed at the center of the torso, also referred to as the sternum. The user will be able to apply the most external force to this point being that they will be able to engage various muscle groups based on the positioning. The clips 320 represents the closure for an external strap that is adjustable to the user's torso. The stitching 322 and 323 represent stiches that make the exercise vest 300 more durable.
Again, the 4-digit reference numbers as shown in
Referring now to
In further detail, still referring to the exercise vest 300 of
The 5000 series represents reflective material that is placed in the area 5103 on the upper back part of the exercise vest 300. The 6000 series represents padding placed at area 6192 on the lower extremities of the exercise vest 300 and may be a continuation of the padding 6091 described with reference to
The exercise vest 300 may also comprise compartments that are similar to the pockets 110 and 11 described above for the exercise pants 100. These pockets may be used to store items of the user or to house weights and other external forces for resistance. The exercise vest 300 may also include wearable technology (e.g., heartbeat sensors, accelerometers, temperature sensors, etc.) that can provide data for the user's workout. The wearable technology may also include features such as Bluetooth transmission and/or receiver functionality (e.g., a Bluetooth transceiver) allowing the data from the wearable technology to be output to another device, such as, a smartphone, a tablet computer, a wearable device (e.g., watch) a desktop computer, etc., or be uploaded to a website or cloud server that the user or the user's trainer may view the data at a later time. In addition, the wearable technology may also receive download data from these devices and/or applications to provide indications to the user. In one example, the wearable device may be audio output device such as an earbud or a speaker that indicates various commands to the user, e.g., 5 more reps, workout routines, slow down, stop, motivational phrases, etc. In another example, the wearable technology may include haptic feedback functionality that provides the user with haptic feedback that indicates certain commands to the user.
The 4 digit reference numbers as shown in
The attachments 401-403 may be connected to the attachments 101 or 103 of the exercise pants 100. For example, the attachments 401-403 may be connected to the attachment 101 by way of a resistance band to perform lateral shoulder raises, strengthening the lateral deltoids, smaller muscle groups, and stabilizer muscles. To increase exercise intensity, the use may attach the attachments 401-403 to the attachment 103, effectively increasing the tension on the resistance band and providing for greater range of motion for the exercise. Using the same attachment complex involves the user standing upright and performing upright rows to strengthen trapezius, rhomboids, biceps brachii, and various smaller and stabilizer muscle groups.
The attachments 401-403 may also be connected to the attachment 305 of the exercise vest 300 so that the user may “shadow box” with added resistance, ultimately increasing punching speed and power as well as strengthening the triceps, anterior and posterior deltoids, pectoralis major and minor, and various smaller muscle groups. A variation may be performed by connecting the attachments 401-403 to an external structure (e.g. a wall, wall hook, pole, etc.) to increase resistance and range of motion.
The aforementioned attachments 501-503 may be connected to other parts of the exercise garment to perform exercises to strengthen various leg and back muscles. For example, connecting the ankle strap to
It should be noted that the exemplary embodiments are also ideal to use with augmented reality (A/R) and/or virtual reality (V/R) technology. For example, a user may have a device that includes A/R functionality such as a smartphone and the A/R device may place obstacles in the room (e.g., stairs, obstructions, etc.) that the user has to move, avoid, etc. while wearing some or all of the above described equipment (e.g., vest, pants, wrist strap, ankle strap). As the user navigates the room with obstacles, the exemplary equipment may provide the resistance and feedback for the actions associated with navigating the obstacles. In an example, where the user has a device that includes V/R functionality, the user may be placed in a situation such as boxing in Madison Square Garden against an opponent. Again, the exemplary equipment may provide the resistance and feedback associated with the user boxing an opponent that the user sees in the V/R world. In each of these examples, it can be seen that these types of A/R or V/R experiences may aid in the motivation of the user while training because the user is not just staring at a wall while exercising, but playing a game or trying to accomplish a goal.
Exemplary material for constructing the exemplary embodiments was described above. From these examples, it should be understood that the exemplary exercise equipment is lightweight, easily foldable and will take up a minimal amount of space when folded or rolled. This means that users can easily take the exemplary exercise equipment with them when they travel, to and from the gym at work, home, etc. The material is also washable so that the user can take the exemplary exercise equipment home on a periodic basis (e.g., daily, weekly, monthly depending on the amount of use) to machine wash to keep the exemplary exercise equipment clean and free from germs and bacteria. In another exemplary embodiment, the material used to construct the exemplary exercise equipment may have anti-bacterial properties, either by itself or a hypoallergenic additive.
In addition, the exemplary exercise equipment may also be supplied with a carrying case or bag specifically designed to hold the exemplary exercise equipment. For example, a gym bag may include a separate section to hold the exemplary exercise equipment. In this manner, the user may always have the exemplary exercise equipment in their gym bag and there may be another section that holds the user's workout clothing so that the user does not accidently take the exemplary exercise equipment out of the bag when removing the used workout clothing.
It will also be apparent to those skilled in the art that various modifications may be made in the present disclosure, without departing from the spirit or scope of the disclosure. Thus, it is intended that the present disclosure cover the modifications and variations of this disclosure provided they come within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents.
Claims
1. A fitness garment, comprising:
- an exercise vest comprising a plurality of vest attachments, each of the plurality of vest attachments being configured to couple to an external force structure; and
- a wrist strap comprising a plurality of wrist strap attachments, each of the plurality of wrist strap attachments being configured to couple to the external force structure, wherein the fitness garment is configured to couple one of the vest attachments to one of the wrist strap attachments via the external force structure, couple one of the vest attachments to a further structure via the external force structure or couple one of the wrist strap attachments to the further structure via the external force structure.
2. The fitness garment of claim 1, further comprising:
- exercise pants comprising a plurality of pants attachments, each of the plurality of pants attachments being configured to receive the external force structure, wherein the fitness garment is further configured to couple one of the pants attachments to one of the wrist strap attachments via the external force structure or couple one of the pants attachments to the further structure via the external force structure.
3. The fitness garment of claim 2, wherein the pants attachments are positioned on the exercise pants such that when on a user the pants attachments are at or near one of a hip joint, a top of the soleus muscle or a mid-point of the Iliotibial band.
4. The fitness garment of claim 2, wherein the exercise pants further comprise an external strap that is configured to adjust to a user's leg.
5. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the vest attachments and wrist strap attachments are one of metal clips or metal rings.
6. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the vest attachments are positioned on the exercise vest such that when on a user the vest attachments are at or near one of an anterior of a shoulder joint, a posterior of the shoulder joint, a midpoint of the torso, the sternum or a lumbar triangle.
7. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the exercise vest further comprises a compartment configured to house weights or other external forces for resistance.
8. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the exercise vest further comprises wearable technology configured to provide data for a user's workout.
9. The fitness garment of claim 8, wherein the wearable technology comprises one of a heartbeat sensor, an accelerometer, or a temperature sensor.
10. The fitness garment of claim 8, further comprising a Bluetooth transceiver configured to transmit the data to a further device.
11. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the wrist strap attachments are positioned on the wrist strap such that when on a user the wrist strap attachments are at or near one of a distal aspect of the ulna, a distal aspect of the radius a middle of the wrist.
12. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the wrist strap further comprises an elastic strap configured to receive a thumb of the user.
13. The fitness garment of claim 1, further comprising:
- an ankle strap comprising a plurality of ankle strap attachments, each of the plurality of ankle strap attachments being configured to couple to the external force structure, wherein the fitness garment is configured to couple one of the vest attachments or one of the wrist strap attachments to one of the ankle strap attachments via the external force structure.
14. The fitness garment of claim 13, wherein the ankle strap attachments are positioned on the ankle strap such that when on a user the ankle strap attachments are at or near one of above a heel of the user or on an inner part of a leg above an inner ankle.
15. The fitness garment of claim 1, wherein the exercise vest comprises one of nylon material, standard knit material, rib knit material, reflective fabric or canvas material.
16. Exercise pants comprising:
- a waistband comprising a first plurality of attachments, each configured to be in an area of a user's hip when worn, wherein each of the first plurality of attachments is configured to receive an external force structure;
- a calf portion comprising a second plurality of attachments, each configured to be in an area of a medial aspect of the user's tibia when worn, wherein each of the second plurality of attachments is configured to receive the external force structure; and
- a thigh portion comprising a third plurality of attachments, each configured to be in an area at or near a mid-point of the user's Illiotibial band when worn, wherein each of the third plurality of attachments is configured to receive the external force structure.
17. The exercise pants of claim 16, wherein the exercise pants comprise one of nylon material, standard knit material, rib knit material, reflective fabric or canvas material.
18. The exercise pants of claim 16, wherein the first, second and third plurality of attachments comprise one of metal clips or rings.
19. The exercise pants of claim 16, further comprising:
- a plurality of pockets, wherein each pocket is configured to accept weights to provide added resistance when the user is mobile.
20. The exercise pants of claim 16, further comprising:
- an adjustable external strap configured to adjust to the user's leg.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 27, 2018
Publication Date: Jan 3, 2019
Inventors: Aaron Sherad Veasley (Brooklyn, NY), Stanley Fortune (New York, NY), Leslie Alex Baril (Brooklyn, NY)
Application Number: 16/020,824