Patent Application
20220314059
The present invention relates generally to the field of exercise aid equipment. More specifically, the present invention relates to an exercise assistance apparatus that can be placed on a back of a chair, floor, or the horizontal surface of an exercise bench via a multi-stick backing and maximizes scapular clearance and shoulder mobility to improve form and posture while sitting or weightlifting (i.e bench pressing). The apparatus can be made from foam. More specifically, the apparatus includes grooves for accommodating shoulders of the user during exercising and while lying on the apparatus in a supine position. The apparatus includes a neck support for cushioning the neck, a spinal cord supporting portion for supporting and stabilizing the spinal cord, and a downward sloping section for supporting the back of the user. The apparatus can be used as needed while sitting or exercising to help improve posture while ensuring proper scapular clearance during weightlifting movements. Accordingly, the present disclosure makes specific reference thereto. Nonetheless, it is to be appreciated that aspects of the present invention are also equally applicable to other like applications, devices, and methods of manufacture.
By way of background, standard gym benches or weight benches are versatile pieces of workout equipment that can support a wide array of workouts. Generally, a user lies supine on such a bench and pushes a barbell or fixed weight such as a dumbbell vertically upwards from the chest or laterally outwards (i.e. sidewards) from the chest to develop pectoral muscles. For exercising chest muscles, the horizontal or inclined bench is one of the most important pieces of equipment and maximum stretch is desired by people for gaining maximum effect of the exercises. However, standard gym benches are relatively wide such that the scapular of an exercising user is supported by the bench that prohibits the scapula to move and retract in a safe way. Further, such benches inhibit maximum stretch of the pectoral muscle during chest exercises, ultimately prohibiting the exercises from realizing their maximum potential. People end up doing more exercises and repetitions without achieving maximum benefits.
Also, wide benches can put unnecessary stress on the scapula which can lead to serious shoulder injuries. Rounding forward of the scapula (i.e. bad posture) when exercising on wide benches decreases shoulder mobility. People desire a method and device for exercising on standard benches that reduces stress on the scapula.
People working out in gyms and at home can sustain injuries while working on horizontal or inclined benches and therefore try to do exercises on the floor which can result in similar problems. Therefore, people desire a method and device to perform exercises on wide benches that can provide maximum benefits while prohibiting negative effects.
Therefore, there exists a long felt need in the art for an exercise aid device that can be easily used with wide exercise benches. There is also a long felt need in the art for an exercise bench attachment that enables maximum shoulder mobility while performing chest exercises. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for an exercise aid device that provides maximum stretch of the pectoral muscle during chest exercises. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an attachment that reduces stress on the scapula. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for an exercise bench attachment that can be used at both a commercial gym and a home gym. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for an exercise bench attachment that improves overall posture while exercising, promotes proper development of muscles, and eliminates the worry of inhibiting the pectoral muscles during chest exercises.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises an exercise bench add-on device configured to be used in conjunction with an exercise bench, floor surface, or chair. The device includes a tapered foam body that helps in maximizing scapular clearance and shoulder mobility while exercising. The device includes shoulder grooves for supporting the scapula and a spine supporting portion for supporting the spine of the user. The device is positioned on a surface of the bench and the user can lie in a supine position on top of the device. The device improves overall posture while exercising, promotes proper development of the muscles in the back, and eliminates the worry of inhibiting the pectoral muscles during chest exercises.
In this manner, the exercise bench add-on device of the present invention accomplishes all of the forgoing objectives and provides users with an attachment that can be placed on the back of a chair, the floor, or the surface of an exercise bench via a multi-stick backing. A user can perform chest exercises while lying in a supine position on the device thereby enabling maximum range of movement of shoulder blades without applying additional pressure on the body. The device also enables maximum stretch of the pectoral muscles during chest exercises for maximum gains, benefits, and effects.
The following presents a simplified summary in order to provide a basic understanding of some aspects of the disclosed innovation. This summary is not an extensive overview, and it is not intended to identify key/critical elements or to delineate the scope thereof. Its sole purpose is to present some general concepts in a simplified form as a prelude to the more detailed description that is presented later.
The subject matter disclosed and claimed herein, in one embodiment thereof, comprises an exercise bench attachment. The exercise bench attachment is configured to be removably attached to an exercise bench for an exercising user to perform chest exercises with enhanced clearance for shoulder blades. The exercise bench attachment further comprising a top surface and a bottom surface, the top surface includes counters for supporting the exercising user lying in a supine position, the bottom surface includes a multi-layer adhesive back, a neck support for providing support to the neck of the exercising user, a spinal cord supporting portion extending from the neck support, the spinal cord supporting portion supports the spine of the exercising user placed thereon, the spinal cord supporting portion is elevated from the top surface of the attachment thereby forming a left shoulder supporting groove and a right shoulder supporting groove on the top surface for accommodating the left shoulder and the right shoulder of the exercising user, the grooves enable movement of the scapula in a safe way when the exercising user performs a chest exercise by moving (i.e. pushing) weights away from the chest and pulling same towards the chest.
In yet another embodiment, an exercise bench add-on device configured to be used in conjunction with an exercise bench, floor, or chair is disclosed. The device includes a tapered foam body that helps in maximizing scapular clearance and shoulder mobility while exercising. The device includes shoulder grooves for supporting the scapula and a spine supporting portion for supporting the spine of the user. The device can be positioned on a horizontal or inclined surface of the bench and the user can lie in a supine or inclined position while using the device.
In yet another embodiment, the device can be utilized while sitting or exercising to help improve posture while ensuring proper scapular clearance is maintained.
In yet another embodiment of the present invention, an exercise aid device for performing effective chest exercises on an exercise bench is disclosed. The device is configured to firmly secure to a workout bench via a multi-stick backing that enables the device to remain in place during an exercise. The device is generally rectangular including a front surface, a rear surface, and a pair of side surfaces. The device further includes a raised neck support along the rear surface, a spinal cord supporting portion extending from the neck portion, a pair of back supporting sections, a left shoulder supporting groove formed between the spinal cord supporting portion and the left side surface and a right shoulder supporting groove formed between the spinal cord supporting portion and the right side surface, and a downward sloping portion from the back supporting sections to the front surface.
In yet another embodiment, the right shoulder supporting groove accommodates a right shoulder of the user working out in a supine position and the left shoulder supporting groove accommodates a left shoulder of the user working out in the supine position.
In yet still another embodiment, the attachment or exercise aid device can be made from soft foam that remains dense enough to maintain support.
To the accomplishment of the foregoing and related ends, certain illustrative aspects of the disclosed innovation are described herein in connection with the following description and the annexed drawings. These aspects are indicative, however, of but a few of the various ways in which the principles disclosed herein can be employed and are intended to include all such aspects and their equivalents. Other advantages and novel features will become apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the drawings.
The description refers to provided drawings in which similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the different views, and in which:
The innovation is now described with reference to the drawings, wherein like reference numerals are used to refer to like elements throughout. In the following description, for purposes of explanation, numerous specific details are set forth in order to provide a thorough understanding thereof. It can be evident, however, that the innovation can be practiced without these specific details. In other instances, well-known structures and devices are shown in block diagram form in order to facilitate a description thereof. Various embodiments are discussed hereinafter. It should be noted that the figures are described only to facilitate the description of the embodiments. They are not intended as an exhaustive description of the invention and do not limit the scope of the invention. Additionally, an illustrated embodiment need not have all the aspects or advantages shown. Thus, in other embodiments, any of the features described herein from different embodiments can be combined.
As noted above, there exists a long felt need in the art for an exercise aid device that can be easily used with wide exercise benches. There is also a long felt need in the art for an exercise bench attachment that enables maximum shoulder mobility while performing chest exercises. Additionally, there is a long felt need in the art for an exercise aid device that provides maximum stretch of the pectoral muscle during chest exercises. Moreover, there is a long felt need in the art for an attachment that reduces stress on the scapula. Furthermore, there is a long felt need in the art for an exercise bench attachment that can be used at both a commercial gym and a home gym. Finally, there is a long felt need in the art for an exercise bench attachment that improves overall posture while exercising, promotes proper development of muscles, and eliminates the worry of inhibiting the pectoral muscles during chest exercises.
The present invention, in one exemplary embodiment, is a novel exercise aid device for performing effective chest exercises on an exercise bench. The device is configured to firmly secure to a workout bench via a multi-stick backing that enables the device to remain in place during an exercise. The device is generally rectangular including a front surface, a rear surface, and a pair of side surfaces. The device further includes a raised neck support along the rear surface, a spinal cord supporting portion extending from the neck portion, a pair of back supporting sections, a left shoulder supporting groove formed between the spinal cord supporting portion and the left side surface and a right shoulder supporting groove formed between the spinal cord supporting portion and the right side surface, and a downward sloping portion from the back supporting sections to the front surface.
Referring initially to the drawings,
The attachment 100 includes foam protrusions raised from the top surface 102 thereby providing support for body parts of a user using the attachment 100 during an exercise. The foam protrusion also forms grooves or cut-outs on the top surface 100 for receiving certain body parts such as a scapula of a user as described later in the disclosure. In use, the attachment 100 is positioned such that the front surface 106 lies below the spine/back portion of a user and the rear surface 108 lies below the neck portion of the user to support the neck of the user as best shown in
The attachment 100 includes a raised neck support 114 along the rear surface 108. The neck support 114 is elevated from the top surface 102 and provides adequate support to the neck of the user while the user lies down on the attachment 100. The neck support 114 provides cushioning to the neck and, while the device 100 is in use, the head of the user can rest on the exercise bench or floor on which the attachment 100 is positioned. The neck portion 114 is defined by the rear surface 108, vertical side walls 1140,1142, and the arcuate protrusions 1160,1162.
A spinal cord supporting portion 116 extends from the neck portion 114 to the back supporting sections 122,124. The spinal cord supporting portion 116 is raised relative to the top surface 102 and includes a slight concave curvature for maintaining neutral cervical curvature and alignment for the user's bodily comfort. The spinal cord supporting portion 116 is longitudinal and is around 70% of the total length of the attachment 100 measured from the front surface 106 to the rear surface 108. The spinal cord supporting portion 116 supports the spinal cord of the user during exercise and provides stability during same.
The spinal cord supporting portion 116 being raised in configuration relative to the top surface 102, forms a right shoulder supporting groove 118 between the spinal cord supporting portion 116 and the right-side surface 110 of the attachment 100. Similarly, a left shoulder supporting groove 120 is formed between the spinal cord supporting portion 116 and the left side surface 112 of the attachment 100. The right shoulder supporting groove 118 is designed to receive the right shoulder of a user as best shown in
It should be understood that a size of the shoulder grooves 118,120 can be chosen to accommodate different shoulder sizes (e.g., the size of the shoulder cutouts 118,120 can conform to a small, medium, and large sizing scale). The spinal cord supporting portion 116 along with the neck support 114 supports the back and spine but enhances clearance where the shoulder blades hit to enable the scapula to move without applying additional pressure on the body of the exercising user.
The attachment 100 includes the back supporting sections 122,124 extending laterally on opposite sides from where the spinal cord supporting portion 116 ends. The back supporting section 122,124 are positioned under the upper back of the exercising user and provides support across the back. It should be noted that the back supporting sections 122,124 are slightly raised in comparison to the concave curvature of the spinal cord supporting portion 116.
From the back supporting sections 122,124, a downward sloping front support 130 extends to the front surface 106. The downward sloping front support 130 is designed to avoid extending pressure on the lower spinal cord and back of the exercising user. The downward sloping front support 130 forms two grooves 126,128 on both sides of the downward sloping front support 130 for creating a gap between the attachment 100 and the lower spinal cord and back of the exercising user. The grooves 126,128 are slightly downward sloped thus making the top surface 102 slightly sloped near the front surface 106. The downward sloping front support 130 provides a wedge like foam structure to the attachment 100 that also improves range of mobility of the body of the exercising user.
The height of the top surface 102 is in the range of about 1 inch to about 4 inches. The height of the vertical walls 1140,1142 is in the range of about 3 inches to about 4 inches wherein the vertical walls 1140,1142 extend from rear surface 108. The length of the spinal cord supporting portion 116 is in the range of about 8 inches to about 16 inches, for example, and the downward sloping front support 130 is preferably at about sixty degrees relative to the back supporting sections 122,124.
As shown in
The device 100 preferably includes a length in the range of about 12 inches to about 24 inches from the rear surface 108 to the front surface 106. The right shoulder supporting groove 118 is circumscribed by the neck support 114, spinal cord supporting portion 116, and the back supporting portion 122. It is also shown that the groove 126 is also slightly downward sloping from the back support 122 to the front surface 106.
It should be appreciated that the head 404 of the user 400 rests on the bench surface 206 while the shoulders and neck 402 rests on the device 100 thereby providing stability and support to the user 400.
Certain terms are used throughout the following description and claims to refer to particular features or components. As one skilled in the art will appreciate, different persons can refer to the same feature or component by different names. This document does not intend to distinguish between components or features that differ in name but not structure or function. As used herein “exercise foam attachment”, “exercise aid device”, “exercise bench add-on device”, “exercise bench attachment”, “device”, and “attachment” are interchangeable and refer to the exercise bench add-on device 100 of the present invention.
Notwithstanding the forgoing, the exercise bench add-on device 100 of the present invention can be of any suitable size and configuration as is known in the art without affecting the overall concept of the invention, provided that it accomplishes the above stated objectives. One of ordinary skill in the art will appreciate that the size, configuration, and material of the exercise bench add-on device 100 as shown in the FIGS. are for illustrative purposes only, and that many other sizes and shapes of the exercise bench add-on device 100 are well within the scope of the present disclosure. Although the dimensions of the exercise bench add-on device 100 are important design parameters for user convenience, the exercise bench add-on device 100 can be of any size that ensures optimal performance during use and/or that suits the user's needs and/or preferences.
Various modifications and additions can be made to the exemplary embodiments discussed without departing from the scope of the present invention. While the embodiments described above refer to particular features, the scope of this invention also includes embodiments including different combinations of features and embodiments that do not include all of the described features. Accordingly, the scope of the present invention is intended to embrace all such alternatives, modifications, and variations as fall within the scope of the claims, together with all equivalents thereof.
What has been described above includes examples of the claimed subject matter. It is, of course, not possible to describe every conceivable combination of components or methodologies for purposes of describing the claimed subject matter, but one of ordinary skill in the art can recognize that many further combinations and permutations of the claimed subject matter are possible. Accordingly, the claimed subject matter is intended to embrace all such alterations, modifications and variations that fall within the spirit and scope of the appended claims. Furthermore, to the extent that the term “includes” is used in either the detailed description or the claims, such term is intended to be inclusive in a manner similar to the term “comprising” as “comprising” is interpreted when employed as a transitional word in a claim.
The present application claims priority to, and the benefit of, U.S. Provisional Application No. 63/171,233, which was filed on Apr. 6, 2021 and is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 63171233 | Apr 2021 | US |
