Patent Application
20110245047
The present invention relates to a weight training machine. More particularly, this invention relates to a resistance rotary weight training machine that trains the gluteus muscles.
Exercise equipment is used to strengthen, tone, and rehabilitate the human body. Exercise equipment exists in many forms including weight training machines, free weights, elastic bands, and cardio vascular machines (e.g., treadmill, elliptical, bicycle, etc.). Different exercise equipment may be used to isolate and train specific muscles, muscles groups, or areas of the body. Different exercise equipment may also be used to isolate and train the same muscle group or the same bodily area using different movements.
Gluteus weight training machines typically offer little to no rotation of the user's legs when training the gluteus muscles (i.e., gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus). Common gluteus weight training machines require the user to perform squatting motions, lunging motions, or leg press motions. These motions indirectly train the gluteus muscles as other muscles such as the user's thigh muscles or quadriceps absorb much of the impact of the motion. As a result, the gluteus muscles are not effectively impacted during these exercises thereby making it more difficult to effectively train the gluteus muscles.
Squats, lunges, and leg press motions also restrict the user's legs to limited extension and flexion movements. These restricted motions create focused points of stress at the knees, hips, and lower back thereby making the user more susceptible to injury at the knees, hips, and lower back.
A further disadvantage of typical gluteus training machines is that the gluteus muscles are not trained in a manner that mimics the muscles' use in sports. For example, running, track and field, basketball, tennis, soccer, etc. require the gluteus muscles to perform rotary movements of the leg. Restricted motions such as squats, lunges, and leg presses do not simulate these movements. As such, typical gluteus weight training machines do not directly develop the gluteus muscles in the manner in which they would be used by athletes to perform the most common sports movements.
Free weight exercises such as the use of free weights in conjunction with leg lunges similarly restrict the motion of the legs, involve other muscle groups, increase stress at critical points (e.g., knees, hips, and lower back), and fail to mimic commonly used motions. Resistance cables have been developed to train the gluteus muscles. However, resistance cables do not control the user's form and have a fixed amount of resistance. As such, resistance cables are not suitable for weight training. Effective weight training requires muscle overloading whereby the user gradually increases the resistance encountered when performing the exercise in order to gradually increase the strength of the muscle.
Accordingly, there is a need in the art for a weight training machine that effectively trains the gluteus muscles through natural movements of the muscles. There is a need for such a machine to provide muscle overloading while reducing the risk of injury to the user.
Some embodiments provide a weight training machine for training the gluteus muscles (i.e., gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus). The gluteus weight training machine of some embodiments provides natural arcing range of motion to isolate and train the gluteus muscles. The weight training machine provides an adjustable weight assembly for progressive overload training of the gluteus muscles. The gluteus weight training machine includes a frame, a support member, and rotating resistance members.
In some embodiments, the frame is composed of a rigid steel structure to provide stability to the gluteus weight training machine. The support member is linked to the frame. The support member provides a backrest against which the user positions his body during exercises. The support member is angled to support the user's body at an angle ranging from 15 to 60 degrees from the ground level with a preferred angle of 45 degrees. In some embodiments, the support member includes sets of hand grips. Each set of hand grips may be attached at different locations along the support member or the frame with a different orientation relative to other sets of hand grips.
In some embodiments, the rotating resistance members are straight or curved lengths of steel, aluminum, or other rigid material. The rotating resistance members attach to the frame via a set of pivot points. Each rotating resistance member rotates about its corresponding pivot point to generate an arcing motion. The arcing motion of the resistance members follows the rotary motion of the human leg. The resistance members provide a user specified amount of resistance to train the gluteus muscles using the rotary motion of the leg.
Each resistance member includes a foot guide and a pad towards a first end of the resistance member and a weight assembly towards a second end of the resistance member that is opposite to the first end. The foot guide positions the leg relative to the pad and maintains the position of the leg throughout the arcing motion of the resistance member. The pad provides a cushion for the user's leg to comfortably press against in order to produce a downward force that is sufficient to overcome the resistance (i.e., upward force) produced by the resistance member and to cause the resistance member to arc downwards. The force applied by the user's leg is generated by the gluteus muscles. As a result the arcing rotation of the resistance member directly isolates and trains the gluteus muscles.
Each resistance member provides resistance that is counter to the user generated downward force (i.e., upwards force) based on an amount of weight that is placed onto the weight assembly of the resistance member. In some embodiments, the weight assembly is a protruding peg upon which different combinations of free weights are placed to specify the amount of resistance. Since the weight assembly is located on the opposite end of the resistance member, any additional weight that is placed onto the weight assembly increases the counter force or resistance against the downward force generated by the user's legs. Therefore, when the downward force applied by the user's leg is sufficient to overcome the resistance, the resistance member arcs downward allowing the user's leg to continue its natural rotary movement. Using the weight assembly, the user is able to overload the gluteus muscles by gradually increasing the amount of resistance as desired.
The length of the resistance members may be adjusted in order to accommodate users of different heights. In some embodiments, each resistance member includes an adjustable knob and multiple holes located lengthwise along the resistance member. The adjustable knob may be used to select and lock the length of the resistance member according to user specifications.
Each resistance member rotates independent of the other resistance member. In some embodiments, the resistance members may be linked together such that the resistance members move together.
In order to achieve a better understanding of the nature of the present invention a preferred embodiment of the gluteus weight training machine will now be described, by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:
In the following detailed description of the invention, numerous details, examples, and embodiments of the gluteus weight training machine are set forth and described. However, it will be clear and apparent to one skilled in the art that the gluteus weight training machine is not limited to the embodiments set forth and that the gluteus weight training machine may be practiced without some of the specific details and examples discussed.
Some embodiments provide a weight training machine for training the gluteus muscles (i.e., gluteus maximus, gluteus medius, and gluteus minimus). The gluteus weight training machine of some embodiments provides natural arcing range of motion to directly train the gluteus muscles with an adjustable weight assembly for progressive overload training of the gluteus muscles.
The frame 120 stabilizes the weight training machine 110 when engaged by a user to perform gluteus training exercises.
As shown in
In some embodiments, the frame 205 is composed of several steel segments that are welded together. However, it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the frame 205 may be composed of any rigid material (e.g., aluminum) in addition to or instead of the aforementioned steel segments.
The support member 130 couples to a central vertical extension of the frame 120 and provides a backrest against which the user lays in a supine position during use of the machine 110.
The support member 130 includes an upper back support section 310, a lower back support section 320, and sets of hand grips 330, 340, and 350. The support member 130 may also include a section below the lower back support section 320 that is a seat on which the user sits. In some embodiments, each section of the support member 130 is an upholstered cushion.
The sets of hand grips 330, 340, and 350 are used to maintain body position against the support member 130 during exercises. The sets of hand grips 330, 340, and 350 are positioned at different locations along the support member 130 and may be oriented differently relative to each other. The different positions and orientations of the hand grips 330, 340, and 350 allow the user options with which to maintain the body position as the user's legs follow the arcing trajectory of the resistance members. It should be apparent that in some embodiments the position or orientation of the hand grips 330, 340, and 350 may be set and adjusted by the user.
In some embodiments, the length of the support member 130 is adjustable. As shown in
With reference back to
The bottom of the support member 130 is elevated 3 feet off of the ground level. It should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that in some embodiments the height of the support member 130 is user adjustable and may be repositioned 1-8 feet off of the ground level. Additionally, it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the angle of the upper back support section and the angle of the lower back support section of the support member 130 may be user adjustable. In this manner, the support member 130 is able to accommodate users of different heights and body proportions.
The resistance members 140 and 150 are attached to the frame 120 at pivot points 160 and 165. The pivot points 160 and 165 are formed by sliding a solid circular protrusion of the frame 120 into a hollow circular casing or hole within each resistance member 140 and 150. In some embodiments, the resistance members 140 and 150 are made of steel though other rigid materials may also be used in addition to or instead of steel.
Each resistance member 140 and 150 includes a foot guide 170, pad 175, weight assembly 180, and adjustment knob 185. The foot guide 170 and pad 175 are located towards the end of the resistance member that is located in front of the machine 110. In some embodiments, the foot guide 170 is composed of a flat steel sheet and the pad 175 is composed of a cushion. It should be apparent to one of ordinary skill that the foot guide 170 does not have to be flat but may include any voluminous shape and the foot guide 170 may be composed of other rigid materials in addition to or instead of steel.
The user places his foot against the foot guide 170. The foot guide 170 maintains the user's leg position relative to the pad 175. More specifically, when the user places his foot against the foot guide 170, the pad 175 becomes aligned behind the user's heel or ankle. The foot guide 170 prevents the user's foot from extending beyond the position of the guide 170, thereby retaining the heel or ankle in the same position against the pad 175 throughout the full range of the exercise.
The weight assembly 180 allows the user to control the counter-force or resistance that the user encounters when pressing against the pad 175. The weight assembly 180 is located towards the end of the resistance member that is located behind the machine 110. In this manner, the weight assembly 180 functions as a counterweight to the force generated by the user at the pad 175.
In some embodiments, the weight assembly 180 includes a steel peg that protrudes from an outward facing side of the resistance member 140 or 150. Free weights are placed on the weight assembly 180 of each resistance member 140 and 150 to increase resistance and are removed from the weight assembly 180 of each resistance member 140 and 150 to decrease resistance. The user is thereby able to progressively overload the gluteus muscles using the gluteus training machine of some embodiments.
The stop pegs 190 provide a stationary resting position for the resistance members 140 and 150. In some embodiments, each resistance member 140 and 150 includes a balance weight adjacent to or as part of the weight assembly that is used to establish and maintain the stationary position of the resistance member against the stop peg 190 when the gluteus weight training machine is not in use. Specifically, the balance weight is slightly greater than the weight of the foot guide 170 and pad 175 at the opposite end of the resistance member thereby causing the resistance member to rotate towards the stationary position when no additional forces are applied.
At the stationary position, adjustments may be made to the amount of resistance placed on the resistance members 140 and 150 or the length of the resistance members 140 and 150 (as further described below with reference to
From the stationary position, the resistance members 140 and 150 of some embodiments rotate up to 195 degrees about the pivot points 160 and 165. In some embodiments, this range of rotation allows the resistance members 140 and 150 to rotate until they come into contact with the ground surface or the frame 120.
Each resistance member 140 and 150 includes the adjustment knob 185 to adjust the length of the resistance member in order to accommodate users of different heights.
The resistance member includes a main shaft 620, an inner shaft 630, and the adjustment knob 610. Each shaft includes one or more predrilled holes located along an outward facing side of the shaft. As shown in
In some embodiments, the adjustment knob 610 is part of a screw mechanism whereby the knob 610 screws into threaded holes within the inner shaft 630 and the main shaft 620 in order to lock the position of the shafts relative to each other. To adjust the height of the resistance member, the user unscrews the adjustment knob 610 from the inner shaft 630. This allows the inner shaft 630 to slide into and out of the main shaft 620 until a desired height is obtained. To increase the length of the resistance member, the user slides the inner shaft 630 out from the main shaft 620 as shown at 650. To decrease the length of the resistance member, the user slides the inner shaft 630 into the main shaft 620 as shown at 660. Once the desired length is obtained, the user screws the adjustment knob 610 so that the adjustment knob 610 passes through a hole of the inner shaft 630 that is aligned with a hole of the main shaft 620. The adjustment knob 610 locks the position of the inner shaft 630 relative to the main shaft 620.
It should be apparent to one of ordinary skill in the art that the adjustment knob 610 may include other means for securing the length of the resistance member. For example, the adjustment knob 610 may include an insertion pin that slides into the holes located along the inner shaft 630 and the main shaft 620.
In some embodiments, each resistance member is a straight segment of metal that is angled 1-45 degrees at the pivot point towards or away the support member. In some embodiments, the angle of the resistance member may be user adjustable in order to provide custom comfort settings for users with different body proportions. By adjusting the angle, the user varies the arcing trajectory of the resistance member in order to suit the user's custom comfort setting. For instance, the user may adjust the angle of the resistance member such that the user's feet are shoulder width distance throughout the arcing trajectory of the resistance members thereby simulating natural foot positioning.
In some embodiments, each resistance member is a curved segment of metal that bends towards or away the user. It should be apparent to one skilled in the art that the upper and lower portions of the resistance members may be straight, curved, angled at the pivot point, not angled at the pivot point, or any combination thereof in order to vary the arcing trajectory of each resistance member according to user specifications.
The resistance members of the gluteus training machine operate independent of one another. The independent operation allows the user to train each leg separately with different amounts of resistance on each leg. In some embodiments, the resistance members may be coupled together. A coupling member links the resistance members together such that the resistance members move in unison.
To isolate and train the gluteus muscles, the gluteus weight training machine replicates the natural rotary movements of the human body that directly impact the gluteus muscles. As shown in
To perform the rotary movements that train the gluteus muscles, the user positions his leg 740 against the resistance member 730. The user positions leg 740 such that the user's foot rests against the foot guide 750 with the pad 755 of the resistance member 730 resting behind the user's foot. The user's leg may be fully extended or may have some flexion at the knee. The user stabilizes his body position by grasping hand grips 760.
When the user's leg 740 produces sufficient downward force to overcome the resistance at the weight assembly, the resistance member 730 rotates about its corresponding pivot point creating an arcing trajectory for the user's leg to follow. The arcing trajectory simulates the natural rotation and movement of the user's leg. Stress is distributed over the entire leg thereby lessening stress at the knees, hips, and lower back and reducing the possibility of injury to the knees, hips, and lower back.
Moreover, the force used to overcome the resistance is produced directly by the gluteus muscles. As noted above, the rotation of the resistance member 730 at the pivot point 725 mimics the rotation of the user's leg 740 at the hip joint that is caused by the gluteus muscles. Accordingly, the arcing movement of the resistance member 730 impacts the gluteus muscles directly.
When the user 710 reduces the force placed on the pad 820, the counter-force of the resistance member 830 returns the resistance member 830 back to the start position. As with the end position, the start position may be determined by the user based on the user's preference or flexibility. The user may select a start position by reapplying downward force upon the pad of the resistance member once the upward counter-force has returned the resistance member to the desired start position.
The user 710 can perform multiple repetitions of the movements illustrated in
The simulated natural motion executed using the gluteus training machine of some embodiments provides several advantages over other gluteus training exercises or machines. Firstly, the arcing motion provided by some embodiments directly isolates and trains the gluteus muscles. Other gluteus machines and exercises that utilize squats, lunges, and leg presses indirectly train the gluteus muscles as other muscles groups, such as the quadriceps, receive much of the exercise impact. The gluteus weight training machine of some embodiments focuses on the force generated at the hip thereby isolating and directly training the gluteus muscles.
Secondly, the gluteus weight training machine of some embodiments provides a full and natural range of motion for the gluteus muscles (e.g., up to 195 degrees). Squat, lunges, and leg presses restrict the range of motion to about 90 degrees of motion. The restricted motion trains less of the muscle and therefore provides less of an impact to the muscle.
Thirdly, squats, lunges, and leg presses focus stress on the knees, hips, and lower back thereby increasing the user's risk of injury. In contrast, the gluteus weight training machine of some embodiments distributes stresses across the entire leg thereby lessening stress and reducing the possibility of injury at the knees, hips, and lower back.
Fourthly, the gluteus weight training machine of some embodiments trains the gluteus muscles using motions that are commonly used in a variety of sports. For example, the arcing rotations of the gluteus weight training machine simulate the motions of a runner and many common movements within basketball, soccer, football, tennis, etc.
While the invention has been described with reference to numerous specific details, one of ordinary skill in the art will recognize that the invention can be embodied in other specific forms without departing from the spirit of the invention. Thus, one of ordinary skill in the art would understand that the invention is not to be limited by the foregoing illustrative details, but rather is to be defined by the appended claims.
