Exercise apparatus for recreational and rehabilitative exercise and method of exercise therefor

[0001] This invention relates generally to exercise apparatuses and methods of exercise and, more specifically, to an exercise apparatus and method for recreational and rehabilitative exercise having the characteristics of portability, convenience and ease of use while providing various modes of exercise for building and strengthening a user's targeted muscle group.

[0002] Exercise may be performed to serve two purposes; recreation and rehabilitation. Many individuals exercise for entertainment or to relieve stress. Other individuals, however, are required to perform certain exercises in order to rebuild damaged or weakened muscle tissue. Regardless of the motivation for exercise, the result is that the individual is not only stimulating muscle hypertrophy, but also maintaining and strengthening all of his physiological systems.

[0003] There are three fundamental anatomical planes in which an individual's body may move; sagittal, frontal, and transverse. The sagittal plane divides the body into a right and left half. The frontal plane divides the body into an anterior half and a posterior half. And the transverse plane, which is at right angles to both the frontal and sagittal planes, divides the body into upper and lower halves. A body may also move in a combination of these planes. For example, a body may move diagonally in an oblique plane. This oblique plane is a combination of the sagittal and frontal planes. A body may also move in an elliptical direction, thus moving in a combination of all three fundamental planes plus the oblique plane.

[0004] There are also various types of exercise modes designed to stimulate muscle hypertrophy; concentric (muscle-shortening), eccentric (muscle-lengthening), isometric (muscle loading at one joint position), isotonic (constant tension), and isokinetic (constant speed). However, many types of exercise equipment are designed only to allow for movement in a certain plane or limit the user to performing only a specific exercise mode.

[0005] U.S. Pat. No. 5,509,870 discloses a slide board that allows a user to mimic the motions of speed skaters and hockey players by sliding in a predominately lateral direction. This device has side blocks that minimize the user's lateral movement and hold the device in place during such vigorous exercise. Because of the type of exercise for which this device is intended, however, the device is fairly large and cumbersome. Furthermore, the user is limited to performing the functional movement of skating. Also, with this type of exercise, a user will not be strengthening the muscle groups in his upper extremities.

[0006] U.S. Pat. No. D428,454 describes a device comprising a platform portion which the individual may grasp while in a quadruped position. The platform is set upon four wheels that allow the platform to roll in all directions, thereby requiring the user to employ his abdominal muscles to control the device. However, a problem arises when the device is used on carpet. The wheels may become caught on long or stray carpet fibers. Furthermore, the device cannot be used effectively on tiled floors because the wheels will become stuck in the grooves between the tiles.

[0007] Therefore a need existed for a portable device for recreational and rehabilitative exercise comprising in combination, a substantially square-shaped slide board having a substantially level top surface with a low coefficient of friction, and at least one sliding device for allowing a user to maneuver any combination of his hands, elbows, feet, and knees or posterior torso across the slide board.

[0008] A further need existed for methods of exercise wherein the individual may use functional movements as well as unilateral and bilateral movements with both upper and lower extremities and wherein the exercise allows the individual's body to move in an anatomical plane that is sagittal, frontal, transverse, oblique or in a combination thereof.

[0009] An object of the present invention is to provide an improved device for recreational and rehabilitative exercise and exercise methods therefor.

[0010] Another object of the present invention is to provide an exercise apparatus for recreational and rehabilitative exercise comprising in combination, a substantially square-shaped slide board having a substantially level top surface with a low coefficient of friction, and at least one sliding device with a low coefficient of friction for allowing a user to maneuver at least one of a hand, elbow, foot, knee and posterior torso across the slide board, thereby causing the user to utilize a targeted muscle group.

[0011] Another object of the present invention is to provide an improved method of exercise using bilateral movements with both upper and lower extremities such that the body of the user moves in at least one anatomical plane and wherein the at least one anatomical plane is sagittal, frontal, transverse, oblique or a combination thereof.

[0012] Yet another object of the present invention is to provide a method of exercise using unilateral movements with both upper and lower extremities such that the body of the user moves in at least one anatomical plane and wherein the at least one anatomical plane is sagittal, frontal, transverse, oblique or a combination thereof.

[0013] In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an exercise apparatus for recreational and rehabilitative exercise comprising in combination, a slide board for set up upon a floor area and having a top surface, the top surface having a low coefficient of friction and at least one sliding device for allowing a user to maneuver at least one of a hand, elbow, foot, knee and posterior torso across the slide board, thereby causing the user to utilize a targeted muscle group. The sliding device has a bottom surface with a low coefficient of friction for sliding across the slide board and also has a top surface dimensioned to receive at least one of a hand, elbow, foot, knee and posterior torso.

[0014] In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method of exercise using bilateral movements comprising the steps of positioning at least two of the user's extremities onto at least two corresponding sliding devices wherein the at least two extremities are two hands, two elbows, two feet, two knees or any combination thereof, and contracting and relaxing the target muscle groups in each of the at least two extremities so as to maneuver the at least two sliding devices across the top surface of the slide board in a slide pattern such that the body of the user moves in at least one anatomical plane and wherein the at least one anatomical plane is sagittal, frontal, transverse, oblique or a combination thereof.

[0015] In accordance with yet another embodiment of the present invention, a method of exercise using unilateral movements comprising the steps of positioning at least one of the user's extremities onto at least one corresponding sliding device wherein the at least one extremity is one of a hand, an elbow, a foot, or a knee, and contracting and relaxing the target muscle groups in the at least one extremity so as to maneuver the at least one sliding device across the top surface of the slide board in a slide pattern such that the body of the user moves in at least one anatomical plane and wherein the at least one anatomical plane is sagittal, frontal, transverse, oblique or a combination thereof.

[0016] The foregoing and other objects, features, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following, more detailed description of the preferred embodiments of the invention, as illustrated in the accompanying drawings.

[0042] FIGS. 1-3 refer to the preferred embodiment of the invention. Together, they show an exercise apparatus 10 for recreational and rehabilitative exercise comprising a substantially square-shaped slide board 20 and at least one sliding device 30. The slide board 20 is set up upon a floor area (not shown) and has a top surface 21 that is substantially level and has a low coefficient of friction. The at least one sliding device 30 allows a user 1 (see FIG. 5) to maneuver at least one of a hand 4, elbow 5, foot 7 (see FIG. 4A), knee 8 and posterior torso 2 across the slide board 20, thereby causing the user 1 to utilize a targeted muscle group (not shown).

[0043] FIGS. 1 and 2 disclose the at least one sliding device 30 as being a sliding pad 40. However, the sliding device 30 may comprise other materials such as a cloth 41 (see FIG. 4B), a sock 42 (see FIG. 7B), a shirt 43 (see FIG. 11), or the like. All of these materials have a bottom surface 31 (see FIG. 1) with a low coefficient of friction for sliding across the slide board 20. As shown in FIG. 1, the sliding pad 40 has a top surface 32 dimensioned to receive at least one of a hand 4, elbow 5, foot 7, and knee 8.

[0044] Many of the Figures disclose a method of exercise 110 using bilateral movements for building and strengthening a targeted muscle group of a body of a user 1 comprising the steps of providing a substantially square-shaped slide board 20 and at least two sliding devices 30. The slide board 20 is set up upon a floor area (not shown) and has a top surface 21 that is substantially level and has a low coefficient of friction. The at least two sliding devices 30 each have a bottom surface 31 (see FIG. 1) with a low coefficient of friction for sliding across the slide board 20 and have a top surface 32 (see FIG. 1) dimensioned to receive one of a hand 4, elbow 5, foot 7, and knee 8.

[0045] To perform this exercise 110 the user 1 will position at least two extremities onto the corresponding at least two sliding devices 30 wherein the at least two extremities are two hands 4 (see FIG. 4A), two elbows 5 (see FIG. 18A), two feet 7 (see FIG. 20), two knees 8 (see FIG. 13) or any combination thereof (not shown). With this type of exercise 110, the user 1 must contract and relax the target muscle groups (not shown) in each of the at least two extremities so as to maneuver the at least two sliding devices 30 across the top surface 21 of the slide board 20 in a slide pattern 50 (see FIG. 4A) such that the body of the user 1 moves in at least one anatomical plane and wherein the at least one anatomical plane is sagittal 51 (see FIG. 10), frontal 52 (see FIG. 9), transverse 53 (see FIG. 10), oblique 54 (see FIG. 10) or a combination 55 (see FIGS. 6, 10, 12, 15 and 22) thereof.

[0046] When performing this exercise 110, the at least two sliding devices 30 may be maneuvered alternatively or in unison. Also the at least two extremities positioned onto the at least two sliding devices 30 may be two upper extremities 3. FIG. 4A shows the two upper extremities 3 as being two hands 4, while FIG. 18A shows the two upper extremities 3 as being two elbows 5. This position requires the user 1 to contract and relax the target muscle groups (not shown) in each of two lower extremities 6 (see FIGS. 4A, 6, 16, 18A, and 22) firmly positioned on the floor area (not shown) substantially contiguous to the slide board 20 so as to provide the user 1 with stability and balance during performance of the exercise 110. The two lower extremities 6 may be either two feet 7 (not shown) or two knees 8 (shown in FIG. 4A).

[0047] The at least two extremities positioned onto the at least two sliding devices 30 may also be two lower extremities 6. FIG. 20 shows the two lower extremities 6 as being two feet 7, while FIG. 13 shows the two lower extremities 6 as being two knees 8. This position requires the user 1 to contract and relax the target muscle groups (not shown) in each of two upper extremities 3 (see FIGS. 13, 20, and 21) firmly positioned on the floor area (not shown) substantially contiguous to the slide board 20 so as to provide the user 1 with stability and balance during performance of the exercise 110. The two upper extremities 3 may be either two hands 4 (shown in FIG. 20) or two elbows 5 (shown in FIG. 21).

[0048] The exercise 110 may also be performed wherein a combination of both upper extremities 3 and both lower extremities 6 are positioned onto the corresponding sliding devices 30 such that the user 1 may maneuver the sliding devices 30 by utilizing functional movements (not shown).

[0049] Many of the Figures also disclose a method of exercise 210 using unilateral movements for building and strengthening a targeted muscle group of a body of a user 1 comprising the steps of providing a substantially square-shaped slide board 20 and at least one sliding device 30. The slide board 20 is set up upon a floor area (not shown) and has a top surface 21 that is substantially level and has a low coefficient of friction. The at least one sliding device 30 has a bottom surface 31 (see FIG. 1) with a low coefficient of friction for sliding across the slide board 20 and have a top surface 32 (see FIG. 1) dimensioned to receive one of a hand 4, elbow 5, foot 7, and knee 8.

[0050] To perform the exercise 210, the user 1 will position at least one extremity onto the corresponding at least one sliding device 30 wherein the at least one extremity is a hand 4, an elbow 5, a foot 7, or a knee 8. The user will then contract and relax the target muscle groups (not shown) in the at least one extremity so as to maneuver the at least one sliding device 30 across the top surface 21 of the slide board 20 in a slide pattern 50 such that the body of the user 1 moves in at least one anatomical plane and wherein the at least one anatomical plane is sagittal (see FIG. 10), frontal 52 (see FIG. 9), transverse 53 (see FIG. 10), oblique 54 (see FIG. 10) or a combination 55 (see FIG. 6) thereof.

[0051] This exercise 210 may be performed when the user is in a quadruped position (see FIG. 17). The at least one extremity positioned onto the at least one sliding device 30 may be an upper extremity 3. FIG. 15 shows the upper extremity 3 as being a hand 4, while FIG. 17 shows the upper extremity 3 being an elbow 5. This position requires the user to contract and relax the target muscle groups (not shown) in each of two lower extremities 6 and another upper extremity 3 (see FIGS. 14, 15, and 17) firmly positioned on the floor area (not shown) substantially contiguous to the slide board 20 so as to provide the user 1 with stability and balance during performance of the exercise 210. The two lower extremities 6 may be either two feet 7 (not shown) or two knees 8 (shown in FIG. 17) and the other upper extremity 3 may be a hand 4 (shown in FIG. 15) or an elbow (shown in FIG. 17).

[0052] This exercise 210 may also be performed when the at least one extremity positioned onto the at least one sliding device 30 is a lower extremity 6. FIG. 19 shows the lower extremity 6 as being a foot 7, while FIG. 12 shows the lower extremity 6 as being a knee 8. This position requires the user 1 to contract and relax the target muscle groups (not shown) in each of two upper extremities 3 and another lower extremity 6 (see FIGS. 12 and 19) firmly positioned on the floor area (not shown) substantially contiguous to the slide board 20 so as to provide the user 1 with stability and balance during performance of the exercise 210. The two upper extremities 3 may be either two hands 4 (shown in FIG. 19) or two elbows 5 (not shown) and the other lower extremity 6 may be a foot 7 (shown in FIG. 19) or an knee 8 (shown in FIG. 12).

[0053] This exercise 210 may be performed when the user 1 is in a standing position and is substantially squarely facing the slide board 20 (see FIG. 8). Upon sliding his foot 7 forward, the user 1 descends into a lunge position (not shown). This exercise 210 may also be performed when the user is in a standing position and is facing in a direction substantially perpendicular to the slide board (see FIG. 9). Upon sliding his foot 7 laterally, the user 1 descends into a lateral squat (not shown).

[0054] While the invention has been particularly shown and described with reference to preferred embodiments thereof, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the foregoing and other changes in form and details may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.