Exercise device

[0001] This invention relates to an exercise device usable for strength training, endurance training, physical rehabilitation, or the like.

[0002] Weight lifting equipment has long been used for strength training, endurance training and physical rehabilitation. Traditional weight lifting equipment is in the form of “free weights,” including barbells and the like on which weight disks are mounted, or “machine weights,” in which stacks of weights slide on bars or guide tracks and are attached to various lifting bars and/or cables via which users lift the stacked weights through various lifts such as the bench press, military press, curls, leg presses, and so forth.

[0003] Free weights and machine weights typically require a large amount of room to store and use. Machine weights often require an entire room to accommodate a single machine. Free weights usually require various types and lengths of bars, as well as the individual weight disks. Various specialized weightlifting devices have been introduced, but these typically enable only a relatively small number of different lifts to be performed.

[0004] This invention provides an exercise device including an elongate body, at least one first handle attached to an outer side surface of the elongate body, and at least one second handle attached to an end of the elongate body. The at least one first handle is arranged such that when the elongate body is lifted by the at least one first handle, the elongate body is substantially horizontal. The at least one second handle is arranged such that when the elongate body is lifted by the at least one second handle, the elongate body is substantially vertical.

[0005] The elongate body may include a hollow tubular member, and end plates that seal opposite ends of the hollow tubular member. A removable plug may be provided in a wall of the exercise device 10, such as in an end plate. Flowable material such as water or sand may be introduced into the hollow tubular member via the plug.

[0006] A wide variety of lifts may be performed using a single exercise device according to the invention.

[0007] These and other objects, advantages and salient features of the invention are described in or apparent from the following description of embodiments.

[0017] FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an exercise device 10 according an exemplary embodiment of this invention. The exercise device 10 includes an elongate body. As depicted in FIGS. 1 and 3-5, the elongate body may include a hollow tubular member 100, and end plates 140 that seal opposite ends of the hollow tubular member 100. In other embodiments, the elongate body may have a solid center; however, using the hollow tubular member 100 as the elongate body provides various advantages, as described in more detail below. The elongate body may be made of carbon steel, aluminum, stainless steel, or any other suitable material. Metal material such as carbon steel, aluminum or stainless steel is advantageous in terms of durability and strength of the exercise device 10. Hereafter, reference will be made to the hollow tubular member 100 as a specific example of an elongate body, but it will be understood that this is only one example of an elongate body, and that features such as the handles described below can also be used in connection with a solid elongate body.

[0018] The hollow tubular member 100 may have any desired width or diameter, and any desired length. For example, the nominal diameter of the hollow tubular member 100 may be 4 inches, 6 inches, 8 inches, 10 inches, 12 inches, 14 inches or 16 inches. The length of the hollow tubular member 100 may be 24 inches, 30 inches, 36 inches, 42 inches or 48 inches. A plurality of the exercise devices 10, each having a different size, may be provided as a set.

[0019] As depicted in, e.g., FIGS. 3 and 5, a removable plug 152 may be provided in one of the end plates 140. If desired, a similar plug 154 can also be provided in the other end plate 140 as well. The plugs 152 and 154 can be, for example, threaded plugs that thread into respective pipe fittings attached to the end plate 140. In the depicted embodiment, the plug 152 will be referred to as a fill plug, and the plug 154 will be referred to as a drain plug.

[0020] The plugs 152 and 154 can be removed to allow admission of flowable material into the hollow tubular member 100 to increase the weight of the exercise device 10, and/or to allow removal of the flowable material The flowable material may be, for example, water, sand or the like.

[0021] A plurality of handles are attached to the hollow tubular member 100. The handles may include handles 110, 120 and/or 130, in any desired combination. When necessary or appropriate, the handles are attached to the hollow tubular member 100 via legs. For example, as shown in FIG. 1, the handles 110 are attached to an outer periphery of the hollow tubular member 100 via leg portions 112, and the handles 120 are attached to an outer periphery of the hollow tubular member 100 via leg portions 122. When the hollow tubular member 100 and the handles 110, 120 and/or 130 are made of metal, the handles 110, 120 and/or 130 may be attached to the hollow tubular member 100 by welding.

[0022] As shown best in FIG. 3, the handles 110 extend in a direction crossing the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100. In the depicted embodiments, the handles 110 extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100, but in other embodiments the handles 110 may extend in a different direction crossing the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100. For example, the handles 110 may extend at an angle of from about 60° to about 80° with respect to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100.

[0023] The handle 120 extends along a longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100. In the depicted embodiments, the handle 120 extends parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100, but in other embodiments the handle 120 may have one or more portions that are not parallel to the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100. For example, rather than being straight, the handle 120 may have a W-shape, S-shape or the like, as seen in plan view. A handle of any of these other shapes is also considered to extend along the longitudinal axis of the hollow tubular member 100.

[0024] The handles 110 are arranged such that, when a user grasps the handles 110 and lifts the hollow tubular member 100, the hollow tubular member 100 is substantially horizontal. Similarly, the handle 120 is arranged such that, when a user grasps the handle 120 at positions equidistant from the longitudinal center of the hollow tubular member 100 and lifts the hollow tubular member 100, the hollow tubular member 100 is substantially horizontal.

[0025] The handles 130 are attached to ends of the hollow tubular member 100. In the depicted embodiments, cutouts 102 are formed in a peripheral wall of the hollow tubular member 100 at ends of the hollow tubular member 100, and the handles 130 span the cutouts 102. In other embodiments, the handles 130 may have leg portions like the leg portions 112 and 122 described above. In this case, the cutouts 102 may not be needed, because the leg portions of the handles 130 could be attached to the ends of the hollow tubular member 100 or other elongate body, and be easily accessible for gripping. In the depicted embodiments, the handles 130 are parallel to each other, but in other embodiments the handles 130 may be positioned at an angle relative to each other. When a user grasps the handles 130 at one end of the hollow tubular member 100 and lifts the exercise device 10, the hollow tubular member 100 is substantially vertical.

[0026] As mentioned above, flowable material such as water, sand or the like may be introduced into the hollow tubular member 100 via the removable plug 150. The hollow tubular member 100 may be completely filled, for maximum weight. Alternatively, the hollow tubular member 100 may be partially filled, to result in any desired weight between the empty weight and full weight of the exercise device 10. When the hollow tubular member 100 is filled partially, a “slosh effect” can be achieved by alternately lifting one end of the hollow tubular member 100 higher than the other end, causing the flowable material to shift from one end to the other inside the hollow tubular member 100. This can have the beneficial effect of exercising certain muscles or muscle groups that may otherwise be difficult to exercise.

[0027] As shown in FIG. 7, to ensure that the hollow tubular member 100 is only partially filled, a tube 156 may be connected to one of the end plates 140, in communication with the fill hole that is stopped by the plug 152. The tube 156 may extend into the interior of the hollow tubular member, and may have a length of, for example, about 25% of the length of the hollow tubular member 100. When the hollow tubular member 100 is positioned with the fill hole facing upward, and flowable material is caused to flow into the hollow tubular member 100 the tube 156 restricts further entry of flowable material when the level of flowable material reaches the bottom of the tube. The tube 156 may be permanently attached to the end plate 140 by welding or any other suitable attachment method. Alternatively, the tube may be detachable, e.g., by being insertable through the fill hole from outside of the hollow tubular member 100, and then removable through the fill hole after entry of the flowable material. A plurality of such detachable fill tubes could be provided, each having a different length, for filling the hollow tubular member 100 to different levels.

[0028] Using the exercise device 10, a variety of different lifts can be performed for strength training, endurance training or physical rehabilitation. For example, the so-called “Olympic lifts” can be performed using the exercise device 10. The Olympic lifts include the categories of “clean and jerk” and “snatch.” “Clean and jerk” lifts include the front squat, the hang jump shrug, the jump shrug, hang pulls, high pulls, hang cleans, the clean, the push press, and the split jerk. “Snatch” lifts include the hang snatch, the overhead squat, the press under, and the quick drop. Other lifts that may be performed include various types of curls. A list of exercises and/or lifts that may be performed using the exercise device 10 is given below. It will be understood that this is not an exhaustive list, and that other lifts or exercises may also be performed using the exercise device 10. In the list, “inside handles” refers to the handles 110, “outside handles” refers to the handles 130, and “middle handle” refers to the handle 120. “Barrels” refers to exercise devices 10. Those skilled in the art will understand how to perform the exercises, as they are well known.

[0029] Strength Exercises

[0030] Bench (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0031] Floor Press (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0032] Incline (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0033] Back Squat (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0034] Front Squat (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0035] Overhead Squat (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0036] One Leg Squat (Outside Handles)

[0037] Zercher One Leg Squat (No Handles Used)

[0038] Step Ups (Outside Handles)

[0039] Deadlift (Middle Handle)

[0040] Sumo Deadlift (Middle Handle)

[0041] Single Arm Deadlift (Middle Handle)

[0042] Unbalanced Deadlift (Middle Handle) (2 barrels of different weight)

[0043] Unbalanced Sumo Deadlift (Middle Handle) (2 barrels of different weight)

[0044] Zercher Squat (No Use of Handles)

[0045] Farmers Walk (Middle Handle)

[0046] Unbalanced Farmers Walk (Middle Handle) (2 barrels of different weight)

[0047] Romanian Deadlift (Middle Handle)

[0048] Bent Over Row (Middle Handle)

[0049] Single Arm Row from Push Up Position (2 barrels) (Middle Handle)

[0050] Weighted Isometric Crunch (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0051] Good Mornings (Outside Handles)

[0052] Woodchoppers (Outside Handles)

[0053] Hammer Curls (Outside Handles)

[0054] Strength/Power Exercises

[0055] Hang Snatch (Outside Handles)

[0056] Hang Split Snatch (Outside Handles)

[0057] Snatch From Floor (Outside Handles)

[0058] Split Snatch From Floor (Outside Handles)

[0059] Hang High Pulls (Middle Handle)

[0060] High Pulls From Floor (Middle Handle)

[0061] Hang Clean (Outside Handles)

[0062] Hang Split Clean (Outside Handles)

[0063] Clean From Floor (Outside Handles)

[0064] Split Clean From Floor (Outside Handles)

[0065] Front Jerk (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0066] Front Split Jerk (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0067] Behind the Head Split Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0068] Behind the Head Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0069] Push Press (Outside Handles)

[0070] Front Push Press (Outside and Inside Handles)

[0071] Barrel Swings (Middle Handle)

[0072] Strength/Power Combination Lifts

[0073] Hang Snatch to Overhead Squat (Outside Handle)

[0074] Snatch from Floor to Overhead Squat (Outside Handle)

[0075] Behind the Head Squat Jerk (Outside Handle)

[0076] Front Squat Jerk (Outside and Inside Handles)

[0077] Behind the Head Squat-Split Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0078] Front Squat-Split Jerk (Outside and Inside Handles)

[0079] Hang Split Snatch+One Leg Squat (Outside Handles)

[0080] Snatch from Floor+One Leg Squat (Outside Handles)

[0081] Hang Clean+Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0082] Hang Clean+Split Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0083] Clean from Floor+Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0084] Clean from Floor+Split Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0085] Behind the Head Squat+Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0086] Behind the Head Squat+Split Jerk (Outside Handles)

[0087] Hang Clean+Front Squat+Jerk (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0088] Hang Clean+Front Squat+Split Jerk (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0089] Clean from Floor+Front Squat+Jerk (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0090] Clean from Floor+Front Squat+Split Jerk (Inside and Outside Handles)

[0091] Hang Clean+Front Squat+Split Jerk+One Leg Squat (Outside Handles)

[0092] As shown in FIG. 8, an exercise device 20 according to another exemplary embodiment may include flexible weight devices attached to the exercise device 20. In this embodiment, the flexible weight devices are chains 210. The chains 210 may be made of, for example, ¼″, ⅜″, ½″ or ⅝″ diameter metal material. The chains 210 increase the weight of the exercise device 20. The chains 210 may be of any desired length, and any desired number of chains 210 may be attached to the exercise device 20. The chains 210 may be permanently attached, but preferably are releasably attached so that they may be attached or taken off at will to increase or decrease the overall weight of the exercise device. If the chains 210 are of sufficient length, such as about 5 feet or more, then when a user lowers the exercise device 10, a portion of the chains 210 rests on a support surface such as the floor. This gradually decreases the weight being supported by the user. Conversely, when the user raises the exercise device 10, the portion of the chains 210 that rested on the support surface is raised off of the support surface, thereby gradually increasing the weight supported by the user.

[0093] According to the exercise devices described above, a wide variety of different lifts may be performed using a single exercise device. The above-described embodiments are effective tools for effective muscular balance work, local muscular endurance work, preparation of the body to absorb shock, and improving flexibility. Exercises and lifts performed using the above-described exercise devices can help reduce the occurrence of osteoarthritis in joints, build tendon and ligament strength, and train athletes to cope with uncooperative and unbalanced loads. The exercise devices are effective in all realms of strength training (i.e., absolute strength, speed strength, explosive strength and muscular endurance).

[0094] While the invention has been described in conjunction with specific embodiments, these embodiments should be viewed as illustrative and not limiting. Various changes, substitutes, improvements or the like are possible within the spirit and scope of the invention.