<p>]jj Training or exercise apparatus"</p>
<p>FIELD OF THE INVENTION</p>
<p>This invention relates to a training or exercise apparatus having particular, but not exclusive, apication to martial and like arts The term "martial and like arts" is used herein as a portmanteau term to include what are normally termed martial arts and also other personal combative arts such as boxing and wresifing However, the apparatus may also be applied to training for sports or simply exercise, without a combative element or even without a compelitive. element</p>
<p>13 BACKGROUND</p>
<p>In boxing and other martial arts, it is usual to practice with a punchball (usually mounted to the top of a long, fairly stiff spring on a base standing on the ground) or a punchbag (usually suspended) or a like object adapted to be punched and resile, a g due to springiness and/or gravity Particularly with martial arts, a number of attempts are known to the present inventor to make these "punch objects" require, teach or induce more skill These attempts have been impractical</p>
<p>THE INVENTION</p>
<p>One method considered by the present inventor, in order to improve practicality, is to suspend smaller balls (or other target members) on exible arms from the lop of the punch obiect so that they hail around upon punching the punch oblect and will have to be dealt with by the user, e g by hitting them, Nocking them, touching them or avoiding them (the meaning of the term "target' as used herein is intended to indude an object which has to be avoided), which will hone his skls A simrfied aspect of the invention provides (suspendabte) training or exercise apparatus comprising suspension means and target members to be contacted or avoided by the body and adapted to be suspended by the suspension means such that the target members can move around one another However, the (suspension part of the) arms can be so hexible (e g being simply of string or chain) that they become entangled with one another Again, the arms may be so stiff that they fail to move freely enough to exercise adequately the sks of the user, such that the target members cannot move around one another The inventor considers that what is required is training with surprising rebound and moving targets, preferably without the arms twisting around each other (becoming entanqed) According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided training or exercise apparatus comprising suspension means and target members to be contacted or avoided by the body and adapted to be suspended by the suspension means, the suspension means being such that the target members can move around one another, the apparatus comprising inhibiting means to inhibit taning of the suspension means for respective target membeis during use The apparatus need not be limited to use with a punch object (it may be suspended on its own) but, in its main apcilicabon, the said suspension means wil be adapted for connectioii to, or above, the top of a (main) punch object, e g to be suspended from the suspension chains of a punchbag, or bands around the top of the punchbag The apparatus (e g as sold) may indude the punch object The adaptabon for connection may compnse anchor means to anchor the suspension means to, or above, the top of a punch object Thus, the suspension means comprise anchor means to effect the aforesaid connechon The anchor means may compnse loop means, hook means, and/or a collar Preferably, the suspension means comprise a plurality of flexible arms, which may include part or all of the anchor means, or, more usually, be adapted to (depend from or otherwise) be mounted to the anchor means (if separate), i e the arms may compnse all of the anchor means or may be mounted to part or all of the anchor means Usually, at least one said targel member will be mounted to each arm For example, there may be a plurality of the target members, one after another, in line, along a said arm Normally, the target members wil be remote (or away) from the anchor means The anchor means may be adapted to be detachably anchored to (e g they are adapted to be unhooked from) a point of suspension on a support, e g the main chain of a punchbag Each arm independenfly of the other/s may be adapted to be anchored to, so as to be detachable from (e g it is adapted to be unhooked from), a point of suspension Preferably, the anchor means have a ready-release feature for a plurality of the arms so that these can be readily released individually, e g if they have become ighlly entangled they can be unhooked near the top, disentangled, and then re-anchored individually on the support, whatever it is, that has been used for the apparatus, in order to cure any entanglement that might interfere with training Thus in an embodiment, the target member balls wil be captive on the separate arms and able to move around, above and below each other without their arms having to be disentangled, except possibly at long intervals The balls and their arms should be able to curve around one another, substantially in all directions, and recoil, and not rapicly entangle They require a means to inhibit entanement The inhibiting means may compnse a suitable stiffening of the arms to inhibit the entanement whie sll allowing the target members to move around one another According to another aspect of invention, there is provided a framing or exercise apparatus comprising anchor means to anchor the apparatus to, or above, the top of a punch oblect, a plurality of flexible arms (depending from or otherwise) mounted to the anchor means, at least one target member mounted to each arm (remote) away from the anchor means, the apparatus having means for reducing or inhibiting tendency of the arms to entangle with one another The apparatus may have particular application to martial and like arts A said (or each) arm may compnse a chain but preferably compnses an elastic cord Preferably, a said (or each) arm comprises a flexible core member, e g said chain or elastic cord, running through a bleeve of semi-stiff matenal Preferably, the bleeve comprises a relatively thick-walled material (tube) with a relatively narrow bore to receive said core member Preferably, said matenal is a flexible elastomeric matenal, preferably spongy, e g a sponge rubber, more particulariy a semi-stiff sponge rubber, a g flexible, dosed-cell, elastomenc nitrie rubber Preferably, each arm compnses a plurality of segments articulated together Preferably, the sleeve is broken or interrupted at the or each, articulation The apparatus may be adapted to be suspended independenfly of the punch object, or adapted to be suspended from a supporting suspension of a punch object, and may have target members of differing weights and/or sizes In a preferred embodiment, this is a martial arts, boxing and simiar disciplines training apparatus which hones the aspects of agility, balance, accuracy, power and speed in all of the skils of striking, blocking and evading strikes, as wet as helping the user to perfect his techniques It compnses plas& bells (as targets) that are suspended from the supporling chains of a punchbag The balls are suspended on the ends of elastic cords The elasfic cords are run through the flexible closed-cell elastomenc nitnie rubber insulation descnbed above (effectively, sponge rubber tubes), this prevents the elasbc cords from becoming entanqed with each other, whie allowing the elashc to retain, available for use by the user, a lot of its properties, e g its recoH and flexiblity The rubber tubes are not in one piece but are broken apart at intervals into segments to give more flexibility (the length of tube for each arm is made up of separate pieces) A detachable coupling is fitted at the top end of each arm and each arm is detachably attached separately to the chain of a punchbag In one possible scenario, the user may begin by hanging two balls, one at head height, the other at calf height Then, after a period of bme (which may be dunng one prachce session or after several practice sessions, e g for warm-up, for pracbce, or after becoming expenenced), may hang a third at knee height, then again another at chest height Thus, new parts can be added to the apparatus as the user's skits improve The balls can be punched, kneed and/or kicked by the user, they can also be blocked and ducked from when they recol At moves can be prachsed in random combinahons The central punchbag can be uhlised at intervals to hone technique Eventually, the brain and body are trained to cope with the fast-changing demands of a martial arts or boxing, sparnng or nng scenano As many or as few detachable balls as required can be attached at one hme The length of the cord (arm) depends on what part of the body the user wants to practise with or defend, e g long for the balls to be in the region of his legs, short for his head Thus, this embodiment provides a sports etc training or exercise apparatus that develops co-ordination and trains reflexes, which can be used by, for example, all sports trainees to develop reflexes and co-ordinahon but is especially useful as a marhal arts or boxing training apparatus, which consists of one or more targets or balls suspended on arms such that entanqement of the balls or targets does not interfere with training It can be suspended on its own or hung on a punchbag Each ball or target posihon relates to a different part of the body A familiar example of said flexible closed-cell elastomenc nitrile rubber insulation material suitable for covenng the elastic cord is found as central heahng pipe insulahon, i e the ordinary dark grey tube4ike soft insulation pipe covenng which is used as a heat insulator on copper central heating pipes in most houses, or pipe-wrap" as some call it This actual tubing has a alit along its whole length, and each segment of it for the present apparatus is therefore preferably encircled with a reinforcement of fastening tape near each end of the segment, but it should be borne in mind that this was used for prototypes, and in a production run closed tubing may be used, although the reinforcement could stil be useful The elashc cord is ordinary elastic cord that can be bought by the metre off the roll in local hardware or d i y stores, its strength and resience charactenshcs and its dimensions can ready be chosen to be suitable for this apparatus The type of coupling used to attach each arm is not descnbed in fut detail, since what is important is only that it should be detachable while firm when attached (closed, as described herein) The target members may convenienty be the same type as the chidren's plashc playing balls that one would find in a shop, diameter in the range 20cm to 40cm However, for production, these target member balls may have to be manufactured with an attachment coupling to fasten the elashc cord direcfly to the ball The balls used in prototypes did not have this direct attachnient, so this difficulty was overcome by puthng each ball in a cover (e g net, pouch or bag) and attaching the cover to the elastic arm Similady, if an upstanding punchbat is used as a support for the apparatus, this can be anchored to the top of a cover (e g net, pouch or bag) fixed to the punchball and surrounding the bail thereof In any of these embodiments, the target members may be of diffenng weights, types and sizes, or all of them could be quite tight or, as an alternative, all of them could be chosen quite weighty, the choices would depend upon the type of training required Thus, embodiments of the invenhon may be considered as follows Conventional kinds of apparatus known to the inventor do not cater for the ever-changing demands of the marbal arts or boxing nng, or they attempt to make use of stands and rods in a effort to keep the moving targets apart, whereas a trainee would benefit from a number of moving targets that have the ahtity to rebound and move in a chaotic fashinn, without any suspended targets quickty becoming entangled with one another Embodiments of the invenbon provide, in use, a number of suspended readily-moving targets which can be used to develop reflexes and co-ordinabon in all sports but are especially useful in martial arts and boxing training where they simulate an opponent To minimize or avoid entanglement, the present embodiments provide any number of balls suspended on elashc cord with the alashc cord running through a soft, resilient stiffening matenal, e g pipe insulabon The pipe insulabon of each arm is in separate pieces, arbculated together so as to allow for movement in all planes Vanous properbes of the pipe insulabon are important The pipe insulabon is a wide very light durable pipe tt has the ability to return to its shape after being crushed by a kick for example It has a thick wall but has a narrow bore The thick wall gives stiffness to prevent the arms coting around each other, this coiling would occur if the pipe had thin walls The bore of the pipe is wide enough to allow adequate movement of the elastic cord inside This pipe also has some flexibdity Another important property that the pipe has is that it is soft so it does not hurt if it stnkes the user Properbes of the alasbc cord such as flexibility and etasbcity and rebound are retained wIle the surrounding pipe-insulation tubing prevents entanglement from interfering with the training Any entanglement occurs at the top of the apparatus and is slight and can be released by unhooking the arms at the top, for example at the end of each training session The balls can be hung at any height and in any number Balls can be suspended at different heights to train different parts of the body, e g knees, feet, hands They allow punching, kicking, use of knees, blocking and evasive movements They also rebound and provide the element of surpnse The balls move in all planes Entanglement of the apparatus does not occur so as to interfere with training More balls can be added as the level of skit increases As many balls as deemed necessary may be applied Itis a very light and easy-to-install opponent simulator It can be hung on a punchbag and convenbonal strikes to the punch -bag can be done in conjuncbon with this ball training It can be made very robust and inexpensive, yet safe to use It reacts to the level of intensity at which it is being used that is to say, as the user increases his speed the speed of the balls increases, so the level of skill can be increased further, therefore the user controls the levels of speed and sk applied In accordance with embodiments of the invention, there can be provided a training device or apparatus which is, or may be, suspended * which consists of suspended balls or targets where the entanglement of the balls or targets does not interfere with training, * which may be unhooked at the point of suspension, 4 * where each arm maybe unhooked independeny, * where the arms consist of balls or targets suspended on elashc cord running through sechons of a narrow-bored wide-walled pipe, * which can be suspended on its own or on the chains of a punchbag, * which can have balls or targets of different weights and sizes, * which can have one or more balls or targets in tine on any one arm, * with an easy-release system where the arms are unhooked near the top, disentanqed, and then relocated indMdually again on the apparatus to prevent any entanement interfering with training, * where individual arms may be fixed to the secondary chain or bands of a punchbag In the event that an arm (e g only one or two of the suspension means, the target member and/or the inhibiting means of the arm) becomes damaged, replacement arms wit be avalaUe on sale According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided, for use in any such training or exercise apparatus, a combination of a target member and suspension means for the same such that the target member and the target member of a similar combinahon can move around one another when the combinahons are suspended from a common point.</p>
<p>According to another aspect of the invention, there is provided, for use in training or exercise apparatus, a combinahon of a target member and suspension means for the same such that the target member and the target member of a simar. combinahon can move around one another when the combinahons are suspended from a common point, the first-menhoned combination comprising inhibiting means to inhibit tanqing of the suspension means for the target members during use According to another aspect of the invenhon, there is provided a method of training or exercise in which there is used any such apparatus embodying the invention In an improved method, target members are added to the apparatus as exercise or training progresses</p>
<p>DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS</p>
<p>Reference is now made by way of example to the accompanying drawings In these Figure 1 is a front view of an apparatus 21 (e g see Figure 3) embodying the invenhon, showing a user 14 training on the apparatus 21 as it hangs on a punchbag 7, Figure 2 is a front view of the apparatus 21 in close-up, showing the anchor means 3 compnsing a nng 3 (and loops 4) more deady, Figure 3 is a front view of the apparatus 21, separated from the punchbag 7, showing the anchor nng 3 open and the apparatus 21 with inhibiting means 5 as it may look after a long training session, with arms 16 entaned but only at the top The ring 3 can then be ready opened and loops 4 (forming part of the anchor means 3) at the tops of individual arms 16 can be removed for disentanement, Figure 4 is a view like Figure 3 after the individual arms 16 have been removed from the nng 3 and disentangled, and their loops 4 relocated on the ring 3 for another training session, Figure 5 is a schematic front view of one arm 16, with the elastic cord shown (for the sake of danty) much longer than it is in reality, so that the indMdual segments 18 of the sleeve 5 endosing the arm 16 appear to be spaced apart on the dastic cord 8, whereas in reahty they are contiguous, and therefore articulated to one another where they touch at the points 15, as shown in Figures 1 to 4, Figure 6 corresponds to Figure 2 but shows an ternative anchorage means 3, with individS arms 16 hanging diredfy from secondary chains 2 of a punchbag 7 The Figure so shows two target member bSls 6 connected in line in a single arm 16 Figures 7 and 8 are schematic exanatory front views of the apparatus 21, before training (untanqed cords 8) and after training with consequent rapid tangling (tanqed cords 9), if the apparatus 21 is provided without the inhibiting means 5, I e with the target halls 6 simply suspended on elastic cords 8, Figures 9 and 10 are suiitar views to Figures 7 and 8 the apparatus 21 is provided with the inhibiting means 5, i e with the cords 8 running through pipe insulator-type deeves 5 This shows how despite the balls 6 moving and swinging around each other, the cords 8 do not become entanqed, Figure 11 is similar to Figure 2, but shows the arms 16 suspended diredily by their anchor loops 4 from the main, centr supporting chain 1 of a punchbag 7, Figure l2is a perspective view, dose up, of a segment 18 of an arm 16, and Figure 13 is a dose-up of part of the Figure 11 apparatus 21, for darity showing only two arms 16 and these flung out in use, and showing how the arms 16 are connected direcify to the central chain 1 of the bag 7, though they could equally be coued to the bag 7 anywhere near, or on, its chain 1 In the drawings, the items shown have the following references * 1 = main chain of punchbag 7 * 2 secondary chains of punchbag 7 * 3 = anchor nng in the form of a collar 3 surrounding main suspension chain 1 of punchbag 7 4Ioopofdasticcord8ofarm 16 * 5 pipe-insulation-type stiffening (entanglement-inhibiting) tubing (sleeve) * 6 = target ball 7punchbag * 8 elastic cord * 9 = entangled cords * 10= thick (wide) wl * 11 = narrowbore * 12 = direct attachment anchor nng of indMdual arm 16 (simar to collar 3 but smler) * 13 = arm with two target balls 6 in line * 14 trainee or user * 15 articulation points of the arms 16 where the pipe-insulation-type stiffening (entanglement-inhibiting) tube 5 is broken or interrupted, or articulated to bIs 6, or where the arm 16 is articulated to the anchor means 3, * 16=arm * 17 = net pouch to hold ball 6 to dasUc cord 8 * 18 = segments of tubing 5 * 19=itintubing5 * 20 = reinforcement tape around tubing 5 * 21 = the apparatus, which may (Figure 2) or may not (Figure 3) indude the punchbag 7 * 22 = suspension bands around the top of the punchbag 7 Thus suspendable training or exercise apparatus 21 comprises suspension means 3, 8 and target members 6 to be contacted or avoided by the body and adapted to be suspended by the suspension means 3, 8, the suspension means 3, 8 being such that the target members 6 can move around one another, the apparatus 21 compnsing inhibiUng means 5 to inhibit tangling of the suspension means 3, 8 for respective target members 6 dunng use The suspension means 3, 8 are adapted for connechon to, or above, the top of a (main) punch object 7, eg being suspended from the suspension chains 1, 2 of a punchbag 7 or bands 22 around the top of the punchbag The adaptabon for connechon compnses anchor means 3, 4 to anchor the suspension means 3, 4, 8 to, or above, the top of the punch object 7 The anchor means comprise loop means 4, Figure 2, hook means (not shown), andlor a collar 3 The suspension means 3, 8 compnse a plurality of flexible arms 16, and include the anchor means 3, 4, or may be considered to depend from the anchor means 3 considered as a separate nng 3 At least one said target member 6 is mounted to each arm 16 In the embodiment shown in Figure 6, there is a plurity of the target members 6, one after another, in line, along a said arm 13, these target members 6 are remote (or away) from the anchor means 12 As shown in Figure 2, anchor means 3, 12 are adapted to be detachably anchored to a point of suspension (the bottom of chain 1) on a support (here the main chain 1 of a punchbag 7) Each arm 16 independenfly of the others is adapted to be anchored to, so as to be detachable from, the said point of suspension The anchor means 3 have a ready-ralease feature (in the form of a latched-opening nng 3) for a plurality of the arms 16 so that these can be readily raleased individually, for the reasons described above with reference to Figures 3 and 4 Thus, the target member balls 6 are captive on the separate arms 16 and able to move around, above and below each other without their arms 16 having to be disentanqed, except possibly at long intervals This is achieved by using a means 5 to inhibit entanement, which compnses a suitable shifening 5 of the arms 16 to inhibit the entanglement whle stil allowing the target members to move around one another Thus, this training apparatus 21 comprises anchor means 3 to anchor the apparatus 21 to, or above, the top of a punch obtect 7, a plurality of flexible arms 16 mounted to the anchor means 3, at least one target member 6 mounted to each arm 16 (remote) away from the anchor means 3, the apparatus 21 having means 5 for reducing or inhibiting tendency of the arms 16 to entanqe with one another Each arm 16 compnses an etashc cord 8, which is a flexible core member 8 running through a sleeveS of semi-stiff material, which is a relatively thick-walled material (wall 10) with a relatively narrow bore 11 to receive said core member 8, that is a flexible, closed-cell, elastomeric nitrile semi-stiff sponge rubber Each arm 16 comprises a plurality of segments 18 articulated together at points 15, where the sleeve 5is broken or interrupted The apparatus 21 compnses plastic bells 6 (as targets 6) that are suspended from the supporting chains 1, 2 of a punchbag 7 on the ends of elastic cords 8 of arms 16 The elastic cords 8 are run through the flexible dosed-cell elastomeric nitrie rubber insulation 5 described above, effectively, sponge rubber tubes 5 with a reinforcement 20 of fastening tape 20 near each end of each segment 18 thereof, this prevents the elastic cords 8 from becoming entangled with each other, whie allowing the elastic 8 to retain, avatable for use by the user, a lot of its propertios, e g its recot and flexibility The rubber tubes 5 are not in one piece but are broken apart at intervals, i e at points 15 into segments 18 to give more flexiblity, thus, the length of tubo 5 for each arm ISis made up of separate pieces 18 A detachable coupling 3 is fitted at the top end of each arm 16 and each arm 16 is detachably attached separately to the chain 1, 2 of a punchbag 7 In one possible scenario, the user may begin by hanging two bells 6, one at head height, the other at calf height, and then (as descnbed above) a third at knee height, then again another at chest height Thus, new parts (arms 16 induding bells 6) can be added to the apparatus as the user's skils improve The length of the cord 8 (arm 16) depends on what part of the body the user 14 wants to practise with or defend, e g a long cord 8 for the balls 6 to be in the region of his legs short for his head The apparatus 21 can be suspended on its own or hung on a punchbag 7 Each balI 6 thus provides a target position relating to a different part of the body, i e the user's body and the theoretical opponenrs body Detals have been discussed above of tubing 5, elastic cord 8, types of coupling 3 used to attach each arm 16, and target members 6 (and their covers 17) The apparatus 21 provides a number of suspended readily-moving bell targets 6 that have the ability to rebound and move in a chaotic fashion, without any suspended targets 6 quicldy becoming entangled with one another Any number of the bells 6 are suspended on elastic cord 8 running through a soft, resilient stiffening matenal 5, possibly made from pipe insulation 5, in separate pieces 18, articulated together at points 15 so as to allow for movement in all planes Vanous important properties of the pipe insulation 5 have been discussed above, as also properties of the elastic cord 8, methods of dealing with any Sight entanjement, and methods of hanging and suspending balls 6 in different ways and adding to their number The apparatus 21 can be hung on a punchbag 7 The embodiments provide a training device or apparatus 21 which is, or may be, suspended * which consists of suspended balls 6 or targets 6 where the entanqement of the balls or targets 6 does not interfere with training, * which may be unhooked at the point of suspension 3, * where each arm 16 may be unhooked independenify, * where the arms 16 consist of balls 6 or targets 6 suspended on elastic cord 8 running through sections of a narrow-bored wide-walled pipe 5, * which can be suspended on its own or on the chains 1, 2 of a punchbag 7, * which can have balls 6 or targets 6 of different weights and ses * which can have one or more balls 6 or targets Sin line on any one arm 16, * with an easy-release system where the arms 16 are unhooked (from opened ring 3) near the top, disentangled and then relocated individuelly again on ring 3 of the apparatus to prevent any entanqement interfenng with training, * where individu arms 16 are fixed to the secondary chain 2 or bands of a punchbag 7 It will be apparent to one skled in the art, that features of the different embodiments disdosed herein may be omitted, selected, combined or exchanged and the invenhon is considered to extend to any new and inventive combinaon thus formed Where a preference or parbcuIarisaon is stated, there is implied the possibility of its negative, e a case in which that preference or parhcularisation is absent Many variations of the invention and embodiments hereinhefore described wl be apparent to people sktled in the art and elI such variations are to be considered as felling within the scope of the invention</p>