US20070184950A1

US20070184950A1 - Exercise device

Info

Publication number: US20070184950A1
Application number: US11/349,616
Authority: US
Inventors: George Bradley
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2006-02-07
Filing date: 2006-02-07
Publication date: 2007-08-09

Abstract

An exercise device is disclosed. The exercise device includes a planar base having a top side, and a stem mounted on the top side of the base and having a clamp. The exercise device further includes a handlebar mounted in the clamp at an axis parallel to the top side of the base. The handlebar has ends extending at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to the axis. In this configuration, the exercise device is accommodative of particular anatomical arrangements, such as hand position, and improves the performance of a pushup by a user, especially for sports-specific training.

Description

BACKGROUND

A pushup is one of the most basic forms of strength-building exercises. In its basic form, the pushup includes putting oneself in a position of lying flat on one's front side with the hands palm-side-down under the shoulders, and pushing one's body up off the floor until the arms are straight. The basic pushup, however, causes the hands to bend backwards relative to the arm and puts a great deal of strain on one's wrists.
Many devices exist to improve the basic pushup exercise. Some of these devices include two handles, one for each hand and usually in an inverted U-shape configuration, that enable a user to keep their wrists straight while grasping a handle to perform a pushup. Other devices include a straight bar that the user can grasp at each end to perform a pushup at a slight height above a resting surface.

SUMMARY

An exercise device for performing a pushup is disclosed. The exercise device, in accordance with various embodiments, includes a handlebar having handles that are swept up and back from an axis that is parallel to a plane of a resting surface, which axis is also perpendicular to an axis running from the feet through the head of a user in a resting position on the resting surface.
In one aspect, an exercise device includes a planar base having a top side, and a handlebar connected with the base at an axis parallel to the top side of the base. The handlebar has ends extending at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to the axis.
In another aspect, an exercise device includes a planar base having a top side, and a stem mounted on the top side of the base. The stem includes a clamp. The exercise device further includes a handlebar having a middle portion and two side portions. The middle portion is mounted in the clamp, and each side portion has at least one bend, or more preferably is formed as a compound angle, to position the end of the side portion at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to an axis that is parallel to the top side of the base and that extends horizontally through the middle portion of the handlebar.
The exercise devices disclosed herein has advantages of being more anatomically accommodating to a user, and simple to assemble. The exercise devices reduce stress on a user's wrists, and improve the quality and muscle-building function of a pushup exercise. The exercise device disclosed herein is also well-suited for sports-specific training, such as for cycling, for example.
The details of one or more embodiments are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features and advantages will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

These and other aspects will now be described in detail with reference to the following drawings.
FIG. 1A is a top-down view of an exercise device.
FIG. 1B is a side view of an exercise device.
FIGS. 2A-D show different views of an exemplary exercise device that can be used for performing a pushup.
Like reference symbols in the various drawings indicate like elements.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

This document describes various embodiments of an exercise device for performing a pushup exercise. FIG. 1A is a top-down view and FIG. 1B is a side view of an exercise device 100. As shown in FIGS. 1A and 1B, the exercise device 100 includes a planar base 102 having a top side 103, and a handlebar 104 connected with the base 102 at an axis a that is parallel to the top side 103 of the base 102 and perpendicular to an axis from the feet through the head of a user using the exercise device 100.
The handlebar 104 includes ends 106 that extend from the handlebar 104 at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to the axis α. The upsweep is an angle μ that is between 1 and 45 degrees, and the backsweep is an angle β that is between 1 and 45 degrees. In a preferred exemplary embodiment, angle μ and angle β are between 3 and 15 degrees. The ends 106 can include handgrips, such as foam or rubber grips that are slid onto each end 106, that a user can grasp when executing a pushup with the exercise device 100.
Embodiments of an exercise device 100 further include a stem 108 that is connected with the base 102, preferably on a central region of the top side 103 of the base 102. The stem 108 can include a clamp 110, in which a center portion 105 of the handlebar 104 is mounted and clamped, to position equal-sized side portions 107 of the handlebar 104 on opposite sides of the stem 108. The stem 108 can be attached to the base 102 by one or more screws or bolts; likewise, the clamp 110 can clamp down on the handlebar 104 by one or more screws or bolts. Each side portion 107 can be formed into a compound angle, for structural integrity as well as provide the desired anatomically-correct position for handgrips.
The base 102 is preferably made of planarized, rigid material, such as aluminum, steel, hardened plastic, or a composite fiber material such as carbon kevlar or the like. The handlebar 104 is preferably made of a tubular, rigid material such as aluminum, steel, hardened plastic or composite fiber or the like. The handlebar 104 can include one or more bends that are formed on each side portion 107 to place the ends 106 in the backsweep and upsweep orientation. Likewise, the stem 108 and its clamp 110 is preferably made of a rigid supportive material such as aluminum, steel, carbon kevlar, etc.
FIGS. 2A-D show different views of an exemplary exercise device 200. The exercise device 200 includes a planar base 202, a handlebar 204 mounted with the base 202, and ends 206 of the handlebar 204 arranged at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to an axis a shown in FIGS. 2B and 2C. The handlebar 204 can be mounted in a clamp 210 that is provided on a stem 208 that in turn is connected to the top surface of the base 202.
The handlebar 204 includes one or more bends 205 on each side, to provide structural strength and rigidity for the handlebar 204, and also to arrange the ends 206 at the upsweep and backsweep orientations. The ends 206 of the handlebar 204 can include a hand grip or other mechanism that a user can grasp in order to perform a pushup.
Although a few embodiments have been described in detail above, other modifications are possible. For example, the handlebar can be mounted directly to the planar base. Alternatively, the handlebar can be formed of two pieces, each being mounted to the planar base to provide an end in an upsweep and backsweep as described above. Other embodiments may be within the scope of the following claims.

Claims

1. An exercise device comprising:

a planar base having a top side;

a handlebar connected with the base at an axis parallel to the top side of the base, the handlebar having ends extending at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to the axis.

2. An exercise device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the handlebar is connected with the base by a stem mounted on the top side of the base.

3. An exercise device in accordance with claim 2, wherein the stem includes a clamp in which the handlebar is mounted and aligned with the axis.

4. An exercise device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the handlebar further includes a handgrip on each end.

5. An exercise device in accordance with claim 1, wherein each end of the handlebar includes two bends.

6. An exercise device in accordance with claim 1, wherein the upsweep and the backsweep each have an angle of between 1 and 45 degrees.

7. An exercise device comprising

a planar base having a top side;

a stem mounted on the top side of the base and having a clamp;

a handlebar mounted in the clamp at an axis parallel to the top side of the base, the handlebar having ends extending at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to the axis.

8. An exercise device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the handlebar further includes a handgrip on each end.

9. An exercise device in accordance with claim 7, wherein each end of the handlebar includes two bends.

10. An exercise device in accordance with claim 7, wherein the upsweep and the backsweep each have an angle of between 1 and 45 degrees.

11. An exercise device comprising

a planar base having a top side;

a stem mounted on the top side of the base, the stem having a clamp;

a handlebar having a middle portion and two side portions, the middle portion being mounted in the clamp, and each side portion having at least one bend to position an end of the side portion at an upsweep and a backsweep relative to an axis parallel to the top side of the base and extending horizontally through the middle portion of the handlebar.

12. An exercise device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the handlebar further includes a handgrip on each end of each side portion.

13. An exercise device in accordance with claim 11, wherein each side portion of the handlebar is formed in a compound angle to form the upsweep and backsweep of each end.

14. An exercise device in accordance with claim 11, wherein the upsweep and the backsweep each have an angle of between 1 and 45 degrees.