Patent ID: 6387024
Filing Date: 2002-05-14
Classification: A63B

Abstract:
An exercise apparatus adapted for selectively providing both supportive and resistive force, comprising:a user support supporting a user off the ground a sufficient distance to allow a user to perform gross body movements in a range of motion; a guide member pivotally secured to the user support for movement relative thereto, the guide member including a user engaging support pad for contacting a user as an exercise routine is performed; and a force producing assembly mechanically linked between the user support and the guide member, the force producing assembly being selectively adjustable to provide supportive or resistive force, the force producing assembly including force producing means adjustably coupled between the user support and the guide member for selectively adjusting the force transmitted to the guide member so as to permit the application of both resistive and supportive force to the guide member; the force producing assembly includes a rotating linking member to which the force producing means is adjustably coupled, the linking member includes a pivot point and the force producing means is adjustable to opposite sides of the pivot point so as to respectively select the application of resistive and supportive force by selectively applying force to opposite sides of the pivot point causing the linking member to rotate either clockwise or counter clockwise, and the force producing means further includes a first end selectively coupled to the linking member for selective positioning across substantially the entire extent of the linking member; and wherein a user rests upon the user support, directly contacts the user engaging support, and performs an exercise routine either supported by the force generated by the force producing assembly or resisted by the force generated by force producing assembly.