Abstract:
A resistance tubing fitness system and method for climbing walls. The system and method provides a plurality of cooperating components which permit a user to enhance workout activities at a climbing wall. The system may include a guide, instruction cards, resistance bands, handles and hand holds designed to receive a resistance band, step holds and usage and safety instructions. In use, students may perform lateral raises, bicep curls, step-ups and other exercises at designated workout stations at the climbing wall.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
   This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/962,832, filed on Aug. 1, 2007. 

   The present invention relates generally to a fitness system and method for climbing walls. Particularly, the invention relates to a fitness system and method which includes a plurality of cooperating work out activity components constructed for use with a climbing wall. More particularly, the invention relates to a fitness system and method which uses resistance tubing and cooperating hold structures on a climbing wall. 
   Applicants&#39; assignee is the owner of U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,266 entitled Climbing Wall Assembly, issued on Jun. 6, 2006 and which is incorporated by reference herein. The &#39;266 Patent discloses climbing wall panels having a pattern of mounting apertures for receiving handholds and relates climbing wall elements. The fitness system of the present invention provides exercise structures to transform a climbing wall into dynamic workout stations and to increase cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and flexibility to the user. 
   In addition to the benefits derived from use of the climbing walls, the fitness system and method of the present invention provide resistance tubing and other structures to enhance workout activities at and on a climbing wall. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   The fitness system of the present invention comprises a plurality of cooperating components which permit a user to enhance workout activities at and on a climbing wall. The fitness system may include a fitness guide, instructional workout cards, means to display the workout cards, resistance bands with handles, step holds and hand holds designed to receive the resistance band. 
   Utilizing the method of the invention, students, for example, may perform lateral raises, bicep curls, step-ups and other exercises at designated stations in accordance with instructional information on the workout cards. 
   It is a benefit of the present invention to provide a system for use with a climbing wall to provide workout stations to increase cardiovascular endurance, muscle strength and flexibility of a user. It is another benefit of the present invention to provide a hand hold which can receive a resistance band. It is another benefit of the present invention to use each panel of a climbing wall as a separate fitness station, for example, in a school, in a university physical education setting or at a health club. It is another benefit of the invention to provide a method of using a climbing wall for providing dynamic work out stations. 
   These and other benefits and advantages of this invention will become clear from the following description by reference to the drawings. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  is a perspective view of a handhold for mounting to a climbing wall and constructed to receive a resistance band structure; 
       FIG. 2  is a lateral view of the handhold of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 3  is a bottom view of the handhold of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  is a perspective view of a resistance band structure of the fitness system of the invention; 
       FIG. 5  is a perspective view showing the instructional workout cards of the invention; 
       FIG. 6  is a perspective view showing the top and side of a step hold of the invention; 
       FIG. 7  is a side perspective view of the step hold of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 8  is a frontal view of the step hold of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 9  is a rear view of the step hold of  FIG. 6 ; 
       FIG. 10  shows the cooperating elements of the fitness system of the invention; 
       FIG. 11  also shows a plurality of cooperating elements of the fitness system used on a climbing wall; and 
       FIG. 12  shows the fitness system of the invention in use on four climbing wall panels. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
   The fitness system of this invention is comprised of various cooperating components for use with climbing walls. The individual components are shown in the drawings and include force resistance bands with handles, U-shaped hand holds for capturing the resistance bands, step holds, a fitness guide and a plurality of instructional workout cards. As shown, the resistance band hand holds and step holds are provided with apertures for mounting the respective hold bodies to a climbing wall for use in the system and method of the invention. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 1-3 , a hand hold structure  13  is shown having a generally U-shaped body configuration  14 . When the hand hold  13  is mounted on a climbing wall the U-shaped body configuration  14  forms an opening  16  with respect to the climbing wall surface to capture a resistance band. An aperture  15  is shown for receiving a fastener for fastening the hand hold  13  to a climbing wall, for example at a mounting aperture having a t-nut and contained in the climbing wall. The latter mounting apertures are shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 7,056,266. As shown particularly in  FIGS. 1 and 2 , the shaded body portion has a smooth exterior for purposes of allowing the resistance band to move with respect thereto. The top, non-shaded portion where fastening aperture  15  is shown is preferably textured for purposes of allowing the hold  13  to be used for climbing purposes, for example, to provide gripping surfaces for the feet of a user. 
   Referring to  FIG. 4 , a resistance band  18  is shown having an elongated flexible body  19  and two handles  20  at each end. Elongated body  19  may be constructed of a flexible polymeric stretchable material and is constructed and arranged to extend through the opening  16  formed by the hold  13  and the climbing wall. The handles  20  are constructed and arranged to have a larger dimension than that of the opening so that the resistance band  18  remains in the opening. The handles may be removable from the band body  19  as described below, so that they may be removed and installed on a mounted hold  13 . 
   Referring to  FIG. 5 , instruction cards or instruction guides  22  are shown and which illustrate various specified exercises for a user utilizing the various cooperating components of the fitness system. Instruction cards  23 - 26  describe and illustrate specific exercises, for example, bicep curls, rowing, shoulder presses and tricep pushdown, respectively. Although four instruction or instructional cards are shown, these cards are exemplary and additional cards are provided to set up associated workout stations on and at the climbing wall. 
   Referring to  FIGS. 6-9 , a step hold  27  is shown having a body  28  having an aperture  31  therethrough for mounting to a climbing wall, for example at a mounting aperture having a t-nut in a climbing wall. The step hold  27  is shown having a flat top surface  29 , a curved side contour and a flat mounting surface  30  for contact with the climbing wall. The flat top surface  29  of the step hold  27  is constructed to be used as a step or a seat by a user of the fitness system and method of the invention. 
   Referring to  FIG. 10 , the cooperating components of the fitness system  10  are shown, for example, a fitness guide  21 , eleven instruction cards  22 , thirteen resistance band hand holds  13 , three step holds  27 , eleven easy strength resistance bands  33 , eleven medium strength resistance bands  34  and eighteen handles  20  for the resistance bands. A plurality of plugs or fasteners  35  are shown and which are used to secure the handles  20  to the terminal ends of the force resistance tubes  33  and  34 . A smaller set of elements is shown in  FIG. 11  and which includes a fitness guide  21 , eleven instruction cards  22 , seven resistance band hand holds  13 , two step holds  27 , six easy strength resistance bands  33 , six medium strength resistance bands  34  and ten handles  20  for the resistance bands. Fasteners or plugs  35  are also shown and which secure the handles  20  to the opposing ends of the resistance bands  33  and  34 . The fitness guide  21  is provided to describe the various instructional cards, to provide instructions to set up the various workout stations and to provide safety instructions to the user. 
   In  FIG. 12 , users are shown using resistance band structures with specially designed hand holds and using the step hold to perform the exercises set forth on the instruction cards and fitness guide. Each user is shown at a specified wall panel  12  of climbing wall  11  and using the method steps of the invention for exercise purposes. 
   Referring further to the drawings, specially designed hand holds and step holds are mounted into the existing t-nut holes on the climbing wall using bolts to work on various stretches or strength training. The step holds are approximately 5½ inches in height. The hand holds have openings of varying sizes for the placement of resistance bands, tubes or any other device that could be used to create a stretching or strengthening station. For example, tubes may be used between two hand holds to create a pull-up or sit-up station. Resistance bands through another hold may be used for a bicep curl station. Since holds are easily mounted into t-nut holes, they can be easily moved and may vary in height to help work out certain muscle groups or to create a custom station designed for a certain height person, as shown in the drawings. 
   The holds can also be used in a step up/step down station and may include a built-in counter  32 , as shown in  FIG. 6 , to maintain count of a person&#39;s total number of steps during an exercise session. Hand and step holds are preferably color coded to delineate difficulty level or to designate the workout of a certain muscle group. Holds may also include a timer or counter to help pace participants or to keep them at each station for a certain amount of time. Holds may also be provided with a clear window into which a card, for example an instruction card  22 , can be placed to show the name of the station and instructions and illustrations/photos of the activity to be conducted there. The windows may be attached to or molded into the polymeric material of the hold. Alternatively, separate “word windows”  36  can be mounted using the t-nut holes  17  of the climbing wall adjacent the hold structures, as shown in  FIG. 12 . The clear envelope or windows provide means to identify a particular workout station and/or to provide instructions and illustrative photos of the particular exercises to be conducted. 
   As many changes are possible to the fitness system and method of the invention utilizing the teachings thereof, the descriptions above and the accompanying drawings should be interpreted in the illustrative and not in the limited sense.