Abstract:
A multi-function fitness device is disclosed that is useful for flexibility, aerobic, and strength training routines. The device comprises a substantially inelastic length of textile, or other type of material, that is modified for the provisional coupling of grip enhancing components in order to create anti-slip grips for exercise comfort and variety. The device can be utilized as an exercise aid for both tension and compression based movements as well as double as a gym towel if made with a water absorbing material.

Description:
RELATED APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present application claims priority to provisional application No. 60/387,139 filed on Jun. 8, 2002, and entitled “Exercise Aid and Gym Towel.” 
                                                           D318,972   August 1991   Chestnut           D380,119   June 1997   Gonzalez           D442,240   May 2001   Rojas, et at.           4,698,854   October 1987   Slimmon           4,885,195   December 1989   Change           5,004,228   April 1991   Powers           5,072,467   December 1991   Hunt           5,137,502   August 1992   Anastasi           5,491,843   February 1996   Naughton           5,624,359   April 1997   Dean           5,656,002   August 1997   Dittmeier           5,724,698   March 1998   Mondragon           5,797,144   August 1998   Ciccone           5,817,379   October 1998   Rich, et al.           5,984,845   November 1999   Powers           6,108,855   August 2000   DeLeon           6,186,155   February 2001   Cheek           6,210,303   April 2001   Miller, et al.           6,312,360   November 2001   Shiban                      
 
     
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     1. Field of the Invention  
         [0003]     The subject invention relates generally to physical fitness equipment and, more particularly, to an exercise aid that can assist the user when performing flexibility, aerobic, and strength training activities, and which can still double as a gym and fitness towel.  
         [0004]     2. Description of Prior Art  
         [0005]     Through contraction, muscles provide the pulling forces to move the human skeletal structure through an extremely wide range of highly controllable free-form motions that involve both singular and compound joint movements. Athletes, exercise enthusiasts and rehabilitation patients often work out in order to train muscles through some of these motions by repeatedly contracting them under various workloads or through various aerobic activities. Many different types of fitness equipment are designed to aid these workout activities, including: free weights, weight machines, aerobic conditioning machines, spring tension and rubber tubing tension systems to name a few. Each of these systems makes use of one or more resistive forces in order to work the muscles, i.e., gravity, elastic tension, friction, etc. However, most of these systems severely restrict the user to a specific narrow range of motion—limited by the mechanics of the device and/or the direction the resistive force is applied.  
         [0006]     Portable exercise equipment is one class of exercise equipment that is popular among athletes, exercise enthusiasts and rehabilitation patients. Portable exercise equipment is useful when training outside of a fully equipped gym such as in the home or in a hotel room while travelling. Currently, a wide array of portable exercise equipment is available and each type is designed for a specific set of uses. Many types of portable exercise equipment use weights, springs, elastic materials or any other mechanism to provide a resistive force to engage the exerciser&#39;s muscles. The problem with many of these pieces of equipment is that while some are bulky and don&#39;t travel easily, others are cumbersome and awkward to use, and still others, such as rubber tubing devices are made of materials that readily wear down and need regular inspection and replacement for safe use. Most of these devices are also designed for an extremely limited range of exercises and provide a very limited range of resistance settings. For these, and other reasons, most of these portable exercise pieces of equipment are not practical and adaptable training aids.  
         [0007]     Towels, on the other hand, have the potential to be practical and adaptable training aids because they can be used for many different types of stretching and exercise activities. They are also a common accessory carried by training athletes, exercise enthusiasts and rehabilitation patients whom use them in gyms and physical therapy centres around the world to wipe perspiration from the body and exercise equipment during periods of strenuous muscular exertion.  
         [0008]     Towels can make useful exercise aids because of their versatility and because they can assist the user with numerous voluntarily self-resisted exercise motions—which we will call “Dynamic Free-Form Exercises” or DFF Exercises. DFF Exercises can involve the contraction of one or more muscle (or group) that is controllably resisted in its movement by that of an opposing force supplied by another muscle (or group) through a wide range of adaptable motion possibilities.  
         [0009]     DFF Exercises are possible because the human body is designed such that musculoskeletal motions are performed and controlled with counteracting forces from opposing muscles (and muscle groups) attached to the same skeletal joint. In this way we can we can both bend our arms at our elbows exerting very little effort or alternatively flex them under great strain thereby working both the front of the arm and the back of the arm to a much greater degree of effort. Likewise humans can voluntarily use one muscle group to oppose the movement of another muscle group from a different skeletal joint. In this manner, one arm can oppose the movement of the other arm, or an arm can oppose the movement of a leg, etc.  
         [0010]     DFF Exercises can be effective training components in routines for both strength and flexibility development. One of the benefits of this type of exercise is that opposing sets of muscle groups are worked against each other through a wide range of motion—thereby developing muscle symmetry, balance, coordination, flexibility and functional strength: important factors in any physical fitness and physical rehabilitation exercise program. Another benefit is that self-imposed resistance provides the exerciser with the ability to control the level of effort exerted throughout the range of motion: an important exercise benefit that most types of exercise performed using equipment cannot accommodate due to their limited range of motion and/or resistance mechanism.  
         [0011]     While many DFF Exercises can be performed with nothing more than the body itself, the use of a towel can enable an exerciser to perform a wider variety of DFF Exercises. However, towels are difficult and uncomfortable to hold securely while performing the variety of exercise motions where they can be useful aids. Thus the use of a normal towel as a training aid may not come easy for the user, thereby reducing the length of time he/she may willing to involve him/herself in the beneficial exercise activity.  
         [0012]     U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,004,228 and 5,984,845 to Powers relates to an apparatus, and a follow-on improvement to the apparatus, for stretching the body. The Powers device was invented in part due to the limitations and restrictions that a regular towel imposes on the user while performing stretching activities. The various embodiments of present invention overcome these limitations and restrictions, and additionally offer a more versatile exercise aid by performing both as a towel and as a comfortable, adjustable and multi-configuration DFF Exercise aid at the same time.  
         [0013]     U.S. Pat. No. 5,624,359 to Dean is also a body stretching apparatus that is based on the insertion of a portion of a limb into a pocket or loop and thereby “engaging” it with the device.  
         [0014]     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,656,002 Dittmeier discloses a stretching rope with a special footbed for added comfort and convenience.  
         [0015]     U.S. Pat. No. 6,210,303 to Miller et al. discloses a golf exercise device comprising an adjustable flexible belt with ball shaped handles attached through rotational and pivotal attachment mechanisms. Miller&#39;s device claims to offer increased gripping options through its use of ball shaped handles and rotational and pivotal attachment mechanisms, but it is limited in its overall use as an exercise aid when compared to the present invention.  
         [0016]     All of the above listed devices are designed to enhance stretching and/or warm-up activities but they are not designed as, nor are they truly useful for, multi-function fitness aids that can be used for a wide range of tension and compression-based DFF Exercises, as well as offering the user towel functionality.  
         [0017]     In U.S. Pat. No. 5,137,502 Anastasi discloses an improved weight plate for physical fitness training that incorporates integrated holes that act as handgrips for easier handling and manipulation of these common fitness devices.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0018]     The present invention overcomes limitations of the prior art to provide a highly versatile fitness accessory.  
         [0019]     It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide a more useful, multi-function fitness device for training athletes, exercise enthusiasts and rehabilitation patients that, in its preferred embodiment, is useful both as a fitness towel and which doubles as a highly versatile supplementary exercise device to help enable a wide variety of DFF Exercise movements for symmetry, balance, coordination, flexibility and functional strength development;  
         [0020]     It is another object of the invention to provide a convenient exercise aid that enables a variety of exercises where opposing muscle groups provide resistance to each other and thereby enable any user to exercise as hard or as lightly as desired;  
         [0021]     It is another object of the invention to provide a highly portable, functional, and effective piece of exercise equipment that is useful in a variety of body training and conditioning activities including flexibility, aerobics and strength training;  
         [0022]     It is a further object of the present invention to provide an adjustable towel exercise aid made possible by numerous secure anti-slip grip positions along its length and thereby comfortably enabling a wide array of pulling (tension-based) DFF Exercises;  
         [0023]     It is yet a further object of the present invention to provide an exercise aid that can be configured and used in DFF Exercises where both pulling (tension-based) and pushing (compression-based) forces can be applied to the device.  
         [0024]     These and other objects and advantages of the present invention are achieved by providing a multi-function fitness device for strength and flexibility training comprising the combination of two basic constituents: the first is a “Spacer” or a length of at least one type of flexible yet substantially inelastic material or fabric permanently configured to have, or securely yet releasably configured to have, two ends predominantly terminating with provisional coupling means, or with some other mechanism or adaptation in order to integrate or connect the second element—the grip enhancing components. Whereas the provisional combination of the grip enhancing components (appropriately sized balls such as tennis balls, baseballs or other similarly sized object that is easily grippable in the palm of an exerciser&#39;s hand) with the Spacer&#39;s appropriate receptacle or attachment adaptations add extra bulk at selected sites and thus create anti-slip grips by preventing the Spacer from slipping through the engaging means used of the exerciser during pulling (tension-based) exercises.  
         [0025]     In addition to the pulling (tension-based) exercises the invention&#39;s alternate rolled configuration aids in pushing (compression-based) related exercise motions. The grip enhancing components provide an appropriately sized bulk mass to grip during the pressing exercises when the apparatus is in this rolled configuration. The combination of both tension and compression-based exercises enabled with the present invention can help facilitate a more practical and complete exercise program for many individuals. 
     
    
     GENERAL DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES  
       [0026]      FIG. 1  shows a full depiction of the multi-function fitness device.  
         [0027]      FIG. 2  illustrates the operational function of the anti-slip grips.  
         [0028]      FIG. 3  shows folding and stitching patterns for the multi-function fitness device of  FIG. 4  and one of the potential construction techniques for the multi-function fitness device of  FIG. 1 .  
         [0029]      FIG. 4  shows both sides of a representative Spacer constructed from the technique illustrated in  FIG. 3  and showing the grip enhancing components ready for insertion into the choice of pockets.  
         [0030]      FIG. 5  depicts some sequenced exercise movements possible with the multi-function fitness device.  
         [0031]      FIG. 6  shows some alternate construction folding patterns.  
         [0032]      FIG. 7  shows top-side view of some alternate stitching patterns for pocket creation.  
         [0033]      FIG. 8  shows an alternative pocket creation technique using buttons or some other type of releasable yet secure fastener.  
         [0034]      FIG. 9  shows yet another alternative pocket creation technique using temporary wrap-around flaps.  
         [0035]      FIG. 10  shows some techniques for adjoining full-length segments for Spacer creation.  
         [0036]      FIG. 11  shows various handgrip configurations for permanently incorporated handgrip elements.  
         [0037]      FIG. 12  shows some configurations for variable fabric thickness handgrips.  
         [0038]      FIG. 13  shows some embodiments using other materials and/or configurations. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION  
       [0039]     Referring now in more detail to the drawings, wherein like numerals represent like elements throughout several different views and embodiment configurations.  FIG. 1  generally shows one preferred embodiment of the complete multi-function fitness device  10 . The total apparatus is comprised of the flexible, substantially inelastic Spacer  20  that incorporates various pockets (or receptacles)  21  that populate the ends of the device. A pocket  21 , when occupied by a grip enhancing component  30 , forms an anti-slip grip  40  that aids in securing the exerciser&#39;s connection to the multi-function fitness device  10 . A selection of pockets  21  on either side of Spacer  20  allows for a variety of user-selectable distances between anti-slip grips  40  to provide convenient adjustability of the device during exercise sessions. While the illustration clearly identifies two pockets  21  at either end of the Spacer  20 , other embodiments may contain fewer pockets than that number illustrated or they could contain more.  
         [0040]     The Spacer  20  is made up of a length of at least one type of flexible yet substantially inelastic material or fabric substantially possessing two ends. In the preferred embodiment, the Spacer  20  is made up of at least one type of textile material and preferably at least one of the composition materials or textiles is a water absorbent material such as terry cloth made of cotton or a cotton blend. It should be noted that there are other suitable Spacer materials that could be used for Spacer  20  construction including appropriately strong woven and/or non-woven materials, e.g., cotton drill, nylon webbing, rope, leather strap, chain, cable, etc. or any combination of the above mentioned therein.  
         [0041]     The anti-slip grips  40  are used to prevent the user&#39;s gripping hands, or any appropriate apparatus that securely encircles, or partially encircles, the Spacer  20  at that site from slipping past the site during pulling (tension-based) fitness activities. The anti-slip grips  40  are designed to support tension in a variety of usage configurations made possible with the multi-function fitness device  10 .  
         [0042]     In all embodiments, the grip enhancing components  30  that help create the anti-slip grips  40  can be of the same, but will most likely be of a different material composition than that of the Spacer  20  and they are either permanently combined with the Spacer  20  or, in the preferred embodiment, readily removable, exchangeable and adjustable to vary the spacing between them. They may also be exchangeable for different compositions and weights to achieve different exercise benefits. When the multi-function fitness device  10  is fully constructed for tension-based exercise use, the grip enhancing components  30  will be secure enough to stay in position within the Spacer  20  and allow tension application to the Spacer  20  at the anti-slip grip sites  40  in a manner comfortable to the user.  
         [0043]      FIG. 2  illustrates the operational function of the anti-slip grips  40 .  FIG. 2A  illustrates a grip enhancing component  30  provisionally resident within a pocket  21  at the end of the Spacer  20  in order to create the anti-slip grip  40 .  FIG. 2B  illustrates the user&#39;s hand  50  grasping the Spacer  20  at the anti-slip grip site  40 . While gripping the Spacer  20  at this position, the user&#39;s hand  50  is substantially in direct contact with the Spacer  20 , but prevented from slipping past the anti-slip grip site  40 , and thereby securing the grip of the user to the multi-function fitness device  10 . FIG.  2 C illustrates an appropriately configured attachment device or mechanism  51  that encircles, or partially encircles, the Spacer  20  at the anti-slip grip site  40 . In a similar manner to the user&#39;s hand, the attachment device  51  is prevented from moving past the anti-slip grip site  40 . An attachment device or mechanism  51  can be connected to any type of elastic or inelastic supplementary fitness apparatus to be used in conjunction with the multi-function fitness device  10 . Such an attachment device  51  is provisionally positioned and easily removed after the grip enhancing component is taken out of the pocket; or, depending on the design of the attachment device  51 , it could be disengaged through some other method.  
         [0044]      FIG. 3  depicts one preferred configuration and construction technique for the Spacer  20 . Referring to  FIG. 3A , the Spacer material  15  is viewed from above and unfolded prior to Spacer  20  construction. Highlighted on the left hand side of the Spacer material  15  is one possible detailed stitching pattern  22 &amp; 23 , or other type of fastening and securing pattern for Spacer  20  construction and pocket  21  creation. The end stitch pattern  22  will hold the ends together and secure the closure for the last pocket  21  at that end of the Spacer  20 . The other appropriately spaced stitch patterns  23  across any two adjacent panels  25  to a z-fold edge defining line  24  finish off the last pocket and create the additional pockets along the length of the Spacer  20  for the exchangeable insertion of grip enhancing components  30 . This particular apparatus is designed with the choice of four integrally constructed pockets  21  for grip enhancing components  30  placement at this end of the Spacer  20 . A similar pattern would likely, but not necessarily, be used on the other end.  
         [0045]      FIG. 3B  depicts the z-fold of the Spacer material  15  along the fold edge defining lines  24  to create the two fold regions  26  for pocket  21  construction. The two fold regions  26  of the z-fold embodiment of the Spacer  20  allow overlapping pockets along the length of the Spacer  20  to allow a wider variation of anti-slip grip sites  40  than would be possible if all the pockets  21  were end to end. The various anti-slip grip sites add flexibility to the usefulness of the device by enabling a wide variety of exercise movement options. The device can also be reinforced in a variety of ways and designed with various closure mechanisms for the openings of the pockets  21 . The fold and stitching techniques of  FIG. 3  are used to create the Spacer  20  illustrated in  FIG. 4  and is one of the potential fold and stitching techniques to achieve the Spacer illustrated in  FIG. 1 .  
         [0046]      FIG. 4  illustrates both the top and bottom flat view of the fully constructed apparatus in  FIG. 3 . A similar stitch pattern was used at each end of the Spacer  20 . This figure illustrates the stitching pattern across each side of the device once it is z-folded and stitched for pocket  21  formations. The grip enhancing components  30  can be inserted in any of the receptacles  21  in order to provide comfortable anti-slip grip  40  spacing positions for the variety of exercises made possible with the device.  
         [0047]     The multi-function fitness device  10  can be configured in a plurality of ways for both the pulling (tension-based) and pushing (compression-based) exercises as the series of sequenced motions in  FIGS. 5A through 5C  illustrate. For example, in the pulling (tension-based) exercises, tension can be applied through the Spacer  20  directly between the anti-slip grips  40  as shown in  FIG. 5A  or alternatively as in  FIG. 5C  which depicts a movement sequence using a closer positioning of the anti-slip grips  40  in order to provide comfort and/or exercise variety for the particular movement. Additionally, the Spacer  20  could be folded in half and tension can be applied between the fold and the two anti-slip grips  40  together in the opposing direction. Likewise, there is a plurality of rolled configurations for the pushing (compression-based) exercises.  FIG. 5B  depicts a pushing (compression-based) motion sequence with the multi-function fitness device  10  in a rolled configuration containing the grip enhancing components  40  in the center.  
         [0048]      FIG. 6  illustrates a sampling of the variety of alternative folding and stitch patterns  22  for the Spacer material  15  that are possible for Spacer  20  construction.  FIG. 6A  illustrates a simple central fold along the length of the Spacer material  15  to form one fold region  26  where pockets for grip enhancing components can be constructed. This configuration could be folded in half again to achieve a narrower Spacer  20  with similar pocket  21  arrangements; or to embody overlapping pockets for greater variability in anti-slip grip  40  positioning.  FIG. 6B  depicts the over-leaf folding pattern down the length of the Spacer material  15  to create a fully enclosed fold region  27  for grip enhancing component pockets  21 .  FIG. 6C  illustrates yet another folding pattern where overlapping pockets can be created in three different fold regions  26 . Other embodiments can include other folding, rolling or any other material gathering techniques that are coupled with stitching or any other joining or clamping procedures in order to secure the receptacles for removable grip enhancing components  30 .  
         [0049]      FIGS. 7A and 7B  illustrates the top view of two different sets of stitching patterns  23  designed to help contain the grip enhancing components  30  within the middle portion of the pocket  21 . While only two variations are illustrated, other design possibilities could perform the same function.  
         [0050]     In another embodiment, the pockets  21  for a Spacer  20  can be fabricated with the use of temporary attachment mechanisms such as buttons, clips, VELCRO® or other such method where grommet-style adaptations, button hole-like features, or temporary attachment mechanisms in the Spacer material  15  fall into alignment when folded and create temporary barriers for pocket  21  creation when such temporary attachment mechanisms are engaged.  FIG. 8  illustrates one technique of realizing this embodiment for securing the grip enhancing components  30  in receptacles  21  within the folds of the Spacer  20 .  FIG. 8A  depicts a button  28  and button hole  29  arrangement (also possible with different button  28 /button-hole  29  arrangements or some other fastening mechanism) to hold the folded portions of the Spacer material  15  together and thus create the secure pockets  21  for the grip enhancing components  30  by not allowing them to pass through the created barrier.  FIG. 8B  depicts the insertion of the grip enhancing components  30  and the operational position ( FIG. 8C ) of them in the pocket  21  within the innermost fold of the Spacer  20  to create the anti-slip grips  40 . This embodiment of the invention allows the fitness device  10  to be disassembled so the Spacer  20  can be made available for use as a more general purpose towel. A plurality of button  28 /button hole  29  arrangements is possible along the length of the Spacer  20 .  
         [0051]     In another embodiment, as illustrated in  FIG. 9 , the pockets for a Spacer can be fabricated with the use of temporarily secured wrap-around flaps  16 , or other such pocket creating mechanism that closes off the end portions of the fully enclosed fold region  27 . These securable wrap-around flaps  16  can be permanently attached to the Spacer material  15  as in  FIG. 9A  or exist as a separate component from the Spacer material  15  as in  FIG. 9B .  FIG. 9A  illustrates the temporarily securable flap  16  attached to the central fold panel of the Spacer material  15 . The flap  16  could just as likely be attached to another fold panel. In either completed configuration, when said temporary enclosure mechanisms  17  are appropriately engaged, the flap  16  creates the barrier to create the pocket for the insertion of the grip enhancing component  30 . The temporarily secured wrap-around flap  16  can be secured via a number of means such as with VELCRO®, snaps, buttons or other such temporary attachment mechanism. With adaptations, the temporarily secured wrap-around flaps  16  can be utilized across the fold region of any configuration-folding pattern that has already been discussed. This embodiment of the invention allows the multi-function fitness device  10  to be disassembled so that the Spacer material  15  can be made available for use as a general purpose towel.  
         [0052]      FIG. 10  illustrates examples of other embodiments where two or more pieces of fabric material segments  18  are joined together by stitching, or by using some other attachment method, in such a way as to create integral pockets  21  for the removable insertion of grip enhancing components  30 . A pocket  21  can reside between at least two of the at least two attached Spacer material segments  18  or within the confines of one of the material segments  18 . This embodiment of the invention may use two completely different types of fabric, or other material, such as a piece of terry cloth material attached back-to-back with a material of a different composition along the entire length, or a portion of the length or width, of the Spacer  20 . FIGS.  10  A-C illustrate some of the techniques where the Spacer  20  is not formed from one folded piece, but from two (or more) lengths of Spacer material segments  18  joined such that the grip enhancing component pockets  21  can be integrally constructed.  FIG. 10A  illustrates an alignment of the (at least two) pieces of Spacer material segments  18 .  FIG. 10B  illustrates a representative joining stitch pattern  26  to create pockets  21  with side openings.  FIG. 10C  illustrates a representative joining stitch pattern  26  to create pockets  21  with top panel entry allowed by slits  27 .  
         [0053]     In other embodiments, the Spacer  20  may be constructed with separately attached pockets, pocket creating segments, or other receptacle forming device, at any point or number of points along the Spacer&#39;s  20  length. The Spacer  20  in this case may be stitched from two or more separate pieces of Spacer material segments  18 , joined together in folds from one piece of Spacer material  15  or it may be configured such that it can be left unfolded altogether. In either embodiment, the insertion and secure positioning of a ball or other grip enhancing component  30  into the attached pocket  21  creates the anti-slip grip positions  40  for the multi-function fitness device  10 .  
         [0054]     Referring now to  FIGS. 11-13 , we examine some further embodiments of the invention that are possible. Each embodiment has the potential for at least one secure anti-slip grip site at each end of the Spacer  20  separated at a comfortable distance for performing pulling DFF Exercises as in  FIG. 5A . While the preferred embodiment allows for the multi-function fitness device  10  to be configured for both pulling and pushing exercises, some embodiments may only support pulling exercises. The anti-slip grips  40  for any multi-function fitness device  10  are created with added grip enhancing components  30  or features that add bulk and therefore prevent the Spacer  20  from slipping through the user&#39;s engaging mechanism, whether it be a hand or some other apparatus. The anti-slip grips  40  are fabricated by either inserting grip enhancing components  30  into integrally constructed pockets  21  within the Spacer  20 , as in  FIG. 4 , or by incorporating or attaching them through some other mechanisms as previously described or as in some further embodiments illustrated in  FIGS. 11-13 .  
         [0055]      FIG. 11  illustrates non-removable grip enhancing devices.  FIG. 10A  has one permanently positioned grip enhancing component at each end of the Spacer  20  to create permanent anti-slip grips  40  and  FIG. 10B  has a plurality of permanently positioned grip enhancing components to create a multiplicity of permanently placed anti-slip grips  40 .  
         [0056]      FIGS. 12A and 12B  illustrate modifications to the Spacer material or the fabricated Spacer  20  that include variable thickness material segments at each end, or along the length, of the Spacer  20  in order to create anti-slip grips  40 . These variations can be a part of the Spacer material weaving or cutting process in order to add additional bulk, or bulk variability, for appropriately positioned anti-slip grips  40  when the apparatus is used for exercise. The anti-slip grip positions  40  added bulk could come either from added material thickness and/or width of the Spacer material  15  or the Spacer  20 . The additional bulk of the anti-slip grips  40  could also result from attached build-up portions at points along the length of the Spacer  20 . This type of attached bulk anti-slip grip  40  can be made of the same or different material to that of the Spacer  20  and could be either permanently attached to the Spacer&#39;s  20  exterior or readily removable.  
         [0057]      FIG. 13  illustrates some other embodiments to the multi-function fitness device  10  that possess removably attachable grip enhancing components  31 .  FIG. 13A  depicts grip enhancing components that encircle the Spacer  20  and which are movable along the length of the Spacer  20  and secured by a locking mechanism to a position on the Spacer  20  in order to create the anti-slip grips  40 . These grip enhancing components can be separate and removable from the Spacer  20  and possess a griping device for locking into position on any appropriate piece of Spacer material or combination of Spacer material segments.  FIGS. 13B and 13C  illustrate removably attachable grip enhancing components  31  that possess their own appropriate attachment mechanism  44  that couples with the opposing attachment mechanism  45  at the ends of the Spacer  20 .  FIG. 13B  illustrates a singular attachment site  45  at each end of the Spacer  20  and  FIG. 13C  illustrates a multiplicity of distinct attachment sites  45  along each end of the Spacer  20  for variable spacing of the removably attachable grip enhancing components  31 .  
         [0058]     Whereas the present invention has been described in relation to the drawings attached hereto, it should be understood that other and further modifications, apart from those shown or suggested herein, may be made within the scope of this invention. The selection of Spacer material and the modifications made to it in this manner enable this device to play the role of a common gym towel as well as an efficient fitness training aid.