Vibrating barbell

A barbell includes a substantially tubular-shaped barbell bar enclosing a device for causing the barbell bar to vibrate, weights attached to each end of the barbell bar and a damping material interposed between the barbell bar and the weights. The damping material prevents the weights from being subject to the vibrations. As a result, vibrations are transmitted to the muscles used for lowering and raising the barbell bar thereby reducing the time expended to train and the tendency to develop a cramp. Furthermore, because the weights are disconnected from the vibrations, the stability of the barbell weight and training arm is not disturbed and the energy consumption of the motor remains low.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
1. Field of the Invention 
The present invention relates to a weight training barbell, more 
particularly to a barbell which vibrates thereby reducing the time needed 
to train and the tendency to develop a cramp with little stress to the 
body. 
2. Description of the Related Art 
Conventional barbells comprising a tube-shaped barbell bar and weights 
placed on its ends are well known and widely used. Barbells of the 
aforementioned type serve to train the muscles, especially the musculus 
biceps brachii (bicipital arm muscle) and the musculus triceps brachii 
(tricipital arm muscle). Training sequences with conventional barbells 
place high requirements on the endurance of the person doing the training, 
because measurable success is achieved only after a relatively long period 
of training. Furthermore, during the exercises, problems caused by the 
rough and fine coordination of the movement sequences can develop over 
time. 
A barbell with a tube-shaped bar that carries weights at its ends is 
described in German patent publication DE 36 09 363 C2. At each end the 
weights are located within enlarged hollow tips. The hollow space is 
larger than the weight located therein. As a result, when the direction of 
movement of the barbell is reversed, the deceleration of the inert masses 
does not occur until after the weight has moved through the empty space 
and arrived at the limiting wall of the space that faces away from the 
direction of movement. Consequently, the muscles and wrist of the person 
training experience an unexpected impetus at this time, caused by the 
deceleration of the inert masses, thereby placing great stress on the 
muscles and wrist. 
Another barbell with a tube-shaped bar with disc-shaped weights attached to 
its ends is described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,617,056. The weights are located 
on a shaft that runs through the bar of the barbell and is mounted therein 
so that the weights can rotate. The weights connected to one another in 
this way can be placed into rapid rotation. When the weights are placed in 
rapid rotation, the barbell opposes the rotation of the rotational axis 
with high resistance. However, a sudden change in the direction of 
movement can result in nutational or precessional motions. 
It is desirable to develop a muscle training device which is capable of 
efficiently achieving muscle development without causing undue stress to 
the body of the person training. 
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
An object of the present invention is to provide a muscle-training device 
that assist in achieving accelerated muscular formation of the musculus 
biceps and the musculus triceps with simultaneous development of muscular 
and movement coordination without causing undue stress on the body of the 
person training. 
In accordance with the invention, the barbell includes a substantially 
tubular-shaped barbell bar enclosing a means for causing the barbell bar 
to vibrate, weights attached to each end of the barbell bar and a damping 
material interposed between the barbell bar and weights. The damping 
material prevents the weights from being subject to the vibrations while 
at the same time permitting the vibrations of the barbell bar to be 
transmitted to the muscle parts used in lifting and lowering the barbell 
weight. In addition, the vibrations stimulate the nerves that coordinate 
the sequence of movements. As a result, a clearly more marked hypertrophy 
of the muscles used is noted than during training with conventional 
barbells and the tendency to develop a cramp, which is otherwise often 
observed, declines. 
Furthermore, because the weights are disconnected from the vibrations, the 
stability of the barbell weight and training arm is not disturbed and the 
energy consumption of the motor remains low. Comparisons between 
conventional training methods and exercises with the vibrating barbell 
according to the invention have shown that the successes of conventional 
training can be achieved with a time expenditure up to approximately 80% 
lower. 
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are 
pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part 
of the disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its 
operating advantages, and specific objects attained by its use, reference 
should be had to the drawing and descriptive matter in which there are 
illustrated and described preferred embodiments of the invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PRESENTLY PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
The figure shows a perspective with a partial sectional view of a barbell 
10 in accordance with the present invention. Barbell 10 includes a 
substantially tubular-shaped barbell bar 12, on each of the two ends of 
which there is attached, with the intermediate placement of a first ring 
14 of a cushioning material, for example, foamed plastic, a second ring 16 
of a substantially rigid material such as metal i.e., steel. The second 
rings 16 constitute the basic weight of the barbell 10 and are fixed to 
the barbell bar 12. Generally disc-shaped additional weights 18 can be 
attached concentrically around the second rings 16, as known from 
conventional barbells. 
As shown by the partial sectional view, a motor 20 is mounted in a region 
of center of gravity within the barbell bar 12 in a turn-proof manner, 
e.g. the walls of the motor are affixed to the inside walls of the barbell 
bar 12. Shaft ends 22 extend out from each end of the motor 20. An 
unbalanced mass 24 is connected to each shaft end 22. Instead of, or in 
addition to, the unbalanced masses 24, a rotor of the motor 20 can also be 
unbalanced. All of the unbalanced masses are equal in weight and in phase 
with one another. Moreover, the unbalanced masses are symmetric to the 
center of gravity of the barbell. Due to this, the occurrence of rotating 
free mass moments, which over time would be perceived as unpleasant or 
uncomfortable at the users' wrist, is avoided. The motor 20 and the 
unbalanced masses 24 are configured so that the bar 12 has a vibration 
amplitude of 1.2 to 0.6 mm at a frequency of 25 to 60 Hz. 
The motor 20 can be supplied with power from the outside, for example, from 
the electrical network of the building, via a power supply cable (not 
shown). In additional embodiments, the barbell bar 12 can be placed into 
vibration by means other than an electric motor such as electromagnetic 
and piezoelectric vibrators. 
During operation of the barbell, when a training person lifts the barbell 
10 with the motor 20 running, the musculus biceps and the musculus triceps 
are tensed. The vibrations caused by the rotating unbalanced masses 24 are 
transmitted to the muscles. However, the rings 14 of the cushioning 
material separate these vibrations from the weights 16 and additional 
weights 18. The cushioning material of the rings 14 has a spring rate, for 
example 50 N/mm, suited for isolating the vibrations from the weights. 
Thus, the weights 16, 18 are not subject to the vibrations. As a result, 
the stability of the system composed of barbell weight and training arm is 
not disturbed. At the same time, the energy consumption of the motor 20 is 
kept low. 
The first ring can also be formed as a leaf spring 26 that is wavey and has 
a ring-shape which surrounds the barbell bar 12. The spring 26 is mounted 
at the end of the barbell bar 12, and the fixed ring 16 is mounted on the 
spring 26, whereby the spring 26 isolates the weights 16, 18 from 
vibrations of the barbell bar 12. 
The invention is not limited by the embodiments described above which are 
presented as examples only but can be modified in various ways within the 
scope of protection defined by the appended patent claims.