Abstract:
A suit particularly for dead lifters comprises a front having a neckline substantially higher than in the back. This covers more of the front of the chest and reduces the tendency of the lifter to bend the upper torso forwardly. A method comprises wearing the suit while deadlifting.

Description:
[0001]    This application is a division of application Ser. No. 11/728,276, filed Mar. 26, 2007. 
         [0002]    This invention relates to a suit for use by lifters competing in a dead lifting event and more particularly to a suit that encourages the lifter to keep the back straight. 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    Power lifting and weight lifting are sports, like all sports, where small differences in performance are the difference between winning and losing, especially in top flight competition. The reason, of course, is that competitors are normally very evenly matched. There are many different types of lifting events. One event is known as the deadlift. The deadlift can be performed with one or two different lifting techniques known as conventional or sumo. With the conventional technique, the competitor squats down with the legs parallel, grasps the bar of a barbell, usually with one palm facing down and one facing rearward, and then stands to an erect position with the barbell held at arms length and the knees in a locked position so the barbell is about thigh high. Sumo technique is essentially the same except the legs are splayed outwardly. Proper form for either technique is for the lifter to keep his back as straight as possible with the head up. 
         [0004]    To date, the suits used by dead lifters are not substantially different than the suits worn by lifters in other events. 
         [0005]    Disclosures of some interest relative to this invention are found in U.S. Pat. Nos. 2,027,622; 4,625,336; 4,999,845; 5,033,117; 6,719,712 and D504,202. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0006]    In this invention, a more-or-less conventional lifter&#39;s suit  1 D is modified in two respects. Most importantly, the front neckline does not extend downwardly as far as the rear neckline. Conventional suits typically have the front and rear necklines about equal. Wrestling singlets have the reverse, i.e. the front neckline is much lower than the rear neckline. 
         [0007]    It has been learned that making the front neckline higher than the rear neckline to keep the lifter&#39;s back more nearly straight because the high cut front provides more coverage of the chest and, when constructed of a fabric of high tensile strength and limited flexibility helps prevent substantial forward bending of the upper torso. 
         [0008]    In addition, it is preferred that the tops of the straps be inclined rather than square to more nearly fit the normal shape of the trapezius muscles of dead lifters. 
         [0009]    It is an object of this invention to provide an improved suit for use in a dead lifting event. 
         [0010]    A further object of this invention is to provide an improved suit for dead lifter which encourages the user to keep the back straight. 
         [0011]    A more specific object of this invention is to provide an improved dead lifting suit having a neckline that plunges more in the rear than in the front. 
         [0012]    These and other objects and advantages of this invention will become more apparent as this description proceeds, reference being made to the accompanying drawings and appended claims. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0013]      FIG. 1  is view from the left front of a lifter wearing a suit of this invention but is not quite a front view as the left side seam is visible; 
           [0014]      FIG. 2  is a view from the left rear of a lifter wearing a suit of this invention but is not quite a rear view as the left side seam is visible; 
           [0015]      FIG. 3  is a front view of a lifter&#39;s suit of one size, illustrating the suit when placed on a flat horizontal surface; and 
           [0016]      FIG. 4  is a front view of a lifter&#39;s suit of a second size, illustrating the suit when placed on a flat horizontal surface. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0017]    Referring to  FIGS. 1-4  a lifters suit  10  of this invention is made of a relatively inelastic permeable fabric that is approved by appropriate powerlifting associations or federations, such as the International Powerlifting Federation. As used herein, a relatively inelastic fabric is a fabric that does not noticeably stretch when it is manually pulled, either on the bias or parallel to the weave. The fabric is accordingly atmospherically open in the sense that the wearer is exposed to the atmosphere through the suit. 
         [0018]    As shown best in  FIGS. 1-2 , the suit  10  comprises a tight fitting torso section  12  from which extend a pair of leg sections  14 ,  16  closed by a crotch panel  18 . A pair of shoulder straps  20 ,  22  extend over the shoulders of a lifter to provide a front neckline  24  and a rear neckline  26  between the straps  20 ,  22 . The straps  20 ,  22  merge with the torso section  12  to provide arm openings  28 ,  30 . The suit is basically made of three pieces, a front panel, a rear panel and the crotch section  18  joined together along seams  32 . Finish seams  34  prevent raveling of the fabric around the arm openings  28 ,  30  and around the leg sections  14 ,  16 . The front and rear necklines  24 ,  26  are thus generally U-shaped as opposed to V-shaped. 
         [0019]    As shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , the front neckline  24  is defined by generally parallel edges  36 ,  38  of the shoulder straps  20 ,  22  and a lowermost section  40 . Similarly, the rear neckline  26  is defined by generally parallel edges  42 ,  44  of the shoulder straps  20 ,  22  and a lowermost section  42 . 
         [0020]    An important feature of this invention is that the lowermost section  46  of the rear neckline  26  is considerably lower than the lowermost section  40  of the front neckline  24 . The lowermost sections  40 ,  46  are preferably flat to slightly upwardly concave, as opposed to V-shaped. Although considerable leeway is allowed, the rear neckline  26  preferably extends downwardly so the lowermost section  46  is at least coplanar with, or lower than, the lowermost end of the arm openings  28 ,  30 . In contrast, the lowermost section  40  of the front neckline  24  is at least three inches, and preferably at least six inches, higher than the lowermost section  46  of the rear neckline  26  as may be seen best in  FIGS. 1 and 2 . Preferably, the lowermost section  40  of the front neckline  24  is adjacent or above the armpits of the wearer as shown best in  FIG. 1 . 
         [0021]    It has been discovered that this unusual positioning of the front and rear necklines  24 ,  26  promotes a lifter to keep the back straight during dead lifting. Because keeping the back straight is the preferred technique in dead lifting, the suit  10  is ideal for these events. 
         [0022]    In use, the lifter squats down, preferably keeping the back straight, and grasps the bar of the barbell, typically with one hand facing forwardly and one rearwardly. The lifter then stands to an erect position with the barbell held at arms length about thigh high and the knees in a locked position. 
         [0023]    Referring to  FIGS. 3 and 4 , suits  48 ,  50  of somewhat different size are illustrated for lifters of somewhat different size. There is some distortion of the suits  48 ,  50  when worn by the lifter, as suggested by the differences between  FIGS. 1-2  and  FIG. 3 . The suit  48  is intended to be identical to the suit  10  while the suit  50  is of a smaller size, to be worn by a smaller lifter. In both suits  48 ,  50 , the rear necklines  52 ,  54  include lowermost sections  56 ,  58  which are substantially lower than the lowermost sections  60 ,  62  of the front necklines  64 ,  66 . 
         [0024]    Although this invention has been disclosed and described in its preferred forms with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure of the preferred forms is only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of operation and in the combination and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.