Abstract:
An exercise device includes pedals, a belt and a hydro-kinetic brake. A user applies muscular force to the pedals and the pedal belt transfers the motion of the pedals to a flywheel shaft of the fluid brake. The pedals may be configured to accept force from a hand, foot, arm, leg and/or neck of the user. The amount of work performed by the user is derived by measuring the relative rotational speeds of two radial-blade impellers of the fluid brake. The wattage exhibited by the fluid brake during the exercise session may be recorded and associated with an identified user, whereby records of the exercise performance of an individual may be updated.

Description:
CO-PENDING APPLICATION  
       [0001]     The present invention is a continuation-in-part of U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/729,353, entitled “Braking and power indicating system for stationary indoor bicycles and other cardio-vascular training exercize (sic) equipment”, and filed on Oct. 22, 2005. Aforementioned U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/729,353 is hereby incorporated in its entirety and for all purposes in this patent application. The priority filing date of October 22 nd  is claimed U.S. Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 60/729,353 for this nonprovisional patent application. 
     
    
     FIELD OF THE INVENTION  
       [0002]     The present invention relates the field of physical fitness equipment. More particularly, the present invention relates to exercise equipment that enables an assessment of the exercise effort performed by a user.  
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION  
       [0003]     Sufficient exercise and an appropriate diet are recognized as being necessary for building and retaining good health. Unfortunately a majority of Americans, while knowing these facts, are unable to practice these healthy habits. The federal Center for Disease Control in Atlanta has recently announced that 60% percent of Americans do not exercise enough. A similar number of Americans are either overweight or obese. One of the results of this is that health costs in the US exceed that of most of the industrialized nations of the world. Recent information has shown that not only is aerobic exercise necessary, but that strength training also has very significant health benefits. The present invention is designed to facilitate motivating Americans, especially the employees of large corporations and other organizations, to exercise regularly and eat property. These two factors must be present, and by comparing the exercise metrics and a number of medical measurements the system can evaluate users&#39; and participants&#39; compliance with the dietary protocol.  
         [0004]     The key to this shift in behavior will be the introduction of a compact, moderate cost, exercise device which will be able to generate and transmit electronic data accurately showing the watts and calories generated by the user. This data will distinguish between cardio-vascular and strength training for the individual. At the present time there is no modest cost, compact equipment capable of doing this. There are a large number of simple exercise devices on the market, but none of these are able to produce the electronic data necessary to accurately quantify and transmit the efforts of the exerciser to a distant location.  
         [0005]     It is well known that the human body responds relatively quickly, in a matter of months, to regular exercise and an appropriate diet. Organization employees who use this device in their homes will be given a financial reward; a reduction in the cost of their health insurance, if they meet the requirements of a medically established protocol designed especially for their age and other individual characteristics. Their reward is based upon the fact that their biological age will actually be significantly lower than their chronological age as a result of performing the required exercise. Their health maintenance costs will be markedly lower.  
         [0006]     The basis of this unique exercise device is the hydro-kinetic fluid coupling. This type of fluid coupling can act as a brake or clutch, and in either mode it provides a resistance to motion that needs only a speed sensor to accurately provide the instantaneous watts generated by the user. Given the duration of the exercise in fractions of a second, of the fluctuating watts (power) generated by the human muscle, the device accurately provides calorie information of the exercise performed. This invention incorporates a variety of frames and configurations that can be used with this compact, fluid device which is capable of creating a wide range of resistance.  
         [0007]     Patented prior art which relates to this invention includes Friesl U.S. Pat. No. 5,211,613 which illustrates an indoor cycle which uses a fan as the resistance producing means. This device limits the user to a fixed resistance for any particular cadence. Warner U.S. Pat. No. 5,938,551 demonstrates an upper body cycle utilizing a fan which has a variable pitch pulley system, and improves on Friesl by allowing the user to vary the resistance at any particular cadence. This system makes no claim to measure the watts of resistance only the movement of a potentiometer which can only indicate the level of difficulty. It would be necessary to include the cadence or some other fan speed indicator to allow the calculation of watts. This device has no means for lower body exercise. U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,645,199 and 4,741,529 Bloemendaal uses a viscous shear fluid bake to provide resistance. The method of Bloemendall of creating resistance is hampered by the effect of heat which causes and uncontrolled change in resistance due to the change in viscosity of fluid. There is no mention of providing the user with an accurate watts value. U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,783 Blackburn illustrates a training device for a road bicycle. This has no provision for upper body exercise. In conclusion, the subject invention differs materially from known art and can be applied where accurate measurement of total body power and energy systems is needed.  
         [0008]     The two key habits of sufficient exercise and healthy dietary practices can lead to significant health improvements; the automated tracking of exercise performance and other health metrics, e.g., body weight, body fat, and body measurements can be used to evaluate a participant&#39;s compliance with a recommended dietary protocol. Monitoring the exercise behavior of participants in an exercise regimen by means of information technology further provides the potential for improving the compliance of the participants by enabling health improvement tracking and associated reward programs. When compliance with an exercise program is sustained, the participants of the program may reduce their individual biological ages and thereby reduce their individual need for medical services. Employers and health insurers of compliant participants may thereby experience reduced medical expenditures.  
         [0009]     The prior art has introduced numerous exercise machines that attempt to conveniently enable exercise. Yet the prior art fails to provide an exercise device that optimally provides the opportunity to selectively engage in exercise intensity and that generates information in an electronic format accessible to information technology systems.  
         [0010]     Prior art devices allow a person to walk or run in place; stepper machines allow a person to climb in place; bicycle machines allow a person to pedal in place; and other machines allow a person to skate and/or stride in place. Yet another type of exercise equipment has been designed to facilitate relatively more complicated exercise motions and/or to better simulate real life activity. Such equipment typically uses some sort of linkage assembly to convert a relatively simple motion, such as circular, into a relatively more complex motion, such as elliptical.  
         [0011]     Prior art exercise equipment employs various methods of providing resistance against which a user applies muscular force, as well as equipment for monitoring athletic effort expended by the user. Other relevant prior art examples include U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,974 (Inventors Sherman, et al.), issued on Sep. 13, 1983, discloses a position control mechanism for a variable drive ratio pulley system; U.S. Pat. No. 4,768,783 (Inventor Engalitcheff, Jr.), issued on Sep. 6, 1988, discloses an apparatus for the rehabilitation of damaged limbs; U.S. Pat. No. 5,331,811 (Inventor Giberson), issued on Jul. 26, 1994, discloses a fluid drive; U.S. Pat. No. 3,955,365 (Inventor Arao), issued on May 11, 1976, discloses a fluid drive apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 7,097,596 (Inventor Yang) filed on Aug. 29, 2006 discloses an exercise bicycle; U.S. Pat. No. 6,945,917 (Inventor Baatz) issued on Sep. 20, 2005 discloses a resistance exercise apparatus and trainer; U.S. Pat. No. 6,902,515 (Inventors Howell, et al.) issued on Jun. 7, 2005 discloses a multi-functional exercise apparatus; U.S. Pat. No. 6,869,384 (Inventor Shui) issued on Mar. 22, 2005 discloses an exercising bicycle; U.S. Pat. No. 6,856,934 (Inventors Vock, et al.) issued on Feb. 15, 2005 discloses sport monitoring systems and associated methods; U.S. Pat. No. 5,944,637 (Inventors Stickler, et al.) issued on Aug. 31, 1999 discloses a modular fluid resistance unit for bicycle training equipment; and U.S. Pat. No. 6,808,472 (Inventor Hickman) filed on Oct. 26, 2004 discloses a method and apparatus for remote interactive exercise and health equipment.  
         [0012]     The entire disclosures of each and every patent mentioned in this present disclosure, to include U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,403,974; 5,331,811; 3,955,365; 5,211,613; 5,938,551; 4,645,199; 4,741,529; 4,768,783; 7,097,596; 6,945,917; 6,902,515; 6,869,384; 6,856,934; 5,944,637; 6,808,472 as noted above, are incorporated herein by reference and for all purposes.  
         [0013]     Yet the prior art fails to optimally apply fluid braking technology to exercise equipment. In addition, the prior art fails to optimally distinguish aerobic from anaerobic exercise on the basis of an observed cadence of exercise and wattage exhibited by an exercise device  
       OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION  
       [0014]     It is an object of the present invention to provide an exercise device to improve physical fitness.  
         [0015]     It is an additional object of certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention to enable quantification, monitoring and recording of the exercise activity of a user of an exercise device.  
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION  
       [0016]     Towards these and other objects that will be made obvious in light of the present invention, an exercise device including a frame, a drive and a hydrokinetic brake is provided. Muscular force applied by a user of the exercise device is translated via the drive into rotational motion of the hydrokinetic brake.  
         [0017]     In certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention, an information technology system may analyze data received from an exercise equipment that includes a hydrokinetic brake, and distinguish aerobic from strength building exercise on the basis of an observed cadence of exercise and wattage exhibited by an exercise device.  
         [0018]     The hydrokinetic brake includes a housing, an inner impeller and a liquid medium. The housing is rotatably coupled with the frame. The housing includes a radial-blade impeller that transfers force to the liquid medium as the housing rotates by virtue and affect of flow of the liquid medium as affected by radial-blades of inner impeller. The inner impeller is rotatably coupled with the housing and includes one or more radial-blades and a shaft. The inner impeller shaft extends through the housing and may be (1.) statically affixed to the frame, or (2.) rotatably coupled with the frame. Where the inner impeller shaft is rotatably coupled with the frame, a disc or other load may be attached to the inner impeller shaft.  
         [0019]     Certain alternate preferred embodiments of the present invention include or are coupled with a drive having pedals and/or an upper body linkage configured to enable a user to apply muscular force to the device for translation into rotational motion of the housing and/or the inner impeller.  
         [0020]     Certain still alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention provide a computational system that includes sensors for measuring wattage exhibited by the fluid brake, and optionally for recording the wattage expended in an electronic media.  
         [0021]     Certain various still alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention include or are coupled with a drive comprising (1.) a flywheel, (2.) intermediate pulleys, (3.) belts, (4.) gearing, and/or other suitable elements for translating muscular energy of the user into rotational motion of the fluid brake.  
         [0022]     The foregoing and other objects, features and advantages will be apparent from the following description of the preferred embodiment of the invention as illustrated in the accompanying drawings. 
     
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS  
       [0023]     These, and further features of the invention, may be better understood with reference to the accompanying specification and drawings depicting the preferred embodiment, in which:  
         [0024]      FIG. 1  is an illustration of a hydro-kinetic brake;  
         [0025]      FIG. 2A  is a side view illustration of an exercise bicycle embodiment of the present invention having a fixed inner impeller;  
         [0026]      FIG. 2B  is a top view illustration of the exercise bicycle embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 2B ;  
         [0027]      FIG. 3A  is a side view illustration of a variation of the device of  FIG. 2 ;  
         [0028]      FIG. 3B  is a top view illustration of device of  FIG. 3A ;  
         [0029]      FIG. 4A  is a side view illustration of a still alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention, wherein the inner impeller of  FIG. 1  may rotate relative to the housing and is loaded with an inertial;  
         [0030]      FIG. 4B  is a top view illustration of the embodiment of the present invention of  FIG. 4A ;  
         [0031]      FIG. 5  is a schematic of the computer of  FIGS. 2, 3  and  4 ; and  
         [0032]      FIG. 6  is an illustration of an information technology system in accordance with the method of the present invention, wherein the rotation of the fluid brake during exercise sessions may be monitored, recorded and associated with the user. 
     
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS  
       [0033]     In describing the preferred embodiments, certain terminology will be utilized for the sake of clarity. Such terminology is intended to encompass the recited embodiment, as well as all technical equivalents, which operate in a similar manner for a similar purpose to achieve a similar result.  
         [0034]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 1 ,  FIG. 1  is an illustration of a hydro-kinetic brake  2 . The brake  2  includes a housing  4 , a liquid medium  6  and an inner impeller  8 . The inner impeller  8  includes a plurality of radial blades  10  affixed to an inner impeller shaft  12 . The inner impeller shaft  12  extends through a sleeve bearing  14  of the housing  4 . An external end  16  of the inner impeller shaft  12  may be (1.) affixed to a frame  18  (see  FIG. 2A ) by welding, pinning, or other suitable fixed attachment means known in the art, whereby the housing  4  may rotate about the inner impeller shaft  12 ; or (2.) rotatably coupled to the frame  18  by a sleeve bearing  20  or other suitable rotatable attachment means known in the art. The housing  4  is thereby rotatably coupled with the frame  18  by either of these two means, or other suitable attachment means known in the art.  
         [0035]     The housing  4  comprises the bearing  14  and a body  22 . The housing body  22  includes a plurality of housing radial blades  24  and radiator fins  26 . The radiator fins  26  transfer heat from the brake  2  to the environment surrounding the brake  2 , whereby the brake  2  may be air cooled. The housing radial blades  24 , when in motion relative to the liquid medium  6 , interacts with the liquid medium  6  to transfer force. Similarly, the inner impeller radial blades  10  also interact with the liquid medium  6  to transfer force, whereby the inner impeller blades  10  and the housing radial blades  24  transfer force back and forth via the medium of the liquid medium  6 . The liquid medium  6  may be a low viscosity liquid, such as a suitable natural oil, synthetic oil or other suitable liquid known in the art.  
         [0036]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIGS. 2A and 2B ,  FIG. 2  is a side view of an illustration of an exercise bicycle embodiment of the present invention  28 , or first version  28 , having a hydro-kinetic brake  2  (hereafter “brake”  2 ) of  FIG. 1 ; and  FIG. 2B  is a top view of the first version  28 . The inner impeller shaft  12  of the brake  2  is affixed to the bicycle frame  18  by welding or other suitable means known in the art.  
         [0037]     The brake  2  may be or comprise a FLUID DRIVE MODEL FV™ fluid brake marketed by Fluid Drive Engineering Co. of Post Office Box PO117879, Burlingame, Calif. 94011-7879 and/or a FLUID DRIVE MODEL FD™ fluid brake also marketed by Fluid Drive Engineering Co. of Post Office Box PO117879, Burlingame, Calif. 94011-7879, or other suitable fluid brake or fluid coupling known in the art. A pedals  30  &amp;  32  are each attached to a pedal wheel  34 . The pedal wheel  34  is rotatably coupled to the bicycle frame  18  by suitable means known in the art. A pedal coupling drive belt  36  rides along an outer diameter  38  of the pedal wheel  34  and transfers mechanical force from the pedal wheel outer diameter  38  to a sprocket  40  of a flywheel  42 . The flywheel  42  is rotatably coupled to the frame  18  by suitable means known in the art.  
         [0038]     The pedal wheel  34  may be a cog or sprocket and the pedal coupling drive belt  36  may be a gearing, a toothed belt, a V belt, or a chain configured to engage with the pedal wheel  34  and the flywheel sprocket  40  to transfer rotational force from the pedal wheel  34  to the flywheel  42 .  
         [0039]     The flywheel  42  includes an outer flywheel diameter  46  positioned about the flywheel sprocket  40 . The flywheel diameter  46  is coupled with a transmission coupling drive belt  48  of a variable ratio transmission  50 . The variable ratio transmission  50  comprises a variable pitch pulley  52  rotatably coupled with the frame  18 . The variable pitch pulley  52  may be or comprise a suitable ECONOLINE SERIES™ variable pitch pulley or ADJUSTA-SHEAVE™ variable pitch pulley, both marketed by Lovejoy, inc. of 2655 Wisconsin Avenue, Downers Grove, Ill. 60515.  
         [0040]     The variable ration transmission  50  is configured to transfer force from the drive to rotational movement of the brake housing  4 .  
         [0041]     An adjustment arm  54  of the variable ratio transmission  50  enables a user to vary the ratio of the variable pitch pulley  52  at which the transmission coupling drive belt  48  engages the variable pitch pulley  52 . The transmission coupling drive belt  48  may be a gearing, a toothed belt, a V belt, or a chain configured to engage with the variable pitch pulley  52  and the flywheel diameter  46 . A housing shaft  56  of the brake housing  4  is coupled with the variable pitch pulley  52  whereby rotational motion of the variable pitch pulley  52  is imposed onto the housing  4  and the housing  4  is driven by the variable pitch pulley  52 .  
         [0042]     The first version  28  may further comprise upper body linkages  58  &amp;  62 . The upper body linkages  58  &amp;  62  are rotatably coupled to a rotatable attachment feature  60  of the frame  18 . The upper body linkage  58  is further rotatably coupled to the pedal wheel  34 . The upper body linkage  58  &amp;  62  are configured to enable a user to rotate the pedal wheel  34  by applying muscular force to a pair of handles  64  &amp;  66  substantially along an X axis, whereby the muscular force is translated to rotational movement of the pedal wheel  34 .  
         [0043]     The user may sit on a seat  68  and apply muscular force to one or both pedals  32  to cause rotation of the pedal wheel  34  while optionally, alternatively and/or simultaneously applying muscular FORCE to one or more handles  64  &amp;  66 .  
         [0044]     The first version  28  further comprises a computer  70  communicatively coupled by means of signal wires  72  with a first sensor  74  and a second sensor  76 . The first sensor  74  is attached to the frame  18  and is configured to detect a speed of rotation of the pedal wheel  34  to the computer  70 . The second sensor  76  is attached to the frame  18  and is configured to detect a speed of rotation of the brake housing  4  to the computer  70 .  
         [0045]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIGS. 3A and 3B ,  FIG. 3A  is a side view illustration of a second preferred embodiment of the present invention  78 , or second version  78 ; and  FIG. 3B  is a top view of the second version  78 . The second version  78  is a variation of the first version  28  of  FIG. 2 , and includes the frame  18 , the pedals  30  &amp;  32 , the pedal wheel  34 , the pedal coupling drive belt  36 , the flywheel  42 , the variable ratio transmission  50 , and the brake  2 . The second version  78  further comprises an intermediate wheel  80  rotatably coupled with the frame  18 . The intermediate wheel  80  translates rotational motion of the outer flywheel diameter  46  to the variable ratio pulley  52  by means of a pulley shaft  82 . The intermediate wheel  80  is rotatably coupled with rotates about a third attachment feature  84  of the frame  18 . The pulley shaft  82  extends through an intermediate ball bearing assembly  86  of the intermediate wheel  80 . The frame attachment feature  84  is positioned relative to the flywheel  42  to cause the outer flywheel diameter  46  to transfer rotational force to the intermediate wheel by direct physical contact with an intermediate wheel outer surface  87 .  
         [0046]     The second version  78  further comprises a coupling drive belt  88 , wherein the coupling drive belt  88  mechanically couples the variable pitch pulley  52  with a brake housing pulley  90  whereby a rotational force is transferred from the rotation of the variable pitch pulley to cause rotation of the brake housing  4 . The housing shaft  56  may be or comprise a cog or sprocket and the coupling drive belt  88  may be a gearing, a toothed belt, a V belt, or a chain configured to engage with the variable pitch pulley  52  and the housing shaft/to transfer rotational force from the variable pitch pulley  52  to the housing and to the locked inner impeller shaft  12 . A pin  91  extending from the inner impeller shaft  12  presses against the frame  18  and restrains rotation of the inner impeller  8 .  
         [0047]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIGS. 4A and 4B ,  FIG. 4A  is a side view illustration of a still alternate preferred embodiment of the present invention  92 , or third version  92 .  FIG. 4B  is a top view of the third version  92  wherein the brake  2  is rotatably coupled with a third frame  94 .  
         [0048]     In accordance with the additional alternated preferred embodiments of the method of the invention, a user grasps a pulling bar  96  to pull a cable  98  and thereby cause or affect rotary motion of a spool  100 . A first an end  101  of the cable  98  is anchored onto the spool  100  and a second end  102  of the cable  98  is anchored onto pulling bar  96 . Alternatively, the spool  100  could be driven by foot pedals  30  &amp;  32  or hand pedals (not shown). The spool  100  is rotatably mounted on the third frame  94 . The third frame  94  additionally supports a speed increaser timing belt drive  104  (hereafter “belt drive”  104 ). The belt drive  104  includes a bull gear  106 , a bull gear shaft  107 , a pinion gear  108 , and a drive belt  110 . The bull gear shaft  107  mechanically couples the bull gear  106  and the spool  100 .  
         [0049]     The variable pitch pulley  52  is located at an end of a drive shaft  112 . A V belt  114  connects the variable pitch pulley  52  with a housing pulley  116  mounted on the brake housing  4 . The shaft  12  of the inner impeller  8  drives a disc  118 . The disc  118  acts as an inertial load and in normal use may rotate in either direction. The user controls the resistance of the third version  92  by operating a hand wheel adjustment arm  119  which positions a control bar  120 . The movement of the control bar  120  as driven by the hand wheel adjustment arm  119  varies the center distance between the variable pitch pulley  52  and the brake housing  4  and thereby causes a change in speed ratio and tension of the cable  98 .  
         [0050]     The third version  92  further comprises three motion the first speed sensor  74 , the second speed sensor  76 , and a third speed sensor  122 . These three speed sensors  74 ,  76  &amp;  122  are communicatively coupled with the computer  70 . The first speed sensor  74  monitors the speed and direction of the cable  98 . The second speed sensor  76  monitors the speed and direction of the brake housing  4 . The third speed sensor  122  monitors the speed and direction of the disc  118 . The detections, measurements and/or calculations of the three speed sensors  74 ,  76  &amp;  122  are substantially continuously sent to the computer  70 .  
         [0051]     The inner impeller shaft  12  is attached to the disc  118  and rotates freely within the housing bearing  14  (as per  FIG. 1 ) and the ball bearing assemblies  86  whereby the mass of the disc  118  provides resistance to the flow of the liquid medium  6  within the brake  2 . Various ball bearing assemblies  86  are configured and applied to support and rotatably couple the brake and other elements of the first, second and third versions  28 ,  78  &amp;  92  of the present invention. The liquid medium  6  may be light viscosity liquid, oil, or other suitable medium known in the art.  
         [0052]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 5 ,  FIG. 5  is a schematic drawing of the computer  70  and an electronic medium  124 . The computer  70  includes a central processing unit  126 , a sensor interface  128 , an internal communications bus  130 , a system memory  132 , a network interface  134 , a video device interface  136 , an input device interface  138 , and an electronic media reader  140 . The central processing unit  126  (hereafter “CPU”  126 ) may be or comprise a PENTIUM™ microprocessor or other suitable processing unit known in the art. The internal communications bus  130  bi-directionally communicatively couples the central processing unit  126 , the sensor interface device  128 , the system memory  132 , the network interface  134 , the video device interface  136 , the input device interface  138 , and the electronic media reader  140 .  
         [0053]     The sensor interface  128  is communicatively coupled with the first sensor  74 , the second sensor  76 , and the third sensor  122  by means of the signal wires  72 .  
         [0054]     The system memory  132  may store both data structures and executable software programs, and make the stored data structures and software executable programs to the central processing unit  126  via the internal communications bus  130 . The network interface  134  is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with an electronics communications network  142  and enables the communications of data from the computer  70  to storage in the electronics communications network  142 . The electronics communications network  142  (hereafter “IT network”  142 ) may comprise the Internet  144  in part or entirely.  
         [0055]     The video device interface  136  is bi-directionally communicatively coupled with a display device  146  and enables the visual presentation of information, to include findings from database searches, to be visually presented to a user via a video screen  148  of the visual display device  146 .  
         [0056]     The input device interface  138  is communicatively coupled with an input device  150  and enables the user to input information and commands and otherwise interact with the computer  70 .  
         [0057]     The electronic media reader  140  is configured to read and write machine-executable instructions and information to and from the computer-readable medium  124 , wherein machine-executable instructions provided by the computer-readable medium  124  may direct the host processor, i.e. CPU  126 , to perform one or more of the steps of the method of the present invention. The electronic media reader  140  may further or alternatively write information derived or received from data transmitted by the first, second and third sensors  74 ,  76  &amp;  122  into the electronic medium  124 .  
         [0058]     The terms “computer-readable medium” and “computer-readable media” as used herein refer to any suitable medium known in the art that participates in providing instructions or information to an information technology network  142  of  FIG. 6  and the computer  70  for execution or storage. Such a medium  124  may take many forms, including but not limited to, non-volatile media, volatile media, and transmission media. Non-volatile media includes, for example, optical or magnetic disks, such as may be comprised within the system memory  132 .  
         [0059]     Volatile media includes dynamic memory; transmission media includes coaxial cables, copper wire and fiber optics. Transmission media can also take the form of acoustic or light waves, such as those generated during radio wave and infrared data communications.  
         [0060]     Common forms of computer-readable media  124  include, for example, a floppy disk, a flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, or any other magnetic medium, a CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any other physical medium with patterns of holes, a RAM, a PROM, and EPROM, a FLASH-EPROM, any other memory chip or cartridge, a carrier wave as described hereinafter, or any other medium  124  from which a computer system  70  can read machine-executable instructions and/or data.  
         [0061]     Various forms of computer readable media  124  may be involved in carrying one or more sequences of one or more instructions to the network  142  for execution. For example, the instructions may initially be carried on a magnetic disk of a remote server  152  (as per  FIG. 6 ). The remote server  152  can load the instructions into its dynamic memory and send the instructions over a telephone line using a modem. A modem local to or communicatively linked with the IT network  142  can receive the data on the telephone line and use an infra-red transmitter to convert the data to an infra-red signal. An infrared detector can receive the data carried in the infrared signal and appropriate circuitry can provide the data to the IT network  142 .  
         [0062]     In certain additional alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention, the electronic media  124  may be affixed to a portable card  154  that may be sized and shaped to fit into a wallet, such as complying with the form and fit standards of an AMERICAN EXPRESS CARD™ credit card or other suitable portable electronic media devices known in the art.  
         [0063]     Referring now generally to the Figures and particularly to  FIG. 6 ,  FIG. 6  is an illustration of the IT network  142  in accordance with the method of the present invention, wherein the rotation of the fluid brake  2  during exercise sessions may be monitored, recorded and associated with the user. The computer  70  may provide data received from or derived from information sourced from the first, second or third sensor  74 ,  76  &amp;  122  to a data base  156  stored in the server  152  of the IT network  144 . The computer  70  may transmit and receive information via the network interface  134  and the Internet  144  and to the server  152 .  
         [0064]     Alternatively or additionally, information may be communicated between an electronic media reader  132  of the IT network  142  via the Internet  144 . Information may then be communicated between the server  152  and the computer  70  by the steps of (1.) writing the information onto the electronic media  124  by the computer  70  or an electronic media reader  132  of the IT network  142 ; and (2.) reading the information stored in the electronic media  124  by the computer or the electronic media reader  132 .  
         [0065]     In certain alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention, the server  152  and/or the computer  70  may analyze data received from the exercise equipment, e.g., the first, second or third versions  28 ,  78  &amp;  92 , that includes a hydrokinetic brake  2 , and distinguish aerobic from anaerobic exercise on the basis of an observed cadence of exercise and wattage exhibited by an exercise device.  
         [0066]     In certain yet additional alternate preferred embodiments of the method of the present invention, the server  152  and/or the computer  70  may be or comprise (1.) a VAIO FS8900™ notebook computer marketed by Sony Corporation of America, of New York City, N.Y., (2.) other suitable prior art personal computers known in the art comprising an XP™ or VISTA™ personal computer operating system marketed by Microsoft Corporation of Redmond, Wash., and/or (c.) a POWERBOOK™ personal computer marketed by Apple Computer, Inc., of Cupertino, Calif.  
         [0067]     The foregoing disclosures and statements are illustrative only of the Present Invention, and are not intended to limit or define the scope of the Present Invention. The above description is intended to be illustrative, and not restrictive. Although the examples given include many specificities, they are intended as illustrative of only certain possible embodiments of the Present Invention. The examples given should only be interpreted as illustrations of some of the preferred embodiments of the Present Invention, and the full scope of the Present Invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Those skilled in the art will appreciate that various adaptations and modifications of the just-described preferred embodiments can be configured without departing from the scope and spirit of the Present Invention. Therefore, it is to be understood that the Present Invention may be practiced other than as specifically described herein. The scope of the Present Invention as disclosed and claimed should, therefore, be determined with reference to the knowledge of one skilled in the art and in light of the disclosures presented above.