Abstract:
An exercise machine includes a frame, a body support assembly in pivotable engagement with the frame, and a counter balance assembly connected to the body support assembly, wherein, in operation, the body support assembly is pivotable from a downward position to a top position. The counter balance assembly partially balances a body weight of a user in a prone position against the body support assembly as the body support assembly is pivoted from the downward position to the top position. The counter balance assembly may include a reaction arm extending from a rear portion of the body support assembly and pivotable about the frame, and may include a weight bearing end opposite the body support assembly. A method of using an exercise machine includes positioning a user body prone against a body support assembly, wherein the body support assembly is pivotally engaged with an exercise machine frame and counterbalancing the user&#39;s bodyweight.

Description:
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
     This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/300,893, filed Feb. 3, 2010, the entire content of which is incorporated herein by reference. 
    
    
     BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     1. Field of the Invention 
     The present invention relates to compound exercises and exercise machines, and, in particular, to compound opposite origin exercises and machines therefore. 
     2. Description of Related Art 
     An opposite origin exercise is defined as an exercise that works the same muscles as a normal exercise, but do so from an opposite point of origin or insertion. Many exercises can be categorized as opposite origin exercises, and many involve body weight resistance. For example, an opposite origin exercise for a lat pull down exercise using a lat cable machine is a wide grip pull-up. There, an individual will pull his or her body up toward a pull-up bar, as opposed to pulling the weight down toward his or her chest while using a lat cable machine with body weight providing the resistance. Many times, individuals are incapable of performing these exercises because their muscles are not developed enough in order to overcome the resistance provided by their own body weight. Therefore, various machines have been developed to assist users by offsetting user body weight, such as pull-up machines, wherein users kneel on a platform movable in the vertical direction, which is connected to a weight stack via a cable and pulley system. One opposite origin exercise is a reverse leg curl. Normally, while performing a standard standing one leg curl, an individual will move his or her lower legs at the knees against weight resistance toward the gluteus muscle. This exercise works the gluteus and hamstring. In a reverse leg curl, the movement is reversed, wherein the individual will move the upper two-thirds of the body toward the feet and lower legs by bending at the knees, thereby using body weight as resistance. However, this exercise can be particularly difficult to perform, especially in individuals with underdeveloped gluteus muscles and hamstrings. Therefore, a need exists for a machine that can assist a user in performing a reverse leg curl by counter balancing the user&#39;s body weight. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     An exercise machine may include a frame, a body support assembly in pivotable engagement with the frame, and a counter balance assembly. The counter balance assembly is connected to the body support assembly, wherein, in operation, the body support assembly is pivotable from a downward position to a top position. The counter balance assembly partially offsets a body weight of a user in a prone position against the body support assembly as the body support assembly is pivoted from the downward position to the top position. 
     In one embodiment, the counter balance assembly may include a reaction arm extending from a rear portion of the body support assembly and pivotable about the frame, and may include a weight bearing end opposite the body support assembly. The weight bearing end may be adapted to receive weights directly thereon. When the body support assembly is in the downward position, the weight bearing end is in a raised position providing a counter balance to the user body weight. The weight bearing end may be pivotally attached to the reaction arm, wherein the weight bearing end is angularly adjustable with respect to the reaction arm between a plurality of angular positions. Alternatively, the counter balance assembly may include a cable and pulley system having a pulley, a weight stack, and a cable running from the weight stack over the pulley and to the weight bearing end of the reaction arm. When the body support assembly is in the top position, the weight stack is in a lowered position, and when the body support assembly is in the downward position, the reaction arm lifts the weight stack to a raised position providing a counter balance to the user body weight. 
     The body support assembly may include a chest pad assembly. In one embodiment, the chest pad assembly may include a chest pad, an adjustment member, and a chest pad frame, wherein the adjustment member is attached to a rear side of the chest pad and is in slidable engagement with the chest pad frame, such that the chest pad can be positioned by varying distances from the chest pad frame. 
     The exercise machine may further include a knee pad assembly which is connected to the frame, and the body support assembly, and, alternatively, the chest pad assembly may be in pivotable engagement with the knee pad assembly. The knee pad assembly may be angularly adjustable between a plurality of angular positions, for example, between 90° and 45° in relation to a horizontally defined plane, with respect to the frame. In operation, the knee pad assembly may be fixedly secured in one of the plurality of angular positions. A pivot bar may extend through a rear portion of the body support assembly and a bottom portion of the knee pad assembly defining an axis of rotation therebetween. In operation, then, the body support assembly may pivot about the knee pad assembly via the pivot bar. If the counter balance assembly includes a reaction arm, the reaction arm may extend from the body support assembly at a point on the axis of rotation defined by the pivot bar. 
     The exercise machine frame may include an elevated platform. The knee pad assembly may be attached to a front edge of the platform. The frame may also include a base frame member, two side frame members, and a knee pad mounting bar. The side frame members may be positioned on opposite sides of the base frame member and extend in an upward direction. The knee pad mounting bar may extend between the two side frame members and across the front edge of the platform with the knee pad assembly being attached to the knee pad mounting bar. A toe and heel support may also be attached to a top portion of the knee pad assembly. 
     A method of performing an exercise may include the steps of orienting a user body prone against a body support assembly of an exercise machine frame, wherein the body support assembly is pivotally engaged with the frame; positioning a user&#39;s legs, such that a lower portion of the user&#39;s legs below the knee are stationary; counterbalancing a user&#39;s body weight via a counter balance assembly attached to the body support assembly of the exercise machine frame; and moving the user&#39;s body from a downward position to a top position by pivoting the body support assembly from a downward position to a top position about the exercise machine frame via the user&#39;s knees. Positioning a user&#39;s legs may include positioning the lower portion of the user&#39;s legs and knees against a knee pad assembly which is attached to the frame. After the step of moving the user&#39;s body from a downward position to a top position, the user&#39;s body may be moved from the top position to the downward position by pivoting the body support assembly from the top position to the downward position about the exercise machine frame via the user&#39;s knees. Counter balancing the user&#39;s body may include the step of offsetting the user&#39;s body weight by adding weight resistance to a weight bearing end of a reaction arm extending away from the body support assembly. The weight bearing end may be opposite the body support assembly. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       The invention may be more completely understood in consideration of the following drawing figures and description wherein like reference numbers identify like parts throughout. 
         FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an embodiment of an exercise machine; 
         FIG. 2  is a front view of the exercise machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 3  is a rear view of the exercise machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 4  is a side view of the exercise machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 5  is an alternative side view of the exercise machine of  FIG. 1  showing angular displacement of a knee pad assembly; 
         FIG. 6A  shows an embodiment of a weight bearing end of a counter balance assembly of the exercise machine of  FIG. 1 ; 
         FIG. 6B  shows the weight bearing end of  FIG. 6A  in a different angular position; 
         FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of a chest pad assembly; 
         FIG. 8  shows an embodiment of an exercise machine including a cable and pulley system; 
         FIG. 9  shows a user positioned on the exercise machine of  FIG. 1 ; and 
         FIG. 10  shows the exercise machine of  FIG. 1  in use. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
     For purposes of the description hereinafter, spatial orientation terms, if used, shall relate to the referenced embodiment as it is oriented in the accompanying drawing figures, or otherwise described in the following detailed description. However, it is to be understood that the embodiments described hereinafter may assume many alternative variations and embodiments and that the specific embodiments illustrated in the accompanying drawing figures and described herein are simply exemplary and should not be considered as limiting. 
     Referring first to  FIGS. 1-4 , an exercise machine  10  may generally include a frame  20 , a body support assembly  30 , and a counter balance assembly  40 . The body support assembly  30  and counter balance assembly  40  may be pivotable with respect to the frame  20  at a pivot point  35 . 
     As shown, the counter balance assembly  40  may include a reaction arm  42 , which extends from the rear portion of the body support assembly  30 . The reaction arm  42 , being part of counter balance assembly  40 , is also pivotable about the frame  20  and may include a weight bearing end  44 , which is opposite the body support assembly  30 . As illustrated in  FIGS. 1-4 , the weight bearing end  44  is adapted to receive weights directly thereon. The weight bearing end  44  may, for example, include tubing  46 , which can receive weights  48 , such as Olympic-style weights. Tubing  46  can be metal tubing, such as two inch round aluminum tubes. Referring now to  FIGS. 6A and 6B , the weight bearing end  44  of reaction arm  42  may optionally be pivotable with respect to the reaction arm  42  by, for example, a hinge  45 . In this embodiment, the weight bearing end  44  may be angularly adjustable with respect to the reaction arm  42  between a plurality of angular positions from a position extending completely outward from and parallel to reaction arm  42 , indicated in  FIG. 6A , to any position along broken line A, such as that indicated in  FIG. 6B . The hinge  45  of adjustable weight bearing end  44  may be lockable, such that weight bearing end  44  does not pivot about hinge  45  while in use, thereby maintaining a constant angular position with respect to reaction arm  42 . 
     Referring now to  FIG. 8 , the counter balance assembly  40  may alternatively include a cable and pulley system  144 . Counter balance assembly  40  includes reaction arm  142 , which is connected to a cable  145 , which runs over a pulley  146 , which is capable of lifting weights from weight stack  148  via a lifting rod. The weights in the weight stack  148  may be a plurality of ten pound plates. In use, when a user is in a downward position, the reaction arm  42  will rotate with the body support assembly  30 , thereby pulling weights from weight stack  148  upward with the weight stack  148  counter balancing the user&#39;s body weight. In this embodiment, reaction arm  42  may be welded to chest pad frame  32 , at an angle as shown, so that chest pad frame  32  and reaction arm  42  are fixedly secured to each other. 
     Referring now again to  FIGS. 1-4 , the exercise machine frame  20  may include a base frame  22 , two side frames  24 , which may extend in an upward direction from the base frame  22 , and a knee pad mounting bar  26 . The knee pad mounting bar  26  may be connected to an elevated platform  28 . As best illustrated in  FIGS. 3-5 , the frame  20  may include two knee pad mounting bars  26 . The knee pad mounting bar  26  may be positioned on a front edge of the platform  28 , with the platform being supported by two vertical bars  27  extending downwardly to a base cross bar  29 , which attaches to and extends between the base frame  22 . The frame may also include a ladder  25  attached to a rear portion of platform  28 . Attached to the knee pad mounting bar  26  is a knee pad assembly  50 . The knee pad assembly  50  may include a knee pad  55  attached to a knee pad frame  52 , which includes rear extensions  54 , which are attached to knee pad mounting bar  26 . The knee pad assembly  50  may also include adjustable toe and heel pads  58  between which a user&#39;s feet are secured during use. A steel bar  56  may extend through extensions  54  and knee pad mounting bar  26 , thereby connecting the knee pad frame  52  to knee pad mounting bar  26 . The knee pad assembly  50  may be positioned at any angular position, for example, a 75° angle to a horizontal plane, and the knee pad assembly  50  may permanently secured in that angular position. However, alternatively, referring to  FIGS. 4 and 5 , the knee pad assembly  50  may also be adjustable between a plurality of angular positions between, for example, between 90° and 45° or between 90° and 0° to a horizontal plane, wherein at 0° the knee pad assembly  50  would be parallel to the ground. As shown in  FIG. 5 , the angle of the knee pad assembly  50  is less than the angle shown in  FIG. 4 . The knee pad mounting bar  26  may permit the knee pad assembly  50  to be angularly adjustable with respect to the frame  20  and/or platform  28 , such that knee pad assembly  50  pivots about mounting bar  26 . The knee pad assembly  50  may then be fixedly secured in any of the plurality of angular positions by way of a removable pin and adjustment bar connected under a front part of the knee pad assembly  50 . The adjustment bar may be a curved piece of 1½ inch metal tubing which is mounted to a bottom portion of the knee pad frame  52  which extends between vertical bars  27 , wherein a the pin extends through apertures defined through the adjustment bar and vertical bars  27  to fixedly secure the knee pad assembly  50  in place. Such an arrangement will allow the knee pad assembly  50  to be fixedly secured during use between any number of positions. 
     The body support assembly  30 , shown in  FIGS. 1-4 , may be, for example, a chest pad assembly having a chest pad frame  32  to which a chest pad  34  is attached. The body support assembly  30  may also include a pivot bar  36 , as best shown in  FIG. 2 , extending through a rear portion of the body support assembly  30  and a bottom portion of knee pad assembly  50 , thereby defining an axis of rotation between body support assembly  30  and knee pad assembly  50 . The pivot bar  36  may extend through chest pad frame  32  and knee pad frame  52  via cylinder fittings positioned therethrough. The pivot bar  36  allows the body support assembly  30  to pivot about knee pad assembly  50  during operation of exercise machine  10 , and corresponds to pivot point  35  on body support assembly  30 . As shown, the reaction arm  42  of counter balance assembly  40  may be an extension of chest pad frame  32 , which extends from pivot point  35  in a rearward direction. 
     Also, the chest pad frame  32  may be vertically adjustable to account for variations in a user&#39;s height. For example, chest pad frame  32  may be adjustable to various vertical positions indicated by adjustment holes  38  on chest pad frame  32 . The chest pad frame  32  may be in slidable engagement with reaction arm  42 , such that chest pad frame  32  may be slidably adjusted to any of the positions indicated by adjustment holes  38 . 
     As best shown in  FIGS. 1-3 , the frame  20  may also include a stopper pad  37  which provides a limit on the amount of angular/pivotable displacement of chest pad assembly  30  and reaction arm  42 . For example, in an unused state, reaction arm  42  will pivot to a downward position and chest pad assembly  30  will pivot to an opposite upward position until reaction arm  42  contacts stopper pad  37 . In an opposite position, when the exercise machine  10  is being used and the chest pad assembly  30  is in a downward position, with reaction arm  42  in an upward position, the chest pad frame  32  will contact stopper pad  37  at its lowest point, thereby preventing chest pad assembly  30  and reaction  42  from pivoting any further. The stopper pad  37  may be constructed of any material suitable to withstand the repeated contact of reaction arm  42  and chest pad assembly  30 . Also, referring to  FIGS. 1 ,  4 , and  5 , stopper pad  37  may be vertically adjustable via a removable pin or bolt  39   a  and adjustment holes  39   b , wherein the bolt  39   a  would extend through side frame  24 , stopper pad  37 , and a vertical bar  27 . The lower stopper pad  37  is positioned, the greater the amount of allowed angular displacement of chest pad assembly  30  and reaction arm  42 . For example, in an unused state with chest pad assembly  30  in the upward position, chest pad assembly  30  will be closer to vertical, the lower stopper pad  37  is positioned. 
     Referring now to  FIG. 7 , in an alternative embodiment, the chest pad frame  32  may include an adjustment member  31 , which is attached to a rear portion of the chest pad  34 . The chest pad frame  32  may optionally be attached to a wood plate, which may, for example, be twenty inches, which, in turn, may be attached to 3/16 or ¼ inch plate aluminum. The adjustment member  31  may then be attached to a rear portion of the plate aluminum. The adjustment member  31  is in slidable engagement with the chest pad frame  32  and may be adjustable to various positions via an adjustable spring loaded pin or plunger pin  33 . The chest pad frame  32  may include, for example, two inch square metal tubing whereas adjustment member  31  may include 1 ¾ inch square tubing so as to be able to be in slidable engagement with chest pad frame  32 . 
     In general, the construction of exercise machine  10 , including frame  20 , body support assembly  30 , and counter balance assembly  40  may include metal tubing sections, such as two by two or two by four metal tubing. The tubing sections could then be welded and/or bolted together. 
     Referring now to  FIGS. 9 and 10 , in use, a user would secure their feet between toe and heel pad  58  with their knees and shins being positioned against knee pad  55 , thereby maintaining the lower legs and knees of the user in a stationary position. The user would then orient his or her body prone against the body support assembly  30 . The user&#39;s body weight will force the body support assembly  30  to pivot to a downward position with the counter balance assembly  40  pivoting to an opposite upward position, as shown in  FIG. 10 . The user will then pivot his or her body and body support assembly  30  by pulling the top two-thirds of the body, including the torso, up at the user&#39;s knees toward the lower portion of the user&#39;s legs positioned against the knee pad assembly  50 , The counter balance assembly  40  will offset the user&#39;s body weight because with weight bearing end  44  of counter balance assembly  40  being in an upward position, gravity will act to pull the weight downward, thereby assisting the user to complete the motion. Upon completion of the motion, the user&#39;s head will be pointed toward the ceiling. This motion will provide tension in the user&#39;s hamstring and gluteus muscles, which upon release of that tension, the user&#39;s body weight will again force the body support assembly  30  downward and the counter balance assembly  40  upward. 
     When using the embodiment of weight bearing assembly  44 , including a hinge  45 , as noted above, the weight bearing assembly  44  is pivotable between a completely outward position wherein the weight bearing assembly  44  is parallel to reaction arm  42  and a plurality of other angular positions along broken line A. In use, the hinge  45  may be locked in any of such plurality of angular positions, or may be unlocked so that weight bearing assembly  44  may pivot about hinge  45  when in use as reaction arm  42  raises and lowers. When the weight bearing assembly  44  is completely outward parallel to reaction arm  42 , less weight will be needed to offset the user&#39;s body weight. This is because, generally, the longer the reaction arm  42  is in comparison to the rest of the exercise machine  10 , the greater the ability of counter balance assembly  40  is to offset the weight of a user when in use. 
     While specific embodiments of the above-described exercise machine have been described in detail, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various modifications and alternatives to those details could be developed in light of the overall teachings of the present disclosure. The presently preferred embodiments described herein are meant to be illustrative only and not limiting as to the scope of the invention, which is to be given the full breadth of the appended claims and any and all equivalents thereof.