Abstract:
The invention relates to a fitness apparatus for improving the health of the human body by a combination of physical exercise and alternating pressure applied to the body. The fitness device comprises a housing forming a pressure chamber. The housing is adapted to contain a training pressure. The training pressure is different from the ambient pressure on the outside of the housing. The housing comprises a sealable opening adapted to sealingly receive said person&#39;s waist. Within the pressure chamber, an exercise device is arranged having a seat for taking off the weight off the person&#39;s legs, a pair of movable actuation surfaces where exercise work can be introduced from the person&#39;s legs into the exercise device, and a resistance means connected to the actuation surfaces and adapted to absorb the exercise work. The actuation surfaces and the seat may be arranged to be movably adjustable relative to each other and to the opening. Further, the housing may be vertically divided into at least a first and a second part which may be slidingly separated for easier access.

Description:
FIELD OF THE INVENTION 
   The invention relates to a fitness apparatus for improving the health of the human body by a combination of physical exercise and alternating pressure applied to the body. In particular, the invention relates to a fitness apparatus having a pressure chamber and an exercise device with a seat and operated by the legs to efficiently reduce the amount of fatty tissue in a selected body region. 
   BACKGROUND ART 
   The use of varying pressure for promoting blood circulation is known. U.S. Pat. No. 2,138,527 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,514,079 show the use of variable pressure for the treatment of injured limbs. 
   There exists a variety of devices for improving the physical fitness of the human body. 
   For example, in U.S. Pat. No. 1,336,774, an exercise bicycle is shown, which is arranges in a steam or vapour chamber. The steam chamber is sealed with a fabric cover which extends to the neck to a person such that the whole body of the person except for its head is contained within the chamber. A similar device is known from FR 2 102 886. 
   From the prior art, it is further known that a pressure acting on the skin of a human body and varying over time may have an effect on the blood circulation within the skin and improve the breakdown of fatty tissue within or underneath the skin. 
   For example U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,946 is concerned with using alternating pressure for cellulite reduction. In a high pressure phase, fluid is pressed from the lymphatic system and then sucked back in a low pressure phase, leading to an improved circulation of lymph over several alternating pressure cycles. U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,946 also contains a discussion of prior art, where a varying pressure is used for medical treatments. However, neither U.S. Pat. No. 6,539,946 nor the prior art discussed therein appears to be concerned with physical exercise. Rather, only the effect of alternating pressure on the skin of the human body is described. 
   The use of pressure chambers in combination with physical exercise appears to have resulted from manned spaceflight, where it became necessary to simulate the effects of gravity on the human body for prolonged durations of spaceflight. 
   The pants of U.S. Pat. No. 4,421,109 use low pressure acting on the abdomen and legs a person to simulate the increased blood flow to these regions. Just like in a gravitational field, the blood flow is forced to the legs and the abdomen by the low pressure. For a more accurate simulation of gravity, the pants have a plurality of pressure chambers that are supplied with low pressure that increases with increasing distance from the heart. 
   In U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,339, a device is used to generate a force acting on the whole body of the person, this force simulating a gravity force. If, for example, the lower part of a person is put in a pressure chamber supplied with a lower pressure than the ambient pressure, a force is generated by this pressure difference which has the same effect as an increased gravitational force. In order to correctly simulate the gravity effects, however, it is essential that the force generated by the pressure difference acts on the musculoskeletal structure of the body, i.e. the back and the legs. Thus, the device of U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,339 is to be used while standing. This, however, is of disadvantage, as for example a person with a very weak body condition, such as an adipose person, can only use the device at very weak pressures, otherwise the strain on the muscoskeletal structure and on the circulation would be too high. This means, however, that such a person cannot benefit much from an increase in blood pressure. 
   In applicant&#39;s co-pending Ser. No. 09/818,999, now U.S. Pat. No. 7,141,067, which is included as a whole by way of reference, and in EP-A-906,774, a fitness device with a pressure chamber and an exercise device is used for shaping the human body and increasing its fitness. In contrast to U.S. Pat. No. 5,133,339, the exercise device comprises a seat to take the weight off the person&#39;s legs so that the exercise device is used without any gravitational-like influence of pressure on the level of exercise device. This allows to adjust the level of physical exercise independently of the pressure acting on the skin. With this improvement, the effects of physical exercise and of pressure can be independently combined and tailored to the various needs and conditions of the persons using the fitness device. 
   Although there are several concepts for using low pressure and physical exercise to increase the fitness of a person and to reduce cellulite, there is still need to provide a fitness apparatus which is easy and safe to use, and which can be adapted to various body shapes and exercise needs. 
   SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
   It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a fitness apparatus which is easy and safe to use, and which can be adapted to various body shapes and exercise needs. 
   It is a further object of the invention to provide a fitness apparatus that allows the effect of blood circulation within the skin to be controlled independently of the level of physical exercise to accommodate the various exercise needs and conditions of persons. 
   These and other objects of the inventions are accomplished with the inventive fitness apparatus comprising a housing forming a pressure chamber, said housing being adapted to contain a training pressure, said training pressure being different from the ambient pressure on the outside of said housing, said housing comprising a sealable opening adapted to sealingly receive said person&#39;s waist, an exercise device arranged within said pressure chamber, said exercise device having a seat for taking off the weight off said person&#39;s legs, an actuation device having a pair of movable actuation surfaces where an exercise work can be introduced from said person&#39;s legs into said exercise device, and a resistance means connected to said actuation device and adapted to absorb said exercise work, wherein said actuation surfaces and said seat are arranged to be movably adjustable relative to each other and to said opening. 
   The actuation surfaces, for example pedals of a stepper, a bicycle, an ellipsoid trainer or other, are moved by the legs of the person, thus providing the physical exercise. As the weight of the person is supported by the seat, the pressure within the chamber has no effect on the physical work during exercise. Consequently, the level of cardiovascular activity and thus blood pressure and blood flow is independent of the pressure within the pressure chamber. 
   To accommodate different body sizes, the seat and the actuation device are arranged movable relative to each other according to the invention. More importantly, however, both the actuation surfaces and the seat are movable with respect to the opening through which the body of the person extends during exercise. This allows to adjust the extent of the pressure chamber over the person&#39;s body to the needs of the person without any adverse effects on the ergonomics of the fitness device. For example, if the abdomen is to be included within the pressure chamber, both the seat and the actuation surfaces are moved into the pressure chamber to accommodate more of the person&#39;s body within the pressure chamber. If, in contrast, the effect of the varying pressure within the pressure chamber is not to extend over the abdomen, the seat and the actuation surfaces are moved such that the abdomen is positioned outside the pressure chamber. Moreover, adjustment of the relative positions of the seat and the intersection surfaces determine, on which muscles the physical exercise is to be focused. 
   To further improve the ergonomics of the fitness device, the actuation device may be adjustable along a first linear path, and the seat may be adjustable along a second linear path, the first linear path being preferably inclined with respect to the second linear path. Moreover, the first linear path may be less inclined with respect to a horizontal direction than said second linear path. 
   The first linear path and the second linear path may be inclined with respect to each other by an angle of at least 10 degrees and at most 20, preferably 15 degrees. The first linear path may be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction at an angle between 65 and 75 degrees. The said second linear path may be inclined with respect to the horizontal direction at an angle between 80 and 90 degrees. 
   The fitness device may further comprise an adjustment drive system, which generates an adjustment force acting on at least one of the seat and the actuation device and is adapted to move said at least one of the seat and the actuation device along their respective adjustment paths. 
   The adjustment drive system may comprise a pair of first and second electric motors. The first electric motor may operatively disposed between the actuation device and the housing, the second electric motor may be operatively disposed between the seat and the housing. 
   To be able to handle the fitness device as an integral unit with no outer parts, the adjustment drive system may be received within said housing. 
   The fitness device may comprise a structure supporting the exercise device and said seat, the support structure being formed by a tubular frame which is arranged in a back part of said pressure chamber to allow enough room for the person within the pressure chamber and, at the same time, allowing a housing of small size. In particular, a height of the support structure in a vertical direction may be larger than its width in a horizontal direction. Thus, the support structure is elongated in the vertical direction, allowing for free space in the horizontal direction without any parts in the front parts. The structure may be a mounting point for the components of the fitness device, thus allowing a pre-assembly of the components on the structure as a unit prior to assembly of the housing. 
   Specifically, the shape of the support structure may mirror the shape of the housing of which a height in a vertical direction may be larger than a cross-sectional dimension in a horizontal direction. 
   At least one of the first and second linear path may be formed by a sliding surface of a part of said support structure. 
   The housing may comprise a first part and a second part, the first part being arranged horizontally movable with respect to the second part from a training position, in which the first part is in pressure-tight engagement with the second part, into an access position, in which the first part and the second part are spaced apart from each other to form an access opening. 
   In the access position, said housing may be vertically split into two halves, a first half formed by said first part, a second half formed by said second part. 
   The first part may be slidingly supported on a rail to ease handling and to guide the sealing surfaces onto each other during closing motion. 
   The rail may be directed downwards at least in an end region facing away from said second part. In particular, the first part may rest upon the floor if it is slid on the end region of the rail. Thus, the weight of the first part is taken off the rail in the end position. 
   Further, the downwardly sloped end of the rail secures the first part in the end position as additional force for overcoming gravity has to be used to move the first part from the end position. 
   For easier handling, the fitness apparatus my further comprise an access drive system, which generates a moving force acting on the first and second part and adapted to support transfer of the first and second part from the training position into the access position and/or back. 
   In particular, the fitness access drive system may comprise at least one spring element, preferably a pressure cylinder, that is operatively disposed between the first and said second part. 
   The access drive system my be adapted to generate a sealing force in the training position, the sealing force acting to form an air-tight engagement between the first part and the second part. 
   To secure the housing in the training position against the force generated, if the pressure chamber is supplied with a high pressure, a locking device, such as a hook device, may be provided, locking the first part to the second part in the training position. 
   The locking device is held in a locking position by one of a pressure and an electromagnetic force generated by said drive system thus allowing a fail-safe operation where the lock is released if power supply to the locking system fails. 
   To avoid an expensive sealing system and to create a unitary device without peripheral devices, at least one of the drive system and the rail, preferably both, may arranged within said housing. 
   A handle may be arranged on the outside of at least one of said first and said second part in a vicinity of said access opening and in a top region of said housing. The handle allows to easily close the fitness device. The indicated position in the vicinity of the opening further allows use of the handle to steady the body during exercise. 
   In a further improvement, the locking device may be operatively connected to said handle so that the housing may be opened using the handle. 
   Further, the handle may form a cover covering a seam between said first and said second half. In this configuration, the handle safeguards the person&#39;s hand against getting caught between the first and the second part of the housing. 
   The costs of the manufacturing of the fitness device may be lowered if the first and the second part are each formed from an integral shell made of synthetics. 
   The second part may form a base plate, which extends underneath said first part, preferably spaced apart from the second part to allow cooling from below. 
   The first and said second part may be engaged by a key and slot seal in said training position. 
   The fitness device may comprise a pressure pump adapted to generate a differential pressure between +60 mbar and −60 mbar with respect to an ambient pressure outside of said housing. The pressure may be alternating over time. The pump may be integrated within the housing. 
   The fitness device may also comprise a flexible vacuum cover, an outer perimeter of the vacuum cover being adapted to be connected in an air-tight manner to an edge of the opening and an inner perimeter of the vacuum cover being adapted to be connected in an air-tight manner with the person&#39;s body. 
   The above and other objects of the invention are further accomplished with a fitness apparatus for the physical training of a person, said fitness device comprising a housing forming a pressure chamber, said housing being adapted to contain a training pressure, said training pressure being different from the ambient pressure on the outside of said housing, said housing comprising a sealable opening adapted to sealingly receive said person&#39;s waist, an exercise device arranged within said pressure chamber, said exercise device having a seat for taking off the weight off said person&#39;s legs, a pair of movable actuation surfaces where exercise work from can be introduced said person&#39;s legs into said exercise device, and a resistance means connected to said actuation surfaces and adapted to absorb said exercise work, wherein said housing is vertically divided into at least a first part and a second part, said first part being connected to said second part via a sliding mechanism and being arranged horizontally movable with respect to said second part from a training position, in which said first part is in pressure-tight engagement with said second part, into an access position, in which said first part and said second part are spaced apart from each other to form an access opening. 

   
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
       FIG. 1  shows a first schematic and perspective view of an embodiment of the invention; 
       FIG. 2  shows a detail of the embodiment of  FIG. 1  in a perspective view of; 
       FIG. 3  shows another schematic and perspective view of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; 
       FIG. 4  shows a schematic sectional view along a substantially horizontal plane of the embodiment of  FIG. 1 ; and 
       FIG. 5  shows an alternative embodiment. 
   

   DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT 
   First, the structure of an embodiment of a fitness apparatus according to the invention is described with reference to  FIG. 1 to 4 . 
   In  FIG. 1 , it can be seen that the fitness device  1  comprises a housing  2  of an upright ovoid shape. Housing  2  may be composed of a first, e.g. front, part  4  and second, e.g. rear, part  6 . Parts  4  and  6  can be moved apart from each other into an access position shown in  FIG. 3  to allow easy access into pressure chamber  8  for a person wanting to use fitness device  1 .  FIG. 1  shows a training position of parts  4  and  6 , where parts  4  and  6  are engaged in an air-tight manner. The training position is used if a person uses fitness device  1 . Both parts  4  and  6  are preferably made from a synthetic material such as a plastics material. 
   Housing  2  surrounds a pressure chamber  8  that opens to the top of fitness apparatus  1  via an opening  10  which extends in a substantially horizontal plane. Opening  10  is somewhat above waist-height from a bottom  11  of part  4 , e.g. 1 to 1.3 meters above bottom  11 . Thus, opening  10  surrounds a person using fitness device  1  at about waist- to lower-chest-level. 
   Except for opening  10 , housing  2  encloses pressure chamber  8  in an air-tight manner so that pressure chamber  8  may be loaded with a pressure that differs from the ambient pressure outside of fitness device  1 . 
   As can be seen from  FIG. 1 , second part  6  forms a base plate  12  which is used as a stand for fitness device  1 . Base plate  12  extends underneath first part  4  while being spaced apart from part  4 . Thus, bottom  11  of part  4  is freely accessible from below. 
   Further, second part  6  forms a back rest  14  which, vertically, extends beyond the plane of opening  10 . To increase stability, second part  6  is preferably tapered in the upward vertical direction thus increasing the area, on which fitness apparatus  1  rests, in the front-rear direction. 
   First part  4  is equipped with a console device  16 , such as an input device for an electronic control unit  18  shown in  FIG. 4 . Console device  16  may comprise for example a touch-screen and a computer display. 
   At both sides of fitness device, in the vicinity of a seam  19  where parts  4  and  6  are joined, preferably at the top region close to opening  10 , handles  20  are provided. As can be seen from arrow  22  of  FIG. 2 , handles  20  are pivotably arranged on first part  4  and operatively connected to a locking device  24  locking parts  4  and  6  together in the training position. The pivot axis of handle  20  is denoted by “P” in  FIG. 2 . By operating handles  20 , locking device  24  such as a pressure-driven hook, which is preferred, or an electromagnet may be released and engaged. 
   Handles  20  are spaced apart from seam  19  and, at the same time, form a protective cover so that the hands of a person operating handles  20  are not caught between parts  4  and  6 . Providing a protrusion  26  extending towards seam  19  and being arranged on the end facing away from a center of pivot P of handles  20  may be an easy way to safely distance handles  20  from seam  19 . 
     FIG. 3  shows fitness apparatus  1  in the access position. First part  4  is slid away from second part  6  in a forward direction, thus creating a pair of access openings  28  on both sides between parts  4  and  6 . For sealing parts  4  and  6 , preferably a slot and key seal is used on seam  19 . The same slot and key seal may be used to mount a flexible cover C in opening  10  for sealing opening  10  against the body of a person in the training position. 
   For opening housing  2 , first part  4  is connected to second part  6  via a sliding mechanism  29 . Sliding mechanism  29  may for example comprise a rail  30  or other guide and rollers  32  that are arranged within pressure chamber  8  at the height of bottom  11 . For example, rail  30  may be fixed on first part  4  and rollers  32  on second part  6 . Although this arrangement allows the rail to be shorter, also the reverse arrangement is possible, where rail  30  is fixed on second part  6  and rollers  32  on first part  4 . Rollers  32  allow a sliding motion of rail  30  and thus a movement of first part  4  towards and away from second, stationary, part  6 . To increase stability, a pair of rails  30  may be provided on each side 
   In  FIG. 3 , the interior of fitness device  1  can be seen. Within pressure chamber  8 , an exercise device  34  is arranged. Exercise device  34  comprises a seat  36  and an actuation device  37  having actuation surfaces  38  adapted to take up a force generated by the legs of a person using fitness device  1  and seated on seat  36 . Actuation surfaces  38  may be pedals or the like. 
   Actuation surfaces  38  are movably mounted on a first sliding frame  39  that is slidingly supported on a first support frame  40  having a sliding surface  42 . Sliding surface  42  defines a first, substantially linear path  44  for adjusting the height of exercise device  34  with respect to both opening  10  and seat  36 . First linear path  44  is inclined with respect to the vertical direction. In particular, the inclination of the first path  44  may be between around 65 and 75 degrees with respect to the horizontal direction. To stabilize exercise device  34  and absorb torque acting on exercise device  34  during operation, first support frame  40  and sliding surface  42  may overlap in the lateral direction by a specified distance. This may be accomplished, as shown in  FIG. 3  by e.g. arranging sliding surface  42  on both sides of support frame  40 . 
   Seat  36  is supported on a second sliding frame  46  that may be slid on a second support frame  48  in a direction slightly inclined with respect to the vertical direction, along a second, substantially linear path  50 . Second path  50  is inclined with respect to the horizontal preferably by an angle between 80 and 90 degrees. This allows for adjusting the height of seat  36  with respect to both opening  10  and actuation surfaces  38 . It has been shown in experiments conducted by the inventor that very good ergonomics of exercise device  34  can be maintained irrespective of the relative position of seat  36  and actuation surfaces  38  if first linear adjustment path  44  is less inclined with respect to the horizontal direction than second linear adjustment path  50 . For best results, the difference between paths  44  and  50  is between 10 and 15 degrees, in particular around 13 degrees. 
   As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , second sliding frame  46  forms two legs  52  and  54  that extend on both sides of first support frame  40 . This increases the lengths of paths  44  and  50 , by allowing to shift sliding frame  46  in a very low position. At the same time legs  52  and  54  form elongated support surfaces that absorb the weight of a person sitting on seat  36 . Thus, stability of seat  36  is increased. 
   As shown in  FIG. 3 , exercise device  34  may be a bicycle. However, also an ellipsoid trainer or a stepper or other device may be used that may be operated by the legs of a seated person. 
   The structure and function of the elements of fitness device  1  within pressure chamber  8  becomes more clearly when looking at  FIG. 4 . It is to be noted that for clarity&#39;s sake, actuation surfaces  38  have been omitted in  FIG. 4 . However, it is evident from  FIG. 3  that actuation surfaces  38  are, in the case of a bicycle trainer, rotatably connected to a resistance means  55 , such as an eddy current brake or a fluid brake. 
   As can be seen from  FIG. 4 , housing  2  encloses a structure  60  having a support plate  62  and a support  64 . On support plate  62 , essentially all components of fitness device  1  are mounted, either directly, or via support  64 . This arrangement allows to pre-assemble all components on structure  60  as a unit and then to mount parts  4  and  6  on the pre-assembled unit. 
   Structure  60  opens to the front, i.e. exercise device  34  is freely accessible from the front without any further parts impeding access. Further, to reduce space taken up by the fitness device, structure  60  is vertically elongated, i.e. its height is larger than its width in a horizontal direction. In combination with the upright ovoid shape of housing  2 , which has its largest cross-section approximately at knee-level of the training person, this ensures sufficient room for the knees of the training person to move freely. 
   Support  64  is of substantially triangular shape and comprises inclined first support frame  40  and a substantially vertical back frame  66 , which are connected to each other at the upper part, at approximately ½ to ⅘ of the total height of back frame  66 . On support plate  62 , first support frame  40  and back frame  66  are spaced apart from each other in the horizontal direction. In fact, first support frame  40  may consist of two bars lying parallel to each other and being arranged on both sides of back frame  66 . Thus, the connecting points on support plate  62  of the two bars of first support frame  60  and back frame  66  form a triangle effecting an increase of steadiness of structure  60 . 
   Above the region where first support frame  40  is connected to back frame  66 , back frame  66  forms second support frame  48 , on which seat  36  is slidingly arranged. Second linear adjustment path  50  is formed by an inclined section  67  of the front part of back frame  66 . 
   Fitness device  1  is further provided with a drive system  68  for generating a driving force adapted to move at least one of, preferably all of, actuation surfaces  38 , preferably together with resistance means  55 , and seat  36 , independently along their respective first and second linear adjustment paths  44  and  50 . Drive system  68  is controlled via console device  16  and comprises at least two linear motors  70  and  72 , which may be pressure cylinders, as shown in  FIG. 4 , or electric motors, such as a rotating electric motor with a gear for translating the rotatory motor movement into a translatory movement or a motor with a lifting spindle, or a linear motor. 
   Motor  70  is operatively disposed between first sliding frame  39  and structure  60 , e.g. in the case of a pressure cylinder via joints  74  that allow a rotation of motor  70 . As can be seen from  FIG. 3 , motor  70  may be mounted directly on support plate  62 . A dotted line shows the upper end position of resistance means  55 . Upon operation, motor  70  moves first sliding frame  39  along first linear adjustment path  44 . A dotted line shows the upper end position of resistance means  55 . 
   Motor  72  is operatively disposed between second sliding frame  46  and structure  60 , in particular back frame  66 . Upon operation, motor  72  moves second sliding frame  46  along second linear adjustment path  50 . A dotted line shows a second position of a seat bar  76 , on which seat  36  is arranged. To allow adjustment of seat  38  in the front-rear direction, seat  36  is slidingly held on seat bar  76  and can be fixed in any position along seat bar  76 . 
   Motors  70  and  72  may be supplied in the case of pressure cylinders with pressure from a compressor  78 . Motors  70  and  72  are received in the pressure chamber. A housing (not shown) may be provided as a protection against sweat, dirt and accidental touching by a person using fitness trainer 1. 
   Within pressure chamber  8 , a pressure pump  80  adapted to generated a pressure both of up to +60 mbar above and −60 mbar below ambient pressure is also located. Via opening  82 , pressure pump  80  may communicate with the environment to discharge or suck in air. Pressure pump  80  is also equipped with an air condition device  84 , which is adapted to keep the temperature, and preferably also the humidity, of the air within pressure chamber  8  in a region that may be pre-specified via console device  16 . 
   Console device  16  may be adjustable, as shown by dotted lines, to allow good visibility irrespective of the height and seating position of the person using the trainer. 
   Rail  30  is fixed to bottom  11  of part  4  and is of a bent shape extending in substantially an arc  88  from support plate  62  to bottom  11  of first part  4 . The center of curvature of arc  88  is below rail  30 . Thus, the path of first part  4 , while moving away from part  6 , is directed downwards at least close to the end position if rail  30  moves past stationary rolls  32 . In the end position, part  4  may rest on the ground or on base plate  12  to relieve rail  30 . 
   There are at least three, preferably as shown four, rollers  32  to take up any momentum generated by the weight of first part  4 . Two rollers are arranged on each side of rail  30 . The structure, which rotatably holds rollers  32  is not shown in  FIG. 3  for clarity&#39;s sake. An upright piece of sheet metal mounted on support plate  62  may be used for this purpose. 
   To assist in moving first part  4 , a support device  90  such as a spring element, for example a pneumatic spring may be used that is interposed between rail  30  and structure  60 . However, to secure first part  4  against second part  6  in the training position, if pressure chamber  8  is loaded with a high pressure, a locking means  24  as described above is necessary. 
   Finally, a differential pressure sensor  92  with a pilot connection to the outside of fitness trainer  1  is arranged within pressure chamber  8  to monitor the pressure difference between pressure chamber  8  and the environment. 
   A wheel  94  on support plate  62  may help moving fitness apparatus  1  once assembled. 
   Locking means  24  may comprise a hooking means, such as a bolt  96  that can be locked against a biasing force by a pressure cylinder  98  to avoid accidental opening of housing  2 . If not in use, or during power failure, bolt  94  is released due to the biasing force. Pressure cylinder  98  may be activated by a compressor  100 . As indicated in  FIG. 5 , the pressure cylinder  98  can be replaced by an electromagnet  111  and the compressor  100  can be replaced by a generator  110  which supplies electrical power to the electromagnet  111 . 
   It is to be noted that, in an alternative arrangement, first part  4  may be stationary and second part  6  be slid away from first part  4 . This, however, is not preferred, as it requires a higher design effort to move exercise device  30  together with part  6 . 
   Next, the operation of fitness trainer  1  is described. 
   A person first grasps one of handles  20  to release locking mechanism  24  and to pull first part  4  away from second part  6  into the access position. In this, the person is aided by support device  90 . The person enters pressure chamber  8  through the access opening and takes place on seat  38  and places his or her feet on actuation surfaces  38 . Automatically, the upper body of the person will extend through opening  10 . Grasping again one of handles  20 , first part  4  is moved, with the help of support mechanism  90 , to second part  6  and locking mechanism  24  is engaged to lock first part  4  in an air-tight manner to second part  6 . A flexible cover is put around the waist of the person to seal opening  10 . 
   Next, the person adjusts, via console device  16  and motor  72 , seat  36  and actuation device  37 . If the person chooses a very high position of seat  36 , the pressure in pressure chamber  8  will only extend over a small portion of the abdomen. This portion is increased if the seat is lowered, as more of the person&#39;s upper body is immersed into pressure chamber  8 . Again via console device  16 , the position of actuation surfaces  38  is adjusted. The distance between seat  36  and actuation surfaces  38  determines which muscles will be exercised. The closer seat  36  is to actuation surfaces  38 , the more the muscles in the buttocks have to work, the farther away seat  36  is, the more power will have to come from the thighs. By allowing a motorized independent adjustment of seat  36  and actuation surfaces  38 , the physical exercise can be directed to specific parts of the body while, at the same time, allowing to independently adjust the surface on which the pressure acts. 
   Finally, the person chooses a treading resistance and an alternating pressure profile which defines a time-varying training pressure. Training pressure may vary between +60 mbar and −60 mbar. 
   To allow for training programs, console device  16  may comprise a memory  102 , in which individual exercise programs and body measures are stored. Thus, fitness device  1  may, upon entry of a code on console device  16 , automatically adapt the position of seat  36  and actuation surfaces  38  as well as the treading resistance and pressure alternations to the user&#39;s requirements. 
   In the specification above, one way to carry out the invention has been described with reference to the embodiment shown in the drawings. It is understood that various modifications and variations as well as different combination of features from the embodiment shown and described may exist. All these are supposed to fall within the scope of the claims as given below.