Patent Publication Number: US-10758769-B2

Title: Exercise loops

Description:
TECHNICAL FIELD 
     The present invention relates to exercise loops with which training can be carried out by utilizing the elasticity of the loop. 
     BACKGROUND ART 
     Ring-shaped exercise loops made of an elastic material such as rubber have been used in muscle training and stretching. Unlike training that utilizes one&#39;s own weight as in weight training, training involving an exercise loop not only inhibits the use of inertia or bouncing, but also is capable of imparting a load to various planes (e.g., the sagittal plane, frontal plane, and transverse plane) of a human body, and therefore effective training can be carried out. As for a conventional exercise tool, Patent Literature 1 discloses a fitness tool wherein four ring-shaped rubber members are securely held at one place by a bundling member. 
     CITATION LIST 
     Patent Literature 
     Patent Literature 1: JP 2003-144576A 
     SUMMARY OF INVENTION 
     Technical Problem 
     When a plurality of ring-shaped rubber members are provided as in the above-described conventional exercise tool, stretch resistance can be increased by placing the ring-shaped rubber members one on top of the other, and thus the potential users and the type of training can be increased extensively. 
     However, the above-described conventional exercise tool is problematic in that the ring-shaped rubber members are securely held by the bundling member, so the bundling member becomes an obstacle when placing the ring-shaped rubber members one on top of the other, thus making it difficult to use the exercise tool. 
     Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide exercise loops that allow exercise intensity to be easily adjusted, enables various exercises, and has excellent portability and handleability as well. 
     Solution to Problem 
     The object of the present invention is achieved by exercise loops comprising a first loop, a second loop, and a third loop each formed by joining opposite ends of an elastic elongated member into a ring shape, wherein the first loop and the third loop are each connected so as to be interlocked with the second loop. 
     In this exercise loops, it is preferable that the first loop and the third loop each comprise a fastener that secures an engagement part engaged with the second loop and that is movable along the elongated member. 
     It is preferable that the first loop and the third loop are connected so as to be interlocked with each other. In this configuration, it is preferable that the exercise loops further comprise a fourth loop and a fifth loop each formed by joining opposite ends of an elastic elongated member into a ring shape. It is preferable that the fourth loop and the fifth loop are connected so as to be interlocked with each other and are also each connected so as to be interlocked with the second loop. The exercise loops can be configured such that stretch resistances are mutually different between the first loop and the third loop and between the fourth loop and the fifth loop. 
     Advantageous Effects of Invention 
     The present invention can provide exercise loops that allow exercise intensity to be easily adjusted, enables various exercises, and has excellent portability and handleability as well. 
    
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS 
         FIG. 1  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to one embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 2  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 3  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 4  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 5  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
         FIG. 6  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to yet another embodiment of the present invention. 
     
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS 
     Below, one embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the attached drawings.  FIG. 1  is a plan view showing exercise loops according to one embodiment of the present invention. As shown in  FIG. 1 , exercise loops  1  are formed by connecting a first loop  2 , a second loop  3 , and a third loop  4 . 
     The first loop  2 , the second loop  3 , and the third loop  4  are each formed by joining opposite ends of an elongated member, such as a string, a tube, or a belt, that is made of a stretchable material such as a rubber material or a spring material into a ring shape, and a pad or the like is wound around the joined parts to provide grips  2   a ,  3   a , and  4   a . As for the first loop  2  and the third loop  4 , the elongated members are inserted into the second loop  3 , and are thus each connected so as to be interlocked with the second loop  3 . The grips  2   a ,  3   a , and  4   a  are not essential, and the exercise loops may be configured without providing the grips  2   a ,  3   a , and  4   a  such that a user may grip any part of the elongated members. 
     It is preferable to set the first loop  2 , the second loop  3 , and the third loop  4  to have the same length. The first loop  2 , the second loop  3 , and the third loop  4  preferably have a flexible shape so as to be easily deformed, but may have a (mite shape such as a circle or an ellipse. 
     According to the exercise loops  1  having the above-described configuration, the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  are connected to the second loop  3  and integrated into a single body, and thus the exercise loops have excellent portability and handleability. When using the exercise loops, training and stretching can be carried out as with the commonly used exercise loops by using any of the first loop  2 , the second loop  3 , and the third loop  4  singly. 
     Moreover, in the exercise loops  1  of the present embodiment, the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  are each connected so as to be movable relative to the second loop  3 , and it is thus easy to form a double loop or a triple loop by placing them one on top of the other. Accordingly, exercise intensity can be easily adjusted by increasing the stretch resistance (the tension required for obtaining a specific elongation rate) of the exercise loops to the desired extent, and a variety of training activities can be carried out. Also, the positions of the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  relative to the second loop  3  can be easily adjusted, and thus training in accordance with the body height, the body shape, and the like can be suitably carried out. 
     For example, the exercise loops  1  are used in a double-loop or triple-loop form to carry out muscle contraction against high stretch resistance, then the stretch resistance of the exercise loops  1  is reduced to carry out a stretch exercise, and thus it is possible to use the exercise loops to increase the muscle length and the range of movement of a joint and also use it as an assisting tool for a stretch program. 
     A low-resistance load that cannot be provided by a training machine can be provided, and thus training of a body part whose range of movement is small can be carried out. On the other hand, training involving high exercise intensity is possible, and therefore the exercise loops can be utilized by a broad range of people including young people, elderly people, and those other than generally healthy people. 
     By adjusting stretch resistance, the exercise loops can be used for various purposes such as power, agility, and speed, and thus movements that are characteristic of a sporting event can be easily simulated so as to condition the muscle balance and increase muscle strength and muscle endurance. Accordingly, an increase of performance level and disability prevention can be achieved. 
     In the exercise loops  1  of the present embodiment, the first loop  2 , the second loop  3 , and the third loop  4  are all set to have the same stretch resistance, but each can be set to have different stretch resistances by changing the material, thickness, and the like. In this case, by selecting a suitable double-loop combination, exercise intensity can be finely adjusted. 
     In the exercise loops  1  of the present embodiment, as shown in  FIG. 1 , the third loop  4  is interlocked only with the second loop  3  and not interlocked with the first loop  2 , but as shown in  FIG. 2 , the third loop  4  may be interlocked with both the first loop  2  and the second loop  3 . In addition to enabling the same exercises to be carried out as those carried with the exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 1 , this configuration makes it easier to form a double loop or a triple loop by combining the third loop  4  with one or both of the first loop  2  and the second loop  3 , and the desired training can be efficiently carried out. 
     As shown in  FIG. 3 , fasteners  2   b  and  4   b  may be respectively provided on the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  each composed of an elongated member such as a string. The fasteners  2   b ,  4   b  are composed of belt-like hook-and-loop fasteners and are wound around the elongated members so as to form ring-shaped interlocking parts  2   c ,  4   c  on portions of the first loop  2  and the third loop  4 . 
     According to the configuration shown in  FIG. 3 , sliding the fasteners  2   b ,  4   b  along the elongated members as indicated by the arrows to reduce the sizes of the interlocking parts  2   c ,  4   c  makes it possible to secure the engagement parts of the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  to the second loop  3 , thus a suitable exercise can be effectively carried out (for example, a whole body exercise carried out with the second loop  3  looping around the neck of a user and the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  respectively looping around the right and left foot), and the variation of exercises can be increased. Moreover, by securing the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  to the second loop  3 , the elongated members can be effectively prevented from being entangled with each other. 
     On the other hand, sliding the fasteners  2   b ,  4   b  in the directions opposite to the arrows to enlarge the interlocking parts  2   c ,  4   c  makes the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  smoothly movable along the second loop  3 , and the same exercises as those carried out with the exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 1  can be carried out. In this case, the sizes of the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  are also changed due to the movement of the fasteners  2   b ,  4   b , and thus can be suitably adjusted in accordance with the body height, the body shape, and the like. 
     As for the fasteners  2   b ,  4   b , various known configurations can be employed as long as the engaging parts of the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  are reliably secured to the second loop  3 . It is preferable that the fasteners  2   b ,  4   b  are capable of adjusting the sizes of the interlocking parts  2   c ,  4   c  by being slid along the elongated members. Other than the belts as in the present embodiment, the fasteners  2   b ,  4   b  may be rings, cylinders, buckles, or the like. 
     The exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 3  may be configured such that the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  are connected so as to be interlocked with each other as shown in  FIG. 4 . According to this configuration, in addition to enabling the same exercises to be carried out as those carried out with the exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 3 , the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  can be easily placed one on top of the other or separated from each other, for example, during exercises. Moreover, mutual entanglement of the elongated members can be more reliably prevented. 
     The exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 3  may be configured to further include a fourth loop  5  and a fifth loop  6  as shown in  FIG. 5 . As with the first loop  2  and the third loop  4 , the fourth loop  5  and the fifth loop  6  are each formed by joining the opposite ends of an elastic elongated member into a ring shape, are connected so as to be interlocked with the second loop  3 , and include fasteners  5   b  and  6   b  for being secured to the second loop  3 . 
     According to the exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 5 , an exercise can be carried out by, for example, looping the second loop  3  around the neck of a user, looping the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  respectively around the right and left foot, and gripping the fourth loop  5  and the fifth loop  6  respectively by the right and left hands, and thus a whole body exercise can be more effectively carried out. 
     The exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 5  may be configured such that the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  are connected so as to be interlocked with each other, and the fourth loop  5  and the fifth loop  6  are connected so as to be interlocked with each other as shown in  FIG. 6 . According to this configuration, in addition to enabling the same exercises to be carried out as those carried out with the exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 5 , the loops can be easily placed one on top of the other or separated from each other, and mutual entanglement of the elongated members can be prevented. 
     The exercise loops  1  shown in  FIG. 6  may be configured such that the stretch resistances are mutually different between the first loop  2  and the third loop  4  and between the fourth loop  5  and the fifth loop  6 , and by selectively using the loops, exercise intensity can be easily adjusted. Also, in the exercise loops  1  shown in  FIGS. 1 to 6 , the second loop  3  may be in a multi-loop form composed of two or more loops. 
     REFERENCE SIGNS LIST 
     
         
         
           
               1  Exercise loops 
               2  First loop 
               3  Second loop 
               4  Third loop 
               5  Fourth loop 
               6  Fifth loop 
               2   b ,  4   b ,  5   b ,  6   b  Fastener