Patent ID: 7488274

Claim:
An aquatic exercise plate adapted to be gripped in a user's hand and moved through a body of water in pushing and pulling motions in performing exercises to create drag to resist muscle contraction or movement, comprising: a generally rectangular flat plate formed of stiff material having opposed parallel lateral sides, opposed parallel top and bottom ends, a longitudinal center axis parallel to said lateral sides and an equal distance inward from each, a transverse axis parallel to said top and bottom ends and an equal distance inward from each, and a center flat portion disposed at the intersection of said longitudinal axis and said transverse axis; an arcuate finger slot formed in said plate for receiving the fingers of the user's hand; a transversely rounded gripping surface extending along one longitudinal side of said arcuate finger slot over which the fingers of the user's hand are to be folded; a generally circular thumb aperture formed in said plate below one end and adjacent to said finger slot for receiving the thumb of the user's hand; and a cushioning insert formed of cushioning material disposed in, and surrounding, said thumb aperture having a generally circular central opening for receiving the thumb of the user's hand; said finger slot and thumb aperture disposed relative to one another and to said center flat portion of said plate such that when said plate is gripped, the center of the palm of the user's hand lays over said center flat portion of said plate on a top side thereof, the user's fingers are received through said finger slot and folded over said gripping surface, the user's thumb is received through said cushioning insert and folded over to engage the underside of said plate, and the user's forearm lays parallel to and over said longitudinal axis of said plate; and drag produced by moving said plate through the body of water in pushing and pulling motions against the resistance force of the water is transferred to said center flat portion of said plate and the center of the drag force passes through the center of the palm of the user's hand.