Patent ID: 8562496

Claim:
A thigh exercise machine, comprising: a stationary main frame having a forward end, a rear end and a central longitudinal axis extending from the forward end to the rear end; a user support seat pivotally mounted relative to the main frame and adapted to support a user in a seated exercise position, the user support seat being movable from a start position along a user support path during a thigh exercise; an exercise arm assembly comprising left and right exercise arms movably mounted relative to the main frame on opposite left and right sides of said central longitudinal axis, each exercise arm being configured for inward movement towards the central longitudinal axis and the other exercise arm and outward movement away from the central longitudinal axis and the other exercise arm, each exercise arm having a user engaging portion which is adapted for engagement by a respective leg of the user when the user is supported in an exercise position on the user support seat, at least one of the inward and outward movements defining a thigh exercise movement; a connecting linkage assembly pivotally connected to at least one of the exercise arms at a first location and pivotally connected to the user support seat at a second location spaced from the first location, whereby movement of the at least one exercise arm is linked to movement of the user support seat, the connecting linkage assembly being configured to position the user support seat in a first, reclined orientation when the exercise arms are each moved outwardly, away from one another and the central longitudinal axis, and to position the user support seat in a second, reclined orientation which is less reclined than said first, reclined orientation when the exercise arms are moved inwardly, towards one another and the central longitudinal axis; and a load which resists movement of at least one of the exercise arm assembly, the user support seat, and the connecting linkage assembly.