Patent ID: 7288052

Claim:
An exercise device for strengthening the abdominal muscles and the arm muscles of a user, comprising: a base for selectively supporting the exercise device, said base having a front portion and a rear portion; a substantially hollow shaft having an upper portion and having a lower portion attached to and extending diagonally upward from the rear portion of the base, said shaft having an external surface, an internal bore, and a longitudinal slot having a first end closer to the upper portion of the shaft, and having a second end closer to the lower portion of the shaft, said external surface having a band engagement rod extending therefrom, at a location above the first end of the slot; an upright support bar extending vertically upward from the front portion of the base to the upper portion of the shaft; a T-shaped press bar having an elongated rod having a top and a bottom, and having a handlebar extending perpendicularly from the top of the elongated rod, wherein the elongated rod selectively telescopes within the internal bore of the shaft, said press bar having an equilibrium extended position wherein the elongated rod is substantially extended from the shaft, and a retracted position wherein the elongated rod is substantially retracted into the shaft by the user pressing down upon the press bar, said press bar having a band engagement rod extending from the elongated rod partially through the slot; and at least one looped stretchable band which simultaneously engages the band engagement rod of the shaft and the band engagement rod of the press bar, said stretchable band having an equilibrium non-stretched conformation and a stretched conformation; wherein when the user presses down upon the handlebar with the hands of the user, this causes the elongated rod of the press bar to selectively retract into the internal bore of the shaft, and simultaneously causes the stretchable band to stretch, thereby exercising the muscles of the user, and wherein when the user ceases to press down upon the handlebar, the stretchable band returns to its equilibrium non-stretched conformation, thereby simultaneously returning the elongated rod of the press bar to its equilibrium extended position; and wherein the lower portion of the shaft is attached by a hinge to the rear portion of the base, wherein the upright support bar is attached by a hinge to the upper portion of the shaft, and wherein the upright support bar is attached to the front portion of the base by a hinge having a selectively removable hinge pin, wherein upon selective removal of the hinge pin from the hinge by the user, the upright support bar is disconnected from the base, thereby allowing the exercise device to be compactly folded at its hinges, in order to occupy a minimal amount of storage space.