Patent ID: 7258653

Claim:
A method of strengthening the abdomen and lower back of a person comprising the steps of: i) contacting the back of a person to be strengthened to an apparatus comprising a) a pad having a longitudinal axis, proximal and distal ends and an upper surface, b) a head rest adjustably affixed to said proximal end of said pad, c) at least one vibrating unit affixed to said pad, said vibrating unit being in spaced relationship to said head rest, and d) detection means for detecting a weight applied to said pad and activating said signal means when said weight is more than a predetermined weight, said detection means and said signal means being affixed to said pad adjacent each other, ii) adjusting the position of said head rest on said pad to align said head rest with the neck of the person to be strengthened and simultaneously align the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened with said at least one signal means and said detection means, iii) compressing the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened to contact the lumbar region with said detection means, whereby said detection means in response to said compression activates said at least one signal means, and iv) compressing and relaxing the abdomen of the person to be strengthened while maintaining compression of the lumbar region of the person to be strengthened, whereby said at least one signal means continues to produce a signal throughout said abdominal compression and relaxation.