Patent ID: 7594880

Claim:
An exercise machine, comprising: a main frame; a user support frame pivotally mounted relative to the main frame for rotation about a user support pivot axis, the user support pivot axis defining a vertical, gravitational center line and a horizontal line extending through the user support pivot axis transverse to the vertical gravitational center line, the user support frame comprising one moving part of the machine which moves between a start position and an end position during an exercise movement; the user support frame having at least a primary support and a secondary support for supporting spaced positions on a user's body throughout an exercise movement, the secondary support being fixed at a predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support, the primary support supporting the majority of a user's weight in the start position of the support frame, and the secondary support remaining in the same predetermined angular orientation relative to the primary support throughout an exercise movement, whereby the primary and secondary supports travel together at the predetermined angular orientation relative to one another throughout the exercise movement; the horizontal line which extends through the user support pivot axis being located below the user's hips in at least one of the start and end positions of the exercise movement; a user engagement device movably mounted on one of the frames for engagement by the user in performing exercises, the user engagement device comprising a second moving part of the machine; a connecting link linking movement of the user engagement device to movement of the user support frame, the connecting link comprising a third moving part of the machine; and a load for resisting movement of at least one of the moving parts of the machine; the user support pivot axis being positioned such that portions of the combined weight of the user and user support frame are distributed on each side of the gravitational center line of the user support pivot axis in both the start and end position and only a portion of the combined weight passes through the gravitational center line during the exercise movement.