Patent ID: 7563209

Claim:
A leg exercise machine, comprising: a main frame having a front end and a rear end; a user support pivot mount on the main frame; a user support pivotally mounted on the user support pivot mount for rotation about a pivot axis relative to the main frame and moving in a first direction between a start position and an end position during a leg exercise, the user support having a seat portion and a backrest portion which support a user in a seated position during a leg exercise, the seat and backrest portions being in a fixed orientation relative to one another during an exercise movement and moving together in the same relative orientation to one another throughout the exercise movement, the seat portion having a rear end and a forward end and rotating downwardly at its rear end and upwardly at its forward end between the start and end positions of the leg exercise; the user support pivot mount comprising a four bar linkage between the user support and main frame, the four bar linkage defining a theoretical pivot axis of the user support pivotal movement, all pivot connections between the four bar linkage and the main frame being located no higher than the seat portion of the user support; at least one leg exercise arm movably mounted relative to the main frame and having a leg engaging device for engagement by the legs of a user seated on the user support to perform a leg exercise; a connecting link which links movement of the exercise arm by a user performing a leg exercise to movement of the user support from the start position to the end position; and a load which resists movement of at least one of the user support, exercise arm, and connecting link.