Patent ID: 7090629

Claim:
Apparatus for assisting a person in the performance of a squat exercise in which the person's feet are juxtaposed with a generally horizontal support surface, with the toes of each foot located forward of the heel of the foot, and the person's knees are flexed to lower and raise the person's trunk relative to the person's feet, each of the feet including toes and a heel, the apparatus comprising: a basal surface for placement relative to the generally horizontal support surface, the basal surface being dimensioned and configured for establishing a prescribed toe position for each foot of the person's feet such that upon juxtaposition of the person's feet with the generally horizontal surface the toes of each foot will be located at a corresponding prescribed toe position relative to the basal surface; a stop surface placed at a stop position elevated vertically above each prescribed toe position established by the dimensions and configuration of the basal surface, the stop position being juxtaposed with a stop plane extending generally vertically upwardly from the support surface and intersecting the support surface adjacent to and no farther forward than the prescribed toe position such that upon juxtaposition of the person's feet with the generally horizontal support surface, and locating the toes of a foot at the corresponding prescribed toe position, a knee corresponding to the foot will confront the stop surface rearward of the stop plane; and at least one support member extending between the basal surface and the stop surface, the at least one support member being dimensioned and configured for placing the stop surface at the stop position, the stop surface being dimensioned and configured and being located at the stop position such that upon execution of the squat exercise, movement of the corresponding knee in a forward direction beyond the stop plane essentially will be precluded by engagement of the corresponding knee with the stop surface.