Vibrationary exercise equipment

Abstract

A muscle training apparatus arranged for cyclic concentric and eccentric loading phases including load imposition means arranged for a user to exercise against load variation means arranged for varying the load as between concentric and eccentric loading phases, a vibrator operational to apply vibration between the user and the load, a controller operational to control the vibrator and to vary the extent of vibration as between concentric and eccentric phases.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11 / 733,271 filed Apr. 10, 2007, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. application Ser. No. 10 / 507,150 filed Mar. 12, 2003, which are both incorporated in their entirety.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to exercise equipment and is particularly concerned with such sports, exercise, wellbeing and medical training and therapeutic equipment having the facility to combine vibration with mechanical loading on the muscles and bone structure of users.[0003]The use of vibration in the context of strength training (where the expression strength training is being used herein to describe any exercise facility in which a load is applied to muscles of a user) induces a non-voluntary muscular contraction called the “tonic vibration reflex”. Weight training with additional vibration has been shown to augment strength and power over and above that achieved with str...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0012]By this means the exercise apparatus can readily be arranged to load the user in both directions, push and pull, compression and tension. It can be made relatively compact so as to be portable for use in one hand or between a user's two hands for arm strengthening and “chest expanding”, although arrangements for such operation between other parts of the anatomy are also readily possible.

[0016]Where gas is employed, it has been found that compressing the gas to a pressure of 4.5 bar creates an effective transmission of reactive force without excessive damping. Pressures from 2.5 bar up to 4.5 bar provide progressively less damping action and thus the absolute pressure to which the system is primed can be used to effect the maximum reactive force generated and the damping characteristic of the vibration effect felt by the user.

[0026]Advantages of a valve of this kind are that (1) when fully open there is no occlusion of the opening, and (2) the valve opens and closes only once per revolution. This latter reduces or obviates the gearing which might otherwise be required when employing a motor the normal speed of which would otherwise impose too high a vibration frequency.

[0029]It may in fact be advantageous, not least from the point of view of simplicity of retrofit or upgrade assembly, when employing a foam having good vibration transmission characteristics, to locate a vibration generating device within the operating arm of an exercise machine, including within the foam itself.

Problems solved by technology

These devices apply no vibrational loading at all, or fail to apply directly specific frequencies to targeted muscle groups.

Some such full-body vibration systems can also quickly lead to discomfort and other negative physical side effects.

A particular disadvantage associated with the use of vibration which is directly electrically generated is the difficulty of applying the vibration directly to the user throughout the various configurations of the equipment.

There is a mismatch between the mechanical and electrical operation which impedes obtaining maximum benefit from the application of vibration.

Moreover non-smooth contraction of muscle has been observed in weight training equipment utilizing electric motor driven vibration devices.

Images