Lower extremity receiving device for providing enhanced leg mobility during lower body exercise

Abstract

A lower extremity receiving device is disclosed, which facilitates enhanced gluteal muscle engagement, body stability, and range of motion. The device includes a self-standing sling that can stand upright and ready to receive a user's lower extremity and enable them to commence any combination of hip extension or hip abduction with proper form upon inserting their foot, the sling including a heel socket that surrounds and facilitates rotational movement of the user's heel during the applicable hip extension exercise, and a resistance harness connected to the sling and capable of engaging a resistance-transmitting line for exercise, the harness having a clearance space for providing clearance for a user's foot as they alternately insert or remove their foot. This functional framework of elements enables a user to perform full range of combination of hip extension and hip abduction under resistance, via hands-free insertion of either foot into the sling.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]This application claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Application No. 62 / 060,556, filed Oct. 6, 2014. This application is also related to co-pending applications which also claim benefit of the above-named provisional application, the co-pending applications having the docket numbers KAMINS-002 and KAMINS-003, filed on behalf of the same inventor: Paul Kamins.FIELD[0002]The invention relates generally to fitness equipment, and more particularly to devices for lower body exercise.BACKGROUND[0003]In addition to being an integral part of an individual's overall physical fitness, toned and shapely buttocks and legs have also become desirable due to their perceived physical attractiveness. As a result, the market for lower body exercise machines and devices has grown in recent years, especially among women. Many such machines and devices are known in the art.[0004]One approach to exercising the lower body involves use of a resistance-transmi...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0006]Various embodiments of an improved lower extremity receiving device are disclosed, which provide enhanced leg mobility during lower body exercise. Unlike other known mechanisms for coupling a resistance-transmitting line to a user's leg, the present invention can wrap securely around a portion of a user's lower extremity for hip extension and / or abduction exercise, but can also be engaged and disengaged without any manual effort.

[0007]This enables a user to alternate their exercising leg after each set of exercises performed. For example, after performing a set of hip extensions with one leg, the user can easily disengage the line from that leg and engage for a set of hip extensions with the other leg. By alternating legs during extension before performing hip abduction (and / or vice versa), the user can continue their exercise routine while still giving their opposite side gluteal muscles time to rest.

[0008]This functionality is facilitated by a self-standing sling that is capable of securing the user's posterior leg during hip extension, and the user's lateral foot during hip abduction. The sling's supportive scaffold is also rigid and spacious enough to alternatively receive and release the user's foot without any need for manual engagement, yet flexible and contoured enough to wrap securely around the user's foot and / or leg during actual leg motion.

[0009]The sling further includes a curved band to receive the user's posterior leg for hip extension, and their lateral foot for hip abduction; and a heel socket to facilitate rotational movement of the heel during extension. A resistance harness couples the sling with the resistance-transmitting line to facilitate delivery of force of resistance during exercise, with a clearance space for the user's front foot to be alternately inserted into, and withdrawn from, the sling without manual effort.

[0010]These elements combine synergistically to enhance the user's leg mobility, enabling them to exercise with maximum efficiency and convenience. Without having to manually engage or disengage the device when switching their exercising leg, the user is free to focus on their form throughout their entire exercise routine. Indeed, this design actually compels the user to assume the best form, for achieving the best results.

[0011]In contrast to other devices that couple a user's exercising leg with a resistance-transmitting line, embodiments disclosed herein enable a user to fully engage the device simply by stepping into the device and positioning their foot ready for exercise. As the user then applies the initial motion for their desired exercise, the device naturally wraps securely around the user's leg and / or foot by its own inherent design, and thereby induces ideal exercise performance.

Problems solved by technology

However, several limitations prevent optimal gluteal exercise.

Furthermore, if the strap 100 succumbs to the force vector of the resistance-transmitting line, it can slip up the leg and disrupt exercise even further.

This is due to the fact that the ankle strap is more secure when the force vector is predominantly oriented radially outward, but less secure when the force vector is largely parallel to the leg.

Finally, the ankle strap requires that the force of resistance be applied at the position of the heel, thereby shortening the lever arm from the hip and rendering exercise less efficient.

Nonetheless, a user of this set of straps 200 would still encounter considerable impediments to optimal gluteal exercise.

However, the greatest impediment to optimal gluteal exercise presented by this set of straps 200 is its inability to facilitate hip abduction exercise under resistance.

Simple adaptation of the straps of this device 200 would not solve the basic problem.

For example, if the cross band 210 were redesigned, repositioned or altogether removed, the device would no longer enable effective hip extension exercise.

The problem is the basic framework of the design itself.

This device 300 still requires considerable manual application for use with each exercising leg.

If such a design approach were followed in attempts to provide a hands-free pedal engagement experience, hip extension exercise would be severely compromised and full range of leg motion prevented.

Such an arrangement enables both parallel force and tripod posture for all exercises when performed from a single standing position, but this arrangement is not possible when the swivel 1602 is attached to the wall 1600.

These motions do not enhance gluteal development, but do enhance hip and core strength.

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