Exercise device

Abstract

A weight-lifting bar exercise device 20 such as a barbell or dumbbell comprises an elongate structure comprising opposite free load-carrying ends 22a, 22b comprising a ballast region 24a, 24b for ball

Description

Field of the Invention The present invention relates to exercise equipment, specifically to a handle design for a barbell or dumbbell, the handle design intended to provide better grip for manual lifting or pushing exercises. Background Several exercise regimes involve the use of weights or ballast items to exercise various muscle groups. Such weights are often carried on bars that permit replacement of weights or ballast items, or the weights may be enclosed in a machine and manipulated by means of a cable pulley or lever system to which a variety of attachments can be secured. Such bars and pulley attachments comprise a round solid cross-section to allow them to be held from different directions, positions and angles. The present invention seeks to provide an alternative handle design that may enable more comfortable use of barbells and dumbbells. Summary of the Invention In accordance with a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a weight-lifting bar exercise device such as a barbell or dumbbell, as defined in claim 1, the device comprising an elongate structure comprising opposite free load-carrying ends comprising a ballast region for ballast elements, the elongate structure comprising a handle region between the free ends, wherein the handle region comprises a handle profile of anisometric shape extending along at least a portion of the elongate structure. The invention was devised for load-pulling or load-lifting exercise devices such as barbells (lifting bars to be fitted with weight plates or other ballast items) or dumbbells (lifting bars comprising fixed or integral ballast elements) comprising a central bar with free ends for ballast elements to be carried laterally, at the ends of the bar. The grip portion of the handle is considered to have a handle length determined by an elongate body that can be gripped by a user naturally such that the elongate body extends across the palm, usually generally transverse to the fingers of a user. In pull or push exercises, the handle is held such that the extension of the elongate body is generally perpendicular to the pull or push direction. A “handle profile”, herein, is understood as the outer contour of the handle, to be held in, and to come into load-transferring contact with, the palm and fingers of a hand of a user. By anisotropic, it is meant that the handle profile comprises, viewed in section, a longer dimension in one direction than another dimension, wherein the direction, or extension, of the longer dimension is herein referenced as a “profile axis”, handle profile axis, or section axis. The purpose of an anisotropic handle profile is to allow a user to hold, and rotate, the handle such that loads maybe transferred differently to the palm or fingers. The suggestion made in this disclosure is to provide a handle profile that is other than circular, having a longer axis in one direction than another direction, that is thereby anisometric. In many embodiments, the handle profile comprises a convex shape. The convex shape may be continuously curved, without steps. An example handle profile is, for instance, an elliptical or oval profile. In many exercises that involve pulling a weighted bar, the inventor noticed that an early point of failure or fatigue is the hand grip, which is believed to be a result of a handle, when this has a conventional, generally circular outer profile, acting ‘against’ the grip of a user’s fingers. By providing an anisometric handle with convex outer profile, a user is enabled to rotate the handle into one of different angular positions in which forces of the handle onto the hand of a user act to a greater extent into the palm of a hand, which appears to assist grip, while force components acting to open the fingers are less strong. In some embodiments, the anisometric shape is one of an elliptic profile, an oval profile, a D-shaped profile, and a reniform profile. A D-shaped profile may comprise two opposite convex regions, one convex region with a larger radius curvature and another, opposite, convex region with a smaller radius curvature. In some embodiments, the handle profile extends evenly along the handle region. l.e., the handle profile extends uniformly along the elongate body of the handle element. In this manner, a user may hold the handle at one of several positions along the handle. In some embodiments, the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast seating surface for attachment of ballast elements. A typical barbell may be constituted by a bar comprising a handle region between two seating surfaces onto which ballast elements such as weight plates may be mounted. In some embodiments, the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast element. The seating surface of a barbell may be provided with pre-mounted ballast elements, such as weight plates. The invention may be embodied by dumbbells that comprise a fixed or integrally formed ballast arrangement. The ballast elements or ballast arrangement may be of a shape other than a plate. The ballast elements may have a polygonal outer profile, e.g. a hexagonal outer profile. The anisometric shape of the handle profile is understood as comprising a larger dimension or largest dimension in one direction, e.g. a longer ellipsis diameter, defining a profile axis of the handle. In embodiments, the attachment arrangement is affixed to, or otherwise integrated with, the handle element such that a user may hold the handle element at an angle relative to the load axis. In some embodiments, the device comprises a barrier structure between the ballast region and the handle region. The barrier structure may be provided by upstands or flange structures. The barrier structure is understood to provide an abutment for ballast elements such as weight plates, to ensure these are seated on the ballast seating surface of the free loadcarrying ends. In some embodiments, the device comprises a rack-seating surface between the handle region and the ballast region. The rack-seating surface may be inward of the barrier structure, between handle region and barrier structure, and thereby between handle region and ballast region. The rackseating surface is understood to allow the barbell to be placed or mounted to a rack for training or storage purposes. As will be appreciated, the ballast seating surface and the rack-seating surface, where present, may have a circular circumferential profile, or other suitable profile for weight plates and / or to be placed on a rack. In some embodiments, the free load-carrying ends comprise a generally circular circumferential profile for attachment of weight plates. The ballast seating surface may be provided by a generally circular, isometric profile. In some embodiments, the handle region is provided by a tube member comprising the handle profile of anisometric shape, the tube member fitted over part of the length of the device. The tube member may be permanently fixed, e.g., welded, to the device, for instance over an original handle, so as to be irrotatably fixed to the handle of the device. In accordance with a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a method of manufacturing a barbell or dumbbell according to any one of the embodiments of the first aspect, the method comprising providing a barbell body comprising an elongate structure comprising free ends, the free ends comprising one or more ballast regions, and providing the barbell body with a handle region comprising a handle profile of anisometric shape. In some embodiments, the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast seating surface for attachment of ballast elements. In some embodiments, the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast element. In some embodiments, providing a handle region comprises providing a solid handle region as part of the barbell body. In some embodiments, providing a handle region comprises retrofitting a barbell body with a tube providing a handle profile of anisometric shape. In some embodiments, the method comprises welding the tube to the barbell body. Features described in relation to any one or more embodiments of the first aspect or second aspect may be used with, or comprised in, any one or more embodiments of the respective other aspect. Description of the Figures Exemplary embodiments of the invention will now be described with reference to the Figures, in which: Figure 1 is a schematic illustration of a reference grip arrangement; Figure 2 shows a portion of a component used in an embodiment; and Figures 3, 4, and 5 are an isometric view, section, and a plan view of an embodiment. Description Referring to the Figures, a prior art handle bar 7 for use with exercise equipment such as barbells, illustrated in Figure 1, comprises a generally circular cross-section, providing an isometric (circular) profile. When used for exercises lifting the handle bar in a pull direction or load direction 9a, a corresponding force 9b may act against the fingers 5 of a user, which may result in discomfort or fatigue, particularly for larger weights. The suggestion made in the present disclosure is to provide a handle element of an exercise device with a non-circular, anisometric profile, when viewed in section. In many embodiments, the profile is generally elliptical, e.g., elliptic or oval. However, it will be appreciated that the cross-sectional geometry may differ e.g. for different hand sizes and / or for different exercise routines. For instance, the profile may oblong, comprising two parallel sides, or may be ovoid, comprising a larger radius at one end of an oval than at the other end. Alternatively, a profile may comprise lobes, e.g. two lobes, in the manner of a reniform cross-section. A profile may comprise a larger radius along one side, such as a “D” shaped profile, or a recess along one side, such as a “C” shaped profile. The profile may comprise an irregular curved shape. An anisometric profile is expected to have a longest diameter that is longer than other diameters of the profile, wherein the longest diameter constitutes herein a profile axis. The handle will be understood to be a portion to be in contact with the fingers and palm when in a grip of a hand of a user. Figure 2 illustrates a grip 10 of human hand using a prototype embodiment of the invention, here in the form of an elliptical bar 12 comprising an elliptical profile with a profile axis 12a. As a hand holds the bar 12 to carry out a pull exercise in the direction of a pull axis 12b, the anisometric cross-section allows the bar 12 to be held such that its profile axis 12a is at a non-parallel incline angle relative to the pull axis 12b, reducing the unrolling forces against the fingers. Figures 3, 4 and 5 show a barbell 20 comprising an elongate structure comprising two free opposite ends 22a, 22b, each of the two free opposite ends providing a free loadcarrying end comprising a ballast seating surface 24a, 24b, respectively, each ballast seating surface for attachment of ballast elements such as weight plates. For instance, the seating surfaces 24a, 24b may be sufficiently circular to allow mounting of standard weight plates, for instance to accommodate weight plates with an inner hole diameter of around 5 cm. Inward of the free opposite ends 22a, 22b, the barbell 20 comprises two flange portions 26a, 26b, each flange portion 26a, 26b constituting a barrier structure, defining an end of the seating surfaces 24a, 24b, and providing an end stop for ballast elements. Inward of the free ends 22a, 22b, here inward of the flanges 26a, 26b, the barbell 20 comprises a rack-seating surface 28a, 28b. The rack-seating surfaces 28a, 28b are, here, spaced from the free ends 22a, 22b and separated from the ballast seating surfaces 24a, 24b by the flange portions 26a, 26b, to provide a circumferentially free region of the barbell 20 that can be used to place the barbell 20 onto a rack or exercise equipment. The rack-seating surfaces 28a, 28b will be recognised by a skilled person as being located such that a handle region between the rack-seating surfaces 28a, 28b is easily accessible. The barbell 20 may be provided with and / or already comprise weight plates, while the rack-seating surfaces 28a, 28b are resting on another structure such as a cradle. Partway between the free ends 22a, 22b, and, here, between the rack-seating surfaces 28a, 28b, the barbell comprises a barbell handle 30. The barbell handle 30 comprises an anisometric outer profile, here in the form of an elliptical profile. The anisometric profile of the handle 130 is distinguished from either or both of the rack-seating surfaces 128a, 128b, and the ballast-seating surfaces 124a, 124b, which are typically round, i.e. of circular profile. Figure 5 shows a schematic illustration of a section IV along a plane perpendicular to the handle 30. In this embodiment, the barbell handle 30 is provided by a length of tube 34 of elliptical profile, comprising a hollow inner diameter that is dimensioned to fit over a bar 29 of the barbell 20. In practice, portions of the free ends 22a, 22b may be detached or disassembled to allow the tube 34 to be retrofitted by slotting it over the bar 29. The tube 34 may be fixed to the bar 29 via a permanent connection, e.g. by welding. In that case, one or more weld lines or (here: two) weld points 36a, 36b may provide a fixed, irrotatable connection of the tube 34 to the bar 29. The bar 29 may be the same body that provides the rack-seating surfaces 28a, 28b, wherein the tube 34 is shorter than the distance between the two flange portion 26a, 26b, such that the rackseating surfaces 28a, 28b remain exposed when the tube 34 is affixed to the bar 29. The barbell 20 of Figures 3 to 5 comprises attachment locations for weights at the free ends 22a, 22b. While the barbell 20 may be made from any suitable type of material, the barbell 20 and the handle 30 may be made from steel or other suitable metal. In some embodiments, the handle 30 may comprise a coating or cover. The illustrated embodiment comprising a tube 34 is thought to be a practical design to permit retrofitting of existing barbells. As will be appreciated, in other variants the handle 30 may be integrally formed with the barbell 20. For instance, a barbell may comprise a bar such as the bar 29 with an integral handle portion of anisometric outer profile. For a better illustration of the invention, exemplary dimensions of the elliptical profile 5 are provided. In some embodiments, the longer profile dimension, corresponding to a handle height (along the profile axis) is no more than 8 cm, 7 cm, 6 cm, or no more than 5 cm long. In some embodiments, the shorter profile extension, corresponding to a handle width (perpendicular to the profile axis) is no less than 1.5cm, 2 cm, 2.5 cm, 3 cm, 3.5 cm, or no less than 4 cm wide. In some embodiments, the handle width is no 10 more than 80%, 70%, 60% or 50% of the handle height. E.g., the elliptical tube members illustrated in some embodiments have a profile measuring 7 cm x 3.5 cm. It will be appreciated that the description hereinbefore is exemplary in accordance with embodiments the invention and that a wide range of modifications and alterations may 15 be made thereto without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

Claims

1. A weight-lifting bar exercise device such as a barbell or dumbbell, the device comprising an elongate structure comprising opposite free load-carrying ends comprising a ballast region for ballast elements, the elongate structure comprising a handle region between the free ends, wherein the handle region comprises a handle profile of anisometric shape extending along at least a portion of the elongate structure.

2. The device according to claim 1, wherein the anisometric shape is one of an elliptic profile, an oval profile, a D-shaped profile, and a reniform profile.

3. The device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the anisometric shape section extends evenly along the handle region.

4. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast seating surface for attachment of ballast elements.

5. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast element.

6. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a barrier structure between the ballast region and the handle region.

7. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising a rackseating surface between the handle region and the ballast region.

8. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the free loadcarrying ends comprise a generally circular circumferential profile for attachment of weight plates.

9. The device according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the handle region is provided by a tube member comprising the handle profile of anisometric shape, the tube member fitted over part of the length of the device.

10. A method of manufacturing a barbell or dumbbell according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising providing a barbell body comprising an elongate structure comprising free ends, the free ends comprising one or more ballast regions, and providing the barbell body with a handle region comprising a handle profile of anisometric shape.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast seating surface for attachment of ballast elements.

12. The method according to claim 10 or 11, wherein the ballast region of one or both free ends comprises a ballast element.

13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein providing a handle region comprises providing a solid handle region as part of the barbell body.

14. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12, wherein providing a handle region comprises retrofitting a barbell body with a tube providing a handle profile of anisometric shape.

15. The method according to claim 14, comprising welding the tube to the barbell body.

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