A fitness machine for performing a knee extension exercise

Abstract

The invention relates to a fitness machine for performing a knee extension exercise of a user with at least a torso, a hip, an upper leg and a lower leg, which fitness machine comprises : a main frame; an upper leg support connected to the main frame and extending between a distal and a proximal outer end, such as for instance an upper leg pad, which upper leg support is configured to support at least one upper leg of the user in a first plane during use; a torso support, such as for instance a back pad, connected to the main frame, which torso support is configured to support the torso of the user in a second plane during use; a pivot arm connected to the main frame and configured to be operated with the lower leg during use, which pivot arm is rotatable about a pivot axis lying close to the distal outer end of the upper leg support, wherein the first and the second plane are oriented relative to each other for supporting the at least one upper leg and the torso of the user in an exercise position, between o maximum hip extension on one hand and a maximum of 30° hip flexion on the other, while the exercise is being performed.

Description

[0001] A fitness machine for performing a knee extension exercise

[0002] The invention relates to a fitness machine for performing a knee extension exercise .

[0003] In order to exercise the muscles in the upper legs use can be made of exercises featuring extension of the knee and / or flexion of the knee of a user . Knee extension and knee flexion are important movements for strengthening respectively the quadriceps and hamstrings , which are essential for mobility, stability and for preventing inj uries . For a knee extension exercise use is made here of a movement wherein the knee is flexed in a starting position of the exercise , after which, counter to a force produced by a resistance source from the starting position of the exercise , the flexion of the knee is reduced in the end position relative to the starting position .

[0004] In order to support training, use is often made of fitness machines . Known fitness machines are provided here with a seat surface and optionally a backrest disposed at an acute angle relative thereto for the purpose of supporting the user . A pivot arm can then be operated with the lower legs for the purpose of performing the exercises .

[0005] A drawback of the known fitness machines is that the ef fectiveness of the exercise is limited in that the muscles are not strained through the whole range of motion .

[0006] It is now an obj ect of the invention to reduce or even wholly obviate the above stated drawback .

[0007] This obj ect is achieved according to the invention by providing a fitness machine for performing a knee extension exercise of a user with at least a torso , a hip, an upper leg and a lower leg, which fitness machine comprises :

[0008] - a main frame ; - an upper leg support connected to the main frame and extending between a distal and a proximal outer end, such as for instance an upper leg pad, which upper leg support is configured to support at least one upper leg of the user in a first plane during use ;

[0009] - a torso support , such as for instance a back pad, connected to the main frame , which torso support is configured to support the torso of the user in a second plane during use ;

[0010] - a pivot arm connected to the main frame and configured to be operated with the lower leg during use , which pivot arm is rotatable about a pivot axis lying close to the distal outer end of the upper leg support , wherein the first and the second plane are oriented relative to each other for supporting the at least one upper leg and the torso of the user in an exercise position, between maximum hip extension on one hand and a maximum of 30 ° hip flexion on the other, while the exercise is being performed .

[0011] The fitness machine according to the invention is provided with support for the user of the machine in the form of an upper leg support and a torso support . The user can lie thereon, wherein the lower leg can operate the pivot arm .

[0012] For the purpose of designating movements and relative positions of elements of the body, the anatomical terminology of position for the human body will be adhered to in light of the invention . Extension and flexion are important here in respect of the movement in the hip and knee j oint . With the standard anatomical position as starting point , the exercise supported by the fitness machine according to the invention is an extension ( and flexion) in the sagittal plane . The sagittal plane is the anatomical plane running through the body from front to back and dividing it into a left-hand and right-hand part . Relative to the starting position in the standard anatomical position, the maximum extension of the hip j oint is normally about 20 ° and the maximum flexion about 140 ° . The knee j oint has a maximum extension of about 0 ° and a maximum flexion of about 140 ° .

[0013] Because the first and the second plane are oriented relative to each other in the fitness machine according to the invention such that the user is supported in an exercise position in which the hip flexion is a maximum of 30 ° , it is achieved that the muscles are strained over a greater range of motion than on the known fitness machines , wherein the hip flexion is usually greater than 90 ° . The exercise position can for instance be reached in simple manner when lying down hori zontally, but other orientations can also achieve the same advantage as long as the hip flexion remains limited . Because the hip flexion is limited by the posture on the fitness machine , the distance between origin and insertion of at least the musculus rectus femoris upon flexion of the knee is greater than when the hip flexion is not limited to a maximum of 30 ° . A greater range of motion of at least a part of the quadriceps is hereby utili zed when performing a knee extension exercise using the fitness machine according to the invention . The range of motion used during the exercise is here increased for a given knee flexion ( range ) as the hip flexion decreases or even transitions into hip extension .

[0014] A determined extension or flexion of the hip also translates into a corresponding angle , measured in the sagittal plane , between a longitudinal torso axis of the torso and a longitudinal upper leg axis of the upper leg .

[0015] In order to prevent shearing during the exercise the fitness machine can tilt the user rearward slightly relative to the force of gravity in the exercise position, wherein the knee preferably lies higher than the torso .

[0016] In a preferred embodiment of the fitness machine according to the invention the hip flexion is smaller than or equal to 10 ° in the exercise position, there is more preferably no hip flexion, there is still more preferably hip extension .

[0017] The range of motion during the exercise is increased most when the hip flexion is smaller or there is even hip extension . The relative orientation of the first and the second plane can therefore be selected so as to increase the range of motion to maximum extent .

[0018] Because the range of motion (ROM) of a j oint can di f fer per person, the exercise position is preferably adj ustable by the option of locking the relative orientation of the first and the second plane relative to each other within an adj ustment range .

[0019] Also according to the invention is an embodiment of the fitness machine wherein the upper leg support connects at the proximal outer end to the torso support , wherein the upper leg support and torso support are preferably continuous .

[0020] Having the support surface of the upper leg support and the torso support connect to each other increases the comfort for the user . The support surface is preferably continuous , so that a single support surface is formed . Depending on the angle between the first and the second plane , there may be a bend in the support surface between the two parts .

[0021] In yet another embodiment of the fitness machine according to the invention the fitness machine comprises handles and / or shoulder rests connected to the main frame and arranged on either side of the torso support .

[0022] Providing handles on either side of the torso support enables a user to brace themselves in the exercise position during use of the fitness machine . The reaction forces of the exercise can be absorbed by the user using the shoulder rests . Both handles and shoulder rests are preferably provided, which can optionally be combined .

[0023] Another embodiment of the fitness machine according to the invention is a fitness machine comprising a hip fixation such as for instance a strap .

[0024] By applying a hip fixation it can be ensured on one hand that an exercise position is taken up correctly, and on the other that the reaction forces of the exercise are diverted via the hip fixation . The hip fixation has the result that the torso and the upper leg lie against the respective support surfaces , and the hip therefore does not come away during the exercise . The hip fixation can for instance be a strap or a bracket which is arranged over the user .

[0025] In another embodiment of the fitness machine according to the invention the pivot arm is rotatable about the pivot axis in a pivoting range lying between a first and second position, wherein the maximum knee extension and knee flexion of the user lie within the pivoting range during use .

[0026] In order to utili ze the increased range of motion obtained by the invention to maximum extent the whole ROM of the knee is covered by the pivoting range of the pivot arm .

[0027] The first position preferably corresponds here with maximum knee flexion of the user .

[0028] By having the pivot arm correspond with maximum knee flexion of the user in the first position it can be prevented that a user requires help to move the pivot arm into a position such that the lower leg can operate the pivot arm in the exercise position .

[0029] Another preferred embodiment of the fitness machine according to the invention is a fitness machine wherein the first position is adj ustable so as to correspond with a knee flexion in the 90- 150 ° range .

[0030] Making the first position adj ustable enables the fitness machine to be adapted to the individual range of motion of di f ferent users .

[0031] Also according to the invention is an embodiment of the fitness machine wherein the pivot arm is operatively connected to a resistance source , such as for instance li ftable weights , for the purpose of biasing the pivot arm in a starting position .

[0032] Having a resistance source bias the pivot arm in a starting position, which preferably corresponds with the position of the pivot arm corresponding with the maximum knee flexion of the user, enables the knee extension exercise to be performed with additional resistance in order to obtain an ef fective exercise . The exercise can then start from the starting position .

[0033] In yet another embodiment of the fitness machine according to the invention the resistance exerted on the pivot arm by the resistance source decreases between the first and the second position .

[0034] In order to concentrate the exercise around the maximum flexion of the knee the resistance of the resistance source can decrease between the first position and the second position .

[0035] These and other features of the invention are further elucidated with reference to the accompanying drawings .

[0036] Figures la-c show a schematic side view of an embodiment of a fitness machine according to the invention with a user .

[0037] Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of a second embodiment of a fitness machine according to the invention with a user .

[0038] Figures la-c show the schematic side view of an embodiment of a fitness machine 1 according to the invention . The main frame 2 is provided with an upper leg pad 3 which extends between a distal 4 and a proximal 5 outer end as upper leg support . The upper leg pad 3 supports the upper leg 6 of a user 7 , represented as a stick figure , in the first plane . The main frame 2 is further also provided with a torso support 8 for supporting the torso 9 of the user 7 in the second plane .

[0039] A pivot arm 10 is provided at the outer end with a shin pad 11 to enable it to be operated with the lower leg 12 . The pivot arm 10 is rotatable about a pivot axis lying closest to the distal outer end 4 of the upper leg support 3 . The pivot axis is aligned with the rotation axis of the knee 13 of the user 7 .

[0040] The hip 14 of the user 7 is shown in maximum hip extension, with an extension of about 20 ° , in the exercise position supported by the fitness machine 1 .

[0041] In figure la the knee 13 of the user 7 is shown in the starting position with a knee flexion of about 135 ° . In figure lb the knee 13 is shown during the exercise , wherein the lower leg 12 is moved in the direction of the arrow 15 counter to the resistance of the resistance source (not shown) , wherein the knee flexion has decreased . In figure 1c the maximum knee extension has been reached .

[0042] Designated in figure 1c is an optional pivot point 16 , whereby the relative position of the upper leg support 3 relative to the torso support 8 can be varied and locked for the purpose of determining the hip flexion in the exercise position . The relative position of the torso support 8 relative to the upper leg support 3 can alternatively also be varied and locked for the purpose of determining the hip flexion in the exercise position .

[0043] Figure 2 shows a schematic side view of a second embodiment 21 of a fitness machine according to the invention with a user 27 . The main frame 22 is provided with an upper leg pad 23 which continues into the torso support 28 . In the shown exercise position the hip 34 of the user 27 is supported with 0 ° flexion or extension . The knee 33 is shown in maximum extension and the lower leg 32 therefore lies in line with the upper leg 26 . A combined shoulder support and handle 37 is arranged on the main frame 22 , whereby the user 27 can brace themselves with their arms 38 and the reaction forces of the exercise can be absorbed via the shoulder rests . The fitness machine 21 is further provided with an optional end stop 39 , whereby the starting position of the pivot arm can be adj usted so as to correspond with a desired maximum knee flexion . Also provided is a bracket 40 for fixating the hip 34 .

Claims

Claims1 . A fitness machine for performing a knee extension exercise of a user with at least a torso , a hip, an upper leg and a lower leg, which fitness machine comprises :- a main frame ;- an upper leg support connected to the main frame and extending between a distal and a proximal outer end, such as for instance an upper leg pad, which upper leg support is configured to support at least one upper leg of the user in a first plane during use ;- a torso support , such as for instance a back pad, connected to the main frame , which torso support is configured to support the torso of the user in a second plane during use ;- a pivot arm connected to the main frame and configured to be operated with the lower leg during use , which pivot arm is rotatable about a pivot axis lying close to the distal outer end of the upper leg support , wherein the first and the second plane are oriented relative to each other for supporting the at least one upper leg and the torso of the user in an exercise position, between maximum hip extension on one hand and a maximum of 30 ° hip flexion on the other, while the exercise is being performed .2 . Fitness machine according to claim 1 , wherein the hip flexion is smaller than or equal to 10 ° in the exercise position, there is more preferably no hip flexion, there is still more preferably hip extension .3 . Fitness machine according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the upper leg support connects at the proximal outer end to the torso support , wherein the upper leg support and torso support are preferably continuous .4 . Fitness machine according to any one of the foregoing claims , also comprising handles and / or shoulderrests connected to the main frame and arranged on either side of the torso support .5 . Fitness machine according to any one of the foregoing claims , also comprising a hip fixation such as for instance a strap .6 . Fitness machine according to any one of the foregoing claims , wherein the pivot arm is rotatable about the pivot axis in a pivoting range lying between a first and second position, wherein the maximum knee extension and knee flexion of the user lie within the pivoting range during use .7 . Fitness machine according to claim 6 , wherein the first position corresponds with maximum knee flexion of the user .8 . Fitness machine according to claim 6 or 7 , wherein the first position is adj ustable so as to correspond with a knee flexion in the 90-150 ° range .9 . Fitness machine according to any one of the foregoing claims , wherein the pivot arm is operatively connected to a resistance source , such as for instance li ftable weights , for the purpose of biasing the pivot arm in a starting position .10 . Fitness machine according to claim 9 , wherein the resistance exerted on the pivot arm by the resistance source decreases between the first and the second position .

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