Side Plank Device With Foot Recesses For Oblique Muscle Engagement
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional side plank exercises put less pressure on oblique abdominal muscles, do not effectively engage both feet and legs, and can be stressful on the feet and ankles, limiting muscle engagement and exercise efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A portable side plank exercise device with recesses for shoes or feet that incorporate grips and a tapered design, allowing for increased muscle engagement by distributing body weight and enabling rotation for varied exercises, including balance and stability exercises.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of operation
If conventional side plank exercise is performed with one foot on the floor, then the exercise is simple to perform, but the pressure on oblique abdominal muscles is reduced and muscle engagement is limited
Solution Approach 1:
The patent introduces an intermediary device (the exercise apparatus with footrests and support structure) between the user's feet and the floor. This mediator allows both feet to be elevated and actively engaged in supporting body weight, thereby increasing oblique muscle activation without requiring the user to balance on one foot, thus maintaining ease of operation while improving muscle engagement
Solution Approach 2:
The invention elevates the exercise from a two-dimensional floor-based position to a three-dimensional suspended position using footrests and support structures. By lifting both feet off the ground and positioning them on adjustable footrests, the apparatus creates a new spatial dimension that allows simultaneous engagement of both legs and core muscles, increasing pressure on obliques while maintaining operational simplicity
2Stability of the object's composition
If one foot is completely still on the floor during side plank, then the position is stable, but the ability to strengthen additional muscles is lost
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus incorporates adjustable and movable footrests that can be positioned at different heights and angles. This dynamic configuration allows both feet to be actively engaged in supporting body weight while maintaining stable positioning. The adjustability enables users to modify the exercise intensity and muscle engagement patterns without compromising positional stability
Solution Approach 2:
The exercise apparatus is designed to perform multiple functions: it provides stable support for the side plank position while simultaneously enabling both feet and legs to actively support body weight. The universal design accommodates various exercise variations and muscle engagement patterns, making the device adaptable for different fitness levels and training goals while maintaining stability
3Stress or pressure
If both feet are stacked or placed on the ground, then both feet can support body weight, but stress is placed on feet and ankles and focus is taken off the primary exercise
Solution Approach 1:
The apparatus distributes the weight-bearing function across different local contact points: the feet rest on elevated footrests while the lower body and core are supported by the main apparatus structure. This local differentiation of support functions allows both feet and legs to actively engage in weight support without concentrating excessive stress on the feet and ankles, as the apparatus structure shares the load
Solution Approach 2:
The elevated footrests act as intermediaries that transfer a portion of the body weight from the feet to the apparatus structure. This mediator function reduces the direct stress on feet and ankles while still allowing both feet to be actively engaged in supporting body weight, thereby maintaining weight distribution benefits without the harmful effects of ground-based positioning
Data Source
AI summary
A new side plank exercise device is in the shape of a spherical cap or a cone. The side plank exercise device includes a front end that is circular or oval. The side plank exercise device also includes a rear end tapered from the front end. The rear end is a spherical cap. The front end has a flat or a cavitary surface. The front end also includes two recesses for receiving a left shoe and a right shoe. The two recesses are two inches deep and also uneven in depth. Each recess further incorporates a grip at its bottom. The grip includes protruding lines or spherical caps. The device further includes an edge at the front end that extends outwardly from the front end. The edge includes an attachment point with a crossbar and an attachment cavity receiving the crossbar.