[0001] This invention relates to a muscular strength training appliance belonging to sporting
goods for use in setting-up exercises of the whole body, mainly for use to ease the
stiffness in the joints of shoulders, fingers, elbows, wrists and the like of the
human body.
[0002] Radio gymnastic exercises and setting-up exercises are well known as light physical
exercises effective in relieving the parts of the body from fatigue due to long-sustained
labor or a straining posture and in training the functions of the body and the muscular
strength.
[0003] These physical exercises are effective in their own way in recovering from fatigue
and in training the muscular strength. However, aged persons whose physical strength
is weakened or infirm persons have difficulty in balancing, bending, stretching their
bodies and are liable to become unsteady on their feet during physical exercises.
[0004] In some physical exercises, an exerciser holds a single bar with the hands to secure
the coordinate movements of the left and right parts of the body. In this state, the
exerciser bends and twists one's own body or exerts opposite forces by the left and
right arms to stretch one's own tendons and muscles. Recently, physical exercises
using a towel or a book have been introduced by gymnastic instructors through television
broadcasting and newspapers. These introduced physical exercises are considered to
have been developed on the basis of the realization of importance of the coordinated
movements of the left and right arms in case of taking exercise.
[0005] Although those auxiliary appliances facilitate balancing and bending the body, an
exerciser whose muscular strength is weakened, such as an aged person, is liable to
fail in holding a single bar of a simple shape, and there is the possibility that
the exerciser let lose one's hold of the bar, and while the bar is swung around, the
bar hits against people or things around the exerciser and is in danger of injuring
the people or damaging the things. Further, when the bar is laid down, the bar is
liable to roll. In case of taking exercise with an auxiliary appliance such as a bar,
towel and book, the exerciser needs to concentrate one's own attention and considerable
force on the finger tips continuously during the exercise not to drop the auxiliary
appliance or to maintain the coordinated movements of the left and right arms. The
tension of the finger tips entails straining on the whole body.
[0006] It is an object of the present invention to provide a muscular strength training
appliance, which can be held with the hands for various physical exercises to activate
an exerciser physically and mentally by relaxing exerciser's strained parts of the
body, can train the muscular strength of the parts of the body, can facilitate bending
and stretching the body, enables the exerciser to secure the coordinated movements
of the left and right parts of the body to prevent the exerciser from staggering,
is less liable to fall off the hands even if the exerciser's grip is loosened, is
not in danger of injuring people around the exerciser or damaging the things around
the exerciser, and is hard to roll when the muscular strength training appliance is
laid down on the floor or the like.
[0007] Since a muscular strength training appliance according to the present invention has
a structural feature that it is less liable to fall off the hands and drop, the finger
tips need not be strained to hold the muscular strength training appliance, and it
is possible to keep on exercising the coordinated movements of the left and right
parts of the body, while relaxing the whole body. Thus, the muscular strength training
appliance of the present invention is fundamentally different from the conventional
auxiliary gymnastic appliances.
[0008] With the foregoing object in view, the muscular strength training appliance of the
present invention comprises two parallel longer bars of the same length, and two parallel
shorter bars of the same length, wherein the two longer bars and the two shorter bars
are assembled in a rectangular frame structure.
[0009] When an exerciser holds the two parallel bars constituting the rectangular frame
structure with the hands to secure the coordinated movements of the left and right
arms through the rectangular frame structure, and swings or moves the rectangular
frame structure, the exerciser's body bends and twists automatically. In this manner,
since the exerciser holds the rectangular frame structure with the hands during exercise,
the rectangular frame structure, i.e., the muscular strength training appliance may
not fall off the exerciser's hands even if the exerciser's grip on the muscular strength
training appliance is loosened.
[0010] The invention will now be described by way of example and with reference to the accompanying
drawings in which:
Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a muscular strength training appliance as a preferred
embodiment of the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a front view of the muscular strength training appliance of Fig. 1;
Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken along line A-A in Fig. 2; and
Fig. 4 is a front view showing the state of the muscular strength training appliance
of Fig. 1 when gripped with the exerciser's hands for exercise.
[0011] Referring to Figs. 1 and 2, a muscular strength training appliance 1 according to
the present invention comprises two longer bars (longer bars for gripping) 2a, 2b
of the same length and two shorter bars (shorter bars for gripping) 3a, 3b of the
same length, wherein the bars 2a, 2b, 3a and 3b are assembled in a rectangular frame
structure.
[0012] In a preferred embodiment of the muscular strength training appliance 1 of the present
invention, as shown in Fig. 3, the longer bars 2a, 2b and the shorter bars 3a, 3b
are easy-to-grip round bars made of wood and having the same diameter of about 2.
4 cm.
[0013] The length of each of the longer bars 2a, 2b is approximately equal to the distance
between the exerciser's hands naturally stretched out forward, namely, to the chest
expansion of the exerciser. The opposite ends of each of the longer bars 2a, 2b are
cut diagonally so that the length of the outer side thereof is greater than that of
the inner side thereof.
[0014] The length of each of the shorter bars 3a, 3b is longer than the width of the exerciser's
knuckles by 2 to 3 cm so that the fingers are able to slide freely on the shorter
bars 3a, 3b when the exerciser grips the shorter bars with the hands, respectively.
The opposite ends of each of the shorter bars 3a, 3b are cut diagonally so as to mate
exactly with the diagonally cut opposite ends of the longer bars 2a, 2b.
[0015] The corresponding opposite ends of the longer bars 2a, 2b and the shorter bars 3a,
3b are butted against each other, and firmly joined together by means of mortise-and-tenon
joint or with auxiliary metal fittings or the like at need so that the longer bars
2a, 2b and the shorter bars 3a, 3b may not be separated from each other even if considerably
high force is exerted thereon during use.
[0016] The weight of the muscular strength training appliance 1 is dependent on the quality
of the wood used as the material of the longer and shorter bars and the size thereof.
Incidentally, when its weight is set to be about 270 gram, the muscular strength training
appliance is easy to handle even by an aged person or an infirm person.
[0017] When the opposite longer bars 2a, 2b or the opposite shorter bars 3a, 3b of the muscular
strength training appliance 1 are gripped with the left and right hands as shown in
Fig. 4, the left and right arms of the exerciser are coordinated in the normal balanced
position through the muscular strength training appliance 1, regardless of the exerciser's
personal habitual posture. Further, the corresponding fingers of the left and right
hands are coordinated through the muscular strength training appliance 1. This coordinated
state of the body is naturally maintained both in a state of rest and in a state of
exercise.
[0018] A description will now be given of how to use the muscular strength training appliance
1.
[0019] The following six basic motions are performed using the muscular strength training
appliance 1.
- Basic motion 1:
- Turning or moving the muscular strength training appliance 1
- Basic motion 2:
- Pushing the opposite bars toward each other and pulling the same away from each other
- Basic motion 3:
- Hitting the body with the muscular strength training appliance 1
- Basic motion 4:
- Moving the muscular strength training appliance 1 by bending or stretching the body
- Basic motion 5:
- Lifting up the leg
- Basic motion 6:
- Resting the body weight on the muscular strength training appliance 1
[0020] These basic motions will be described individually as follows.
1. Basic motion 1 to turn or move the muscular strength training appliance 1
[0021]
a. Motion to turn the muscular strength training appliance 1 in front of the exerciser's
body
(a-1) The muscular strength training appliance 1 is held in front of the body with
the longer bars 2a, 2b in a horizontal position by gripping the shorter bars 3a, 3b
in a vertical position with the palms facing each other. The right palm is turned
up and the left arm is moved with the muscular strength training appliance 1 kept
horizontally to turn the muscular strength training appliance 1 clockwise. By so doing,
when the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned by an angle of 90°, the
right hand is located under the left hand. The muscular strength training appliance
1 is turned by an angle of about 270° at the maximum. Subsequently, the muscular strength
training appliance 1 is turned counterclockwise in a similar manner. This motion makes
the wrists, elbows and shoulders turn to enhance the flexibility of those parts of
the body. Incidentally, when the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned
in such a manner that both the arms are stretched out obliquely upward, the upper
body of the exerciser bends naturally backward to result in correction of a bad posture.
(a-2) The muscular strength training appliance 1 is gripped in front of the body similarly
to the motion described in (a-1). The muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned
counterclockwise round the left hand by moving the right hand upward, and then the
right hand is moved to a position above the left elbow. In this state, the left hand
turns up and the right hand turns down. Then, the right hand is moved from the position
above the left elbow to turn the muscular strength training appliance 1 alternately
clockwise and counterclockwise. The muscular strength training appliance 1 can be
turned clockwise by an angle of about 180°, and counterclockwise by an angle of about
90°. Subsequently, the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned clockwise
round the right hand by moving the left hand upward, and the left hand is moved to
a position above the right elbow. This motion twists forcibly the wrist and elbow
about which the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned, which improves the
flexibility of the wrists and elbows.
(a-3) The muscular strength training appliance 1 is gripped in the same position as
those for the motions described in (a-1) and (a-2). After setting the muscular strength
training appliance 1 in a horizontal position once, the right hand is moved upward
to turn the muscular strength training appliance 1 to an upper vertical position,
where the longer bars extend vertically. Then, the right hand is moved from the upper
vertical position described above toward the body to turn the muscular strength training
appliance 1 by an angle of 180° to a lower vertical position, and the right hand is
moved away from the body to turn the muscular strength training appliance 1 further
by an angle of about 270° from the upper vertical position to a limit position. Then,
the right hand is moved in the opposite direction to turn the muscular strength training
appliance 1 to the upper vertical position, and then, the right hand is moved further
away from the body to a limit position. Thus, the muscular strength training appliance
1 is turned in an angular range of about 360°. This motion makes the elbow of the
arm, which turns the muscular strength training appliance 1, fully stretch, makes
the arm fully exert its strength and makes a portion of the upper half of the body
on the side of the moving arm rise naturally.
(a-4) The muscular strength training appliance is gripped in the same position as
those for the motions described in (a-1) to (a-3). Then, the left hand is moved first
toward the body and to the right with the muscular strength training appliance 1 set
vertically such that the longer bars extend horizontally, and the muscular strength
training appliance 1 is turned until the left hand touches the right shoulder. While
the left hand is thus moved, the right hand moves naturally to a position in front
of the left side of the body. Then, the muscular strength training appliance 1 is
pulled by the right hand so that the elbow moves along the body. Consequently, the
left hand is moved to a position behind the right shoulder, and the left shoulder
is forcibly turned. Similarly, the right hand is moved first toward the body and to
the left, and the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned until the right
hand touches the left shoulder. Then, the muscular strength training appliance 1 is
pulled by the left hand so as to pull the right hand. This motion takes the stiffness
out of the muscles of the shoulders so that the shoulders are able to turn smoothly.
(a-5) The muscular strength training appliance 1 is gripped in the same position as
those for the motions described in (a-1) to (a-4). Then, the hands are turned so that
the backs of the hands are turned down to hold the muscular strength training appliance
1 in a horizontal position. Then, the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned
toward the body by an angle of about 180°. In this state, the backs of the hands are
turned up. Ultimately, the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned by an
angle of about 360°. In this state, the backs of the hands are turned toward each
other. This motion enhances the flexibility of the wrists. If the muscular strength
training appliance 1 is raised over the head and moved further backward with the backs
of the hands turned toward each other, the breast is pulled up. If the muscular strength
training appliance 1 is then turned in opposite directions after pulling up the breast,
the stiffness of the loin due to fatigue is taken out.
b. Motion to turn or move the muscular strength training appliance 1 over the head
(b-1) The shorter bars 3a, 3b are gripped with the arms stretched out, the arms are
raised to hold the muscular strength training appliance 1 high over the head in a
horizontal position, and then the muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned
in opposite directions in a horizontal plane. This motion makes the body twist involuntarily
in opposite directions about the spinal column. If the body is twisted in opposite
directions without holding the muscular strength training appliance 1, the spinal
column bends or leans to the right or to the left and is hardly able to serve as an
axis of twisting.
(b-2) The muscular strength training appliance 1 is turned by an angle of 90° from
a starting position, which corresponds to the position from which the muscular strength
training appliance 1 is turned for the motion described in (b-1). In this state, the
muscular strength training appliance 1 is held in a horizontal plane, and the left
and right hands are turned toward each other on the opposite sides of the head, respectively.
Then, the shorter bar on the front side is pushed backward to push the hand gripping
the other shorter bar backward to a position to which the pushed hand is unable to
move by its own efforts. This motion turns the arms far backward and corrects the
posture.
2. Basic motion 2 to push the opposite bars toward each other and pull the same away
from each other
[0022] The muscular strength training appliance 1 is held in front of the body with the
longer bars 2a, 2b or the shorter bars 3a, 3b gripped with the hands, or the muscular
strength training appliance 1 is laid on the laps with the exerciser in a sitting
position. In this state, the following motions are carried out with the strength of
the hands or the fingers exerted on the muscular strength training appliance 1.
a. A pulling force is applied to the gripped bars with the hands or the fingers.
b. A pushing force is applied to the gripped bars with the hands or the fingers.
[0023] In case of applying force to the muscular strength training appliance 1 with the
fingers, it is easy to apply force to the muscular strength training appliance 1 when
the muscular strength training appliance 1 is laid on the laps. The muscular strength
training appliance 1 is held with the longer bars 2a, 2b resting on the laps in a
horizontal position, the hands are placed on the muscular strength training appliance
1 with the backs of the hands turned up and the fingers stretched out. Then, the wrists
are turned so that the four fingers excluding the thumb of the right hand and those
of the left hand are turned opposite to each other with the thumbs touching the outer
sides of the shorter bars 3a, 3b, respectively. Subsequently, pressures are applied
to the shorter bars 3a, 3b with the left and right thumbs. In this state, the four
fingers excluding the thumb of the right hand and those of the left hand turned toward
each other are stretched toward the middle of the muscular strength training appliance
1. Consequently, the thumbs are pulled toward each other so as to press the muscular
strength training appliance 1.
c. The fingers of the left and right hands are turned away from each other and the
left and right wrists are pushed toward each other for a motion resembling a motion
to open a folding fan. On the other hand, the fingers of the left and right hands
are turned toward each other, and the left and right wrists are pulled away from each
other for a motion resembling a motion to fold a folding fan.
[0024] These motions enable the balanced development of the muscular strength of the wrists
and fingers, and also enable the correction of the peculiar physical habit of the
wrists and fingers, and as a result, it is possible to smooth manipulate writing-utensils.
3. Basic motion 3 to hit the body with the muscular strength training appliance 1
[0025] One side of the muscular strength training appliance 1 is held to hit a desired part
of the body with the other side thereof. Ordinarily, when the longer bars 2a, 2b are
held, the desired part of the body is hit with the shorter bars 3a,3b. On the other
hand, when the shorter bars 3a, 3b are held, the desired part of the body is hit with
the longer bars 2a, 2b. In an exceptional case for simultaneously hitting the opposite
sides of the back, one of the longer bars 2a, 2b of the muscular strength training
appliance 1 is held to hit the opposite sides of the back with the other longer bar.
This motion stimulates the body to improve the circulation of the blood and takes
the stiffness out of the body. According to an opinion, light hitting on the stomach
has a favorable effect on a dyspeptic.
4. Basic motion 4 to move the muscular training appliance 1 by bending and stretching
the body
[0026] The whole body is moved with the right and left hands gripping the shorter bars 3a,
3b of the muscular strength training appliance 1 to carry the muscular strength training
appliance 1 vertically and transversely to the remotest possible positions including
positions between the legs and behind the body, and then, the muscular strength training
appliance 1 is returned to the initial position. These motions are performed continuously
or intermittently. The motion to move the muscular strength training appliance 1 transversely
makes the leading hand pull the following hand through the muscular strength training
appliance 1. The motion to swing the muscular strength training appliance 1 backward
over the head and to bend the body backward is performed with one of the longer bars
2a, 2b gripped with both the left and right hands to use the centrifugal force. When
swinging the muscular strength training appliance 1 backward through the space between
the legs, one of the longer bars 2a, 2b of the muscular strength training appliance
1 is held with both the left and right hands.
[0027] These motions make the whole body perform various movements including bending, stretching
and twisting as the arms are moved. Although these motions are similar to gymnastic
exercises to be performed without using any gymnastic appliance, the coordinated movements
of the left and right arms can be maintained, the body does not stagger, the whole
body moves continuously and more smoothly and the exerciser does not become fatigued
easily and does not become weary soon, when those motions are performed with the muscular
strength training appliance 1 gripped with the hands. The muscular strength training
appliance 1 will not fall off the hands even if the arms are stretched out to a limit
because the bars of the muscular strength training appliance 1 are caught by the fingers.
The following arm is pulled through the muscular strength training appliance 1 by
the leading arm, and consequently, the following arm is able to reach easily a space
to which the following arm is unable to move by its own efforts. Particularly, when
the muscular strength training appliance 1 is held high over the head and then moved
transversely, the muscles of the following arm and the associated muscles around the
spinal column are stretched without requiring any efforts for bending the body.
5. Motion 5 to lift up the leg
[0028] The muscular strength training appliance 1 is held in front of the body and then
one of the thighs is slowly lifted up to stand on one leg. The leg can be easily lifted
up without tilting the body, and the exerciser is able to keep standing on one leg
comparatively easily as compared with a case of lifting up the leg to stand on one
leg without holding the muscular strength training appliance 1 in hand. When this
posture of standing on one leg is kept not to fall down by straining the sole of the
foot of the leg supporting the body, parts of the sole are activated naturally.
6. Basic motion 6 to rest the body weight on the muscular strength training appliance
1
[0029] The exerciser lies on one's back with the longer bars 2a, 2b of the muscular strength
training appliance 1 transversely underlying a desired part to be pressed, such as
the neck vertebra, the dorsal vertebra and the sacrum, and then, the body weight is
rested on the longer bars 2a, 2b. Consequently, a considerably intense effect of finger-pressure
therapy is exerted on the desired part of the body without requiring straining the
body. Since the pressure is distributed over the two longer bars 2a, 2b, the pressure
is applied moderately to the body, and the pressure distribution can be delicately
changed by shifting the body weight to the other portion. Since the muscular strength
training appliance 1 does not roll whereas a single bar is liable to roll, the longer
bars 2a, 2b are hardly dislocated from the desired part. Further, the longer bars
2a, 2b can be easily shifted to another desired part to be pressed.
[0030] As is apparent from the foregoing description, the muscular strength training appliance
of the present invention coordinates both the arms naturally when the muscular strength
training appliance is held simply by gripping the opposite bars thereof with the hands,
and the coordinated movements of the arms holding the muscular strength training appliance
for various motions can correct the peculiar physical habit of the body gradually,
can take the stiffness out of the body, can relieve the fatigue and can strengthen
the muscular strength.
[0031] Further, the coordinated movements of the left and right parts of the body can be
secured. Thus, the muscular strength training appliance enables even an aged person
whose physical strength is weakened or an infirm person to take exercise without losing
one's balance and staggering, and also to bend or stretch the body more easily as
compared with a case of taking exercise without using any gymnastic appliance.
[0032] Since the muscular strength training appliance is a rectangular frame structure,
the fingers on the inner side of the muscular strength training appliance catch the
bar forming the upper side of the muscular strength training appliance to prevent
the muscular strength training appliance from falling off the hands even if the fingers
of the hands holding the bars are loosened to slide the muscular strength training
appliance downward due to the bending or stretching of the body to a limit. Therefore,
there is no danger of seriously injuring people around the exerciser or damaging things
around the exerciser even if the muscular strength training appliance is swung around
and, by any chance, hits against people or things around the exerciser. Further, there
is no possibility that the muscular strength training appliance rolls when being laid
down on the floor or the like.
[0033] Furthermore, the round bars forming the muscular strength training appliance give
a smooth, soft feel to the touch and does not injure the hands even if the bars are
gripped firmly. The wood bars forming the muscular strength training appliance give
a warm, soft feel to the touch, have a moderate frictional resistance against slipping,
and form a muscular strength training appliance of an appropriate weight.
1. A muscular strength training appliance (1), comprising:
a pair of longer gripping bars (2a, 2b) of the same length; and
a pair of shorter gripping bars (3a, 3b) of the same length;
wherein said pair of longer gripping bars (2a, 2b) and said pair of shorter gripping
bars (3a, 3b) are assembled in a rectangular frame structure.
2. A muscular strength training appliance according to claim 1, wherein said pair of
longer gripping bars (2a, 2b) and said pair of shorter gripping bars (3a, 3b) are
round bars.
3. A muscular strength training appliance according to claim 1 or 2, wherein said pair
of longer gripping bars (2a, 2b) and said pair of shorter gripping bars (3a, 3b) are
made of wood material.
4. A muscular strength training appliance (1), comprising a rectangular frame consisting
of two longer bars (2a,2b) and two shorter bars (3a,3b), the shorter bars (3a,3b)
being grippable by the user's hands.
5. A muscular strength training appliance as claimed in any of claims 1 to 4, wherein
the length of the longer bars (2a,2b) is such that, when the user's arms are outstretched
and the user's hands are gripping the shorter bars (3a,3b), the user's arms are approximately
parallel.
6. A muscular strength training appliance as claimed in any of claims 1 to 5, wherein
the shorter bars (3a,3b) are less than 20 cm long, preferably 10 to 15 cm long.
7. A muscular strength training appliance as claimed in any of claims 1 to 6, wherein
the longer bars (2a,2b) are 30 to 100 cm long, preferably at least 40 cm and at most
80 cm.
8. A muscular strength training appliance as claimed in any of claims 1 to 7, wherein
the frame weighs less than 1 kg, preferably less than 500 g.
9. A muscular strength training appliance as claimed in any of claims 1 to 8, wherein
at least the shorter bars (3a,3b) have a diameter of less than 5 cm.