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Exercise/stretching apparatus

Exercise/stretching apparatus description/claims

The present invention relates to a physical interaction apparatus. In particular although not solely the present invention relates to a physical exercise and/or stretching apparatus.

A multitude of devices for exercising are available to the public. Such devices come in many formats and each are designed to allow a user to exercise a specific group or several groups of muscles. However many such devices do not offer the user the facility to conduct pre-exercise stretching to reduce the likelihood of the incidence of muscle damage during exercise. While a person is able to conduct such stretching without the use of specialized equipment, by for example leaning against a wall to apply pressure to the calf muscles or other leg muscles to stretch such muscle groups, such unaided stretching may not allow the person to provide sufficient pressure to their muscle groups. Unaided stretching may also not allow a person to stretch particular muscle groups as a result of being unable to achieve certain physical positions.

It is also known that in order to effectively stretch some muscle groups, people often pair up to provide assistance in stretching certain muscle groups. The person assisting can aid the person stretching by isolating parts of the body, supporting certain parts of the body or immobilizing certain parts of the body to allow the person stretching to achieve the desired stretching result. However a person who is wishing to stretch certain muscle groups of such a kind may not necessarily have another person available to them to aid in the stretching. Likewise for conducting certain exercises, it may be desirable to immobilize certain parts of the body so as to provide a stationary point of the body against which a force can be applied. Sit ups are one example where it is desirable for the feet of the person to be immobilized. Press ups are another example where both the hands and the feet are immobilized.

Some exercise machines such as exercycles and steppers, can isolate target muscles.

The disadvantage of using machines is that they do not offer much variety as one machine may only be used for one purpose. Another problem is that machines are often designed for the average person, and may be uncomfortable or impossible to use for a very tall or very short person or disabled persons.

Free weights such as dumbbells and barbells, on the other hand, allow the body to assume more ‘natural’ positions, allowing the simulating of real-life movements more accurately. It encourages a person to employ stabilizer muscles properly and to use correct body alignment. Free weights also offer much more variety and can be used in lots of different ways to target different muscle groups.

Free weight exercises are normally suitable for most exercisers, but often beginners need a lot of guidance to ensure they are using proper form and technique. People who do not have the necessary skills may develop serious injuries by training incorrectly.

Our United States patent U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,055 describes an exercise apparatus that can assist in exercising and stretching that solves some of the above mentioned problems.

However certain sports require specific positioning of hands and/or feet of a body of a person. Stretching or exercising certain muscles in a manner that simulates the actions or positions of certain sports is not readily facilitated by the invention of U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,055. This is because in U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,055 the apparatus provides substantially plainer surfaces for interaction by a user. A user wearing for example gloves, is only able to position the hands of the body on the wall or floor surfaces in a co-plainer relationship to each other. Accordingly U.S. Pat. No. 7,022,055 lacks the versatility to facilitate stretching and/or exercising over a larger range of movement and motions and positions.

Accordingly it is an object of the present invention to provide physical interaction apparatus for exercising and/or stretching which can be utilised by an individual without assistance of another person or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide stretching apparatus that can be utilised by a person to stretch more muscle groups than by unassisted stretching or to at least provide the public with a useful choice.

It is also an object of the present invention to provide exercising apparatus that aids in overcoming some of the problems as mentioned above or at least to provide the public with a useful choice.

Accordingly in a first aspect of the present invention consists in physical interaction apparatus for the purposes of allowing a person to perform physical training and stretching of the muscles said physical interaction apparatus comprising and/or including;

a wall including;

a. a flat primary wall surface of one of a hook component and loop component of a hook and loop fastening system, and

b. at least one peripheral surface of one of a hook component and loop component of a hook and loop fastening system that is the same as that of said primary wall surface, said peripheral surface being peripheral to at least part of said primary wall surface and is presented in a direction non-parallel to said primary wall surface,

at least one user interface that includes an outwardly presented surface consisting of the other one of the hook component and loop component of a hook and loop fastening system so as to allow its selective and releasable attachment to said primary wall surface and peripheral surface, to allow a person to engage therewith to receive resistance to a user applied force parallel to the engaged surface of said primary wall surface or peripheral surface, via said user interface.

Preferably said user interface is selected from one or more of;

i. a wearable item selected from one of a) at least one glove and at least one footwear, b) two gloves and c) two footwear, and

ii. a sports implement.

• Provisional Patent
• Utility Patent

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