| Torso rotation/core trainer -> Monitor Keywords |
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Torso rotation/core trainerRelated Patent Categories: Exercise Devices, User Manipulated Force Resisting Apparatus, Component Thereof, Or Accessory ThereforTorso rotation/core trainer description/claimsThe Patent Description & Claims data below is from USPTO Patent Application 20060058165, Torso rotation/core trainer. Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Application Ser. No. 60/565,873, the complete contents of which is herein incorporated by reference. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION [0002] 1. Field of the Invention [0003] The present invention generally relates to handle devices used in resistance based exercise training and, more particularly, to a handle device which permits the proper training of muscle groups utilized in core conditioning-torso rotation. [0004] 2. Background Description [0005] Only recently has it been recognized that training a person's core muscle groups would be of significant benefit to performing complex movements in sports such as the golf swing, tennis serves and ground strokes, the bat swing, etc. While exercises such as stationary twisting, or executing wood chop high-to-low and low-to-high motions, with, for example, a medicine ball or a handle connected to a weight stack assembly or a source of resistance such as an elastic member connected to ground or a wall, are designed to exercise the core muscles, it is possible for the person to "cheat" with these devices. That is, the person may find easier to simply pull with his or her hands and arms across his or her chest, rather than twisting or crunching using his or her trunk. Alternatively, the person may find it easier to turn his or her hips instead of his or her shoulders. For example, many people grab simple exercise handles currently in use, attach them to elastic tubing or cables attached to weight stacks and start to twist right to left and left to right, as well as in angular twisting motions in one or more directions, believing that they are training the core group or performing trunk/torso rotation. However, what usually is happening is that the person is pulling their arms across their body with very little shoulder turn, and this is not trunk rotation. Such "cheating", whether intentional or unintentional, does not provide much benefit to the person, and may result injury (or simply frustration due to poor results). What is needed is a tool that effectively requires the user to perform the exercises properly in order to be used; thereby eliminating "cheating", and allowing the user to benefit from performing an exercise regimen properly. SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION [0006] An exemplary object of the invention is to provide a user with handle device that is used with a resistance mechanism, such as a weight stack machine or an elastic resistance element (e.g., bungie or tubing) secured to ground or a wall, where the handle device must be held in a fashion that causes the user to rotate his or her shoulders when executing movements against the resistance. [0007] According to the invention, a suitable handle device includes a center shaft with a connector at or near one end for connection to the resistance mechanism. The handle device will have a pair of hand grips on opposite sides of the center shaft, and a pair of cuffs on opposite sides of the center shaft. Preferably, the distance between the hand grips and the cuffs can be varied in order to accommodate different sized users. In operation, the user holds the hand grips of the handle device and uses his or her elbows to hold the cuffs by maintaining constant pinching pressure. In this way, the user forms a triangle (two shoulders where and the apex is where the hands come together at the end near the connection point) with his or her hands effectively "still" in front of the chest, thereby requiring the user to turn the shoulders against the resistance. When the person turns the shoulders only, leaving the hands still in front of the body or fixed against the body or "staying connected with the body as one unit", this causes all of the core group rotation muscles to be used, which are the muscles called upon to rotate the body around the spine (torque and core group). [0008] If the user is twisting from right to left or left to right, or if they are twisting in an angular motion from high to low or low to high, the handle device of this invention causes the shoulder and torso to be what turns (i.e., pulling of the hands and arms is effectively prevented since the user's elbows are to be held firm against the cuffs while the hand grips are held). The handle device is secured to any form of resistance, and allows the user to perform shoulder rotation and torso rotation, without "cheating" or performing the movement using the non-intended muscle groups (caused by pulling the arms across the chest or up and down if doing angular rotation). The handle device of this invention not only exercises the intended core muscle group in a rotation fashion, but it also allows the user to correctly isolate trunk extension (bending back), trunk flexion (crunch movement when shoulders are moved correctly towards the hips with the hips contracting the abs), and it also isolates trunk lateral flexion (e.g., side bends holding hands over head, with bending from straight up then left and then right). BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS [0009] The foregoing and other objects, aspects and advantages will be better understood from the following detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention with reference to the drawings, in which: [0010] FIG. 1 is a top view of a handle device of the present invention; [0011] FIG. 2 is a side view of the handle device shown in FIG. 1; [0012] FIG. 3 is a side view of an alternative resistance connector configuration for use with a handle device of the present invention; [0013] FIG. 4 is a top view of a person holding an example of the handle device of the present invention; and [0014] FIGS. 4a and 4b are top view of the person shown in FIG. 4 showing rotation of the person's shoulders during core training. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION [0015] The handle device of this invention can be hooked up to any form of resistance (e.g., weight stack, rubber tubing, spring, bungee cord, etc.), and, when used, the person is ensured to be using the trunk muscles in an isolated fashion, either sitting, standing or laying on the ground. While many pieces of professional and home gym equipment with functional cables show pictures of people twisting and leaning for demonstrating core exercises, it should be understood that none of these pieces of equipment force the person to use the muscle groups they are intending or trying to use. Often, the body takes the path of least resistance or uses the strongest muscle group, and this is especially so in twisting movements. The handle device of this invention, when used correctly, will overcome this problem and assure focused exercising of the trunk muscles for strengthening or rehabilitation. [0016] Referring now to the drawings, and more particularly to FIG. 1, there is shown an example of a handle device according to the present invention which includes a center shaft 10, with a pair of hand grips 12a and 12b and a pair of cuffs 14a and 14b located on opposite sides of the center shaft 10. A connector 16 is preferably positioned at or near one end of the center shaft 12. The connector 16 can take the form of an eye hole (as shown) or a hook or any other form which will allow the handle device to be connected to a resistance device such as a cable of a weight stack, a spring element anchored to a floor or wall, an elastic tubing or bungee cord device anchored to a floor or wall, or a pole or a fence, etc. [0017] The hand grips 12a and 12b can be separate devices (as shown), or constitute the gripping surface of a common element connecting 12a and 12b (not shown). The hand grips 12a and 12b can be a simple barrel or cylindrical shape as shown, or be more elaborate and be part of a rest or other device. The hand grips 12a and 12b function so as to be held by the user's hands with the palms facing each other. In the preferred embodiment, the hand grips 12a and 12b will be sized to allow the user to put his or her thumbs on top of the grips during the exercise; however, the sizing can vary to fit the needs of the user or the manufacturer. The hand grips can be made of steel, wood, plastic, or other suitable materials and will preferably be connected to the center shaft 10 by spacers 18a and 18b made of the same or different materials. However, in the case of the hand grips being on a common element, fewer than two spacers are employed. As shown by double headed arrow 20, it is preferable that each of the hand grips, separately or together, are rotatable in a plane parallel to the center shaft 10. When the hand grips 12 and 12b are freely rotatable, the user is more effectively forced to hold the device correctly by squeezing the elbows together at all times, thus enabling the correct stretching and resistance/exercises motions to be performed. To better accommodate different sized users, the spacers 18a and 18b may be adjustable so as to space the hand grips 12a and 12b relatively further away or closer to the center shaft 10. In operation, it is desirable to have the users palms close together and close to the center shaft 10. [0018] The cuffs 14a and 14b can take of variety of forms and could be flat surfaces, curved members to fit the user's elbows, or even be material which encircles the user's arms at or near the elbow. However, it is most preferred to have the user tightly press his or her elbows against the cuffs 14a and 14b throughout the entire movement on his or her own accord. This assures that the user's hands are held "still" in position in front of his or her chest. If the elbows are not pressed tightly against the cuffs 14a and 14b, then the center shaft 10 will move out of position (this is particularly accentuated if the hand grips 12a and 12b can rotate relative to the center shaft). Thus, in order for the user to perform the exercise correctly, he or she must hold the device correctly, and, once the device is held correctly, it will assure the user that the exercises are being performed correctly so as to isolate and exercise the trunk muscles during rotational movements and bending movements. Similar to the hand grips 12a and 12b, the cuffs 14a and 14b are secured to the center shaft by cuff width bars 22a and 22b which may or may not adjust the spacing between the cuffs 14a/14b and center shaft 10, as is indicated by double headed arrow 24. This allows the device to be comfortably fitted to and be used by a variety of different users of different sizes and shapes. Ideally, the cuffs 14a and 14b could be set at a variety of different angles, or could swivel or rotate in a plane parallel to the center shaft as indicated by double headed arrow 26, or could otherwise be movable so as to allow more comfortable engagement with the user's elbow region or upper arm (above the elbow) region (preferably, the cuffs 14a and 14b are contacted by the user's elbows or at positions slightly above or below the elbows). While FIG. 1 shows the cuffs 14a and 14b positioned at the end of the center shaft 10, it should be understood that in some embodiments, the center shaft 10 could pass beyond the cuffs 14a and 14b. [0019] As is best shown in FIG. 2, in the preferred embodiment, the distance between the hand grips, 12b by example, and the cuffs, 14 by example, can be varied to fit the needs of different sized users. For example, adults and children, and, generally, males and females have different sized forearms and arm lengths. Further, smaller and larger adults have different sized forearms and arm lengths. By permitting either or both the cuffs 14a and 14b or hand grips 12a and 12b to be positioned at different locations on the center shaft 10, the needs of these different sized users can be easily accommodated. Alternatively, the center shaft 10 itself may be of a telescoping or other expandable and contractible design so as to regulate the spacing between the cuffs 14a and 14b and hand grips 12a and 12b. FIG. 2 shows ports 28 along the length of the shaft between the cuffs 14a and 14b and the hand grips 12a and 12b which may be used for selectively controlling the distance between the cuffs and hand grips. In one example, the spacers 18a and 18b would be insertable into different ports 28. In another example, the center shaft 10 would be of a telescoping design, and the ports 28 would have a selectively lockable arrangement with a button (not shown) that fits into a port when the distance is set to the desired spacing. Continue reading about Torso rotation/core trainer... Full patent description for Torso rotation/core trainer Brief Patent Description - Full Patent Description - Patent Application Claims Click on the above for other options relating to this Torso rotation/core trainer patent application. ###  How KEYWORD MONITOR works... a FREE service from FreshPatents1. Sign up (takes 30 seconds). 2. Fill in the keywords to be monitored. 3. Each week you receive an email with patent applications related to your keywords. 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