Exercise system

• US 5,547,439 A
• Filed: 03/22/1994
• Issued: 08/20/1996
• Est. Priority Date: 03/22/1994
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: BowFlex, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Stairmaster Sports/Medical Products, Inc. (Nautilus, Inc.)
• Inventors: Wierlo, Steven J., Wade, Cathy L., Rawls, R. Lee
• Primary Examiner(s): Apley, Richard J.
• Assistant Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US08/216,007
• Time in Patent Office: 882 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1-9, 482/51, 482/52, 482/61, 482/54, 482/57, 482/63, 482/73, 482/900-902, 434/61, 434/247
• US Class Current: 482/5
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/0641 with a marker advancing in function of the exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0053 using alternators or dynamos
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0088 by moving the surrounding air
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/30 Speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/36 Speed measurement by electric or magnetic parameters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/107 Resisting devices being of the same kind
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0476 by rotating cycling movement arrangements on or for real bicycles A63B69/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/90 Ergometer with feedback to load or with feedback comparison
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/902 Employing specific graphic or video display

Abstract

An exercise system using a plurality of exercise cycles with the users applying user exercise force at user exercise speed. The exercise system includes a display displaying user indicators moving along respective paths of travel on the display simulating the movement of cycles therealong. The paths of travel are displayed to simulate the travel of a plurality of cycles racing against each other. The exercise system further includes a display control measuring the exercise speed of the plurality of users applied to their respective exercise cycles, and determining the applied cumulative exercise efforts of the users. The display control also determines a lead user based upon which of the users has the greatest cumulative exercise effort, and determines when the cumulative exercise effort of particular ones of the users are within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user. While the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, the display control adjusts upward the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users by predetermined amounts. The display control controls movement of the user indicators along their respective paths of travel on the display, with the displayed movement of the user indicators along their respective paths of travel being indicative of their respective adjusted cumulative exercise efforts. The user indicators of the particular users are caused to travel along their respective paths of travel in a manner corresponding to the upwardly adjusted exercise efforts of the particular users, thereby giving the particular users an advantage over the lead user.

Claims

1. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise cycle for a first user to apply a first user exercise force at a first user exercise speed;

a second exercise cycle for a second user to apply a second exercise force at a second exercise speed;

a display displaying a first user indicator moving along a first path of travel on the display simulating the movement of a first cycle therealong, and displaying a second user indicator moving along a second path of travel on the display simulating the movement of a second cycle therealong, the first and second paths of travel being displayed on the display to simulate the travel of two cycles racing each other; and

a display control measuring the exercise speed of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise cycles, determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise cycles, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by a predetermined amount, the display control controlling movement of the first and second indicators along the first and second paths of travel of the display, with the displayed movement of the first user indicator along the first path of travel being indicative of the first user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, and with the displayed movement of the second user indicator along the second path of travel being indicative of the second user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, whereby the corresponding first or second user indicator of the one user is caused to travel along the corresponding first or second path of travel at a rate corresponding to the upwardly adjusted exercise effort of the one user, thereby simulating the one user drafting behind the other user.

2. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display includes a first display mounted in association with the first exercise cycle for viewing by the first user and a second display mounted in association with the second exercise cycle for viewing by the second user, and the display control includes a first display control controlling movement of the first and second user indicators on the first display and a second display control controlling movement of the first and second indicators on the second display.

3. The exercise system of claim 2 wherein the first and second displays each define the first path of travel by a displayed first lane with the first user indicator moving along in the first lane and the second path of travel by a displayed second lane with the second user indicator moving along in the second lane.

4. The exercise system of claim 3 wherein the first lane displayed on the first display is marked to identified to the first user the first lane as having the first user indicator, and the second lane displayed on the second display is marked to identify to the second user the second line as having the second user indicator.

5. The exercise system of claim 3 wherein the first and second lanes each extend between spaced apart first and second ends, and each has a first path portion along which the corresponding first or second user indicator travels from the first end to the second end and a second path portion along which the corresponding first or second user indicator travels from the second end to the first end.

6. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display further displays a numerical indication of at least one of the first and second exercise speeds.

7. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display further displays a numerical indication of the adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

8. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display further displays a statement of which of the first or second users is the one user with an adjusted cumulative exercise effort within the preselected range during the time when the adjusted cumulative exercise effort remain with the preselected range.

9. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display further displays a statement of which of the first or second users had the greatest adjusted cumulative exercise effort and which has the lesser adjusted cumulative exercise effort.

10. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display control adjusts the cumulative exercise effort of the one user upward by a first predetermined amount if within a first subrange of values of the preselected range and by a second predetermined amount less than the first predetermined amount if within a second subrange of values of the preselected range, with the second subrange of values being greater in numerical value than the first subrange of values, whereby the one user receives a greater upward adjustment of the cumulative exercise effort when within the preselected range if within the first subrange of values corresponding to a smaller difference between the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

11. The exercise system of claim 1 further including a user activated start selector, and wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users commencing upon user activation of the start selector.

12. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second exercise cycles includes a pair of pedals, a resistance member applying a variable resistance to the pedals to resist movement of the pedals and a resistance control adjustably controlling the resistance of the resistance member, and wherein the resistance control reduces the resistance the resistance member applies to the pedals of the corresponding first or second exercise cycle of the one user while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user is being adjusted upward.

13. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display control adjusts upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by adjusting upward the measured exercise speed of the one user used to determine the cumulative exercise effort of the one user.

14. The exercise system of claim 13 wherein the display control adjusts upward the measured exercise speed of the one user by a preselected portion of the measured exercise speed of the one user.

15. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise effort of the first and second users during an exercise period by determining a current incremental exercise effort of the corresponding first or second user during a current time interval and summing the determined current incremental exercise effort with the previously determined cumulative exercise efforts during the exercise period.

16. The exercise system of claim 15 wherein the display control adjusts upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by adjusting upward the determined current incremental exercise effort.

17. The exercise system of claim 16 wherein the display control determines the current incremental exercise effort based on the measured speed of the one user during the current time interval, and adjusts upward the determined current incremental exercise effort by adjusting upward the measured exercise speed of the one user during the current time interval.

40. The exercise system of claim 3 1 wherein each of the first and second exercise apparatus includes an input member engageable by at least one limb of the user, a resistance member applying a variable resistance to the input member to resist movement of the input member and a resistance control adjustably controlling the resistance of the resistance member, and wherein the resistance control reduces the resistance the resistance member applies to the input member of the corresponding first or second exercise apparatus of the one user while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user is being adjusted upward.

44. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein the display includes a first display mounted in association with the first exercise apparatus for viewing by the first user and a second display mounted in association with the second exercise apparatus for viewing by the second user, and the display control includes a first display control controlling movement of the first and second user indicators on the first display and a second display control controlling movement of the first and second indicators on the second display.

51. The exercise system of claim 1 wherein each of the first and second exercise apparatus includes an input member engageable by at least one limb of the user, a resistance member applying a variable resistance to the input member to resist movement of the input member and a resistance control adjustably controlling the resistance of the resistance member, and wherein the resistance control reduces the resistance the resistance member applies to the input member of the corresponding first or second exercise apparatus of the one user while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user is being adjusted relative to the other user.

18. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise cycle for a first user to apply a first user exercise force at a first user exercise speed;

a second exercise cycle for a second user to apply a second exercise force at a second exercise speed;

a display control measuring the exercise speed of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise cycles, determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise cycles, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by a predetermined amount; and

a display displaying an indication of the relative adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

19. The exercise system of claim 18 wherein the display control adjusts the cumulative exercise effort of the one user upward by a first predetermined amount if within a first subrange of values of the preselected range and by a second predetermined amount less than the first predetermined amount if within a second subrange of values of the preselected range, with the second subrange of values being greater in numerical value than the first subrange of values, whereby the one user receives a greater upward adjustment of the cumulative exercise effort when within the preselected range if within the first subrange of values corresponding to a smaller difference between the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

20. The apparatus of claim 18 wherein the display control converts the adjusted cumulative exercise effort of the first and second users into equivalent positions of the first user relative to the second user along a path of travel, and the display displays an indicator for each of the first and second users positioned along the path of travel at its equivalent positions.

21. The exercise system of claim 18 wherein each of the first and second exercise cycles includes a pair of pedals, a resistance member applying a variable resistance to the pedals to resist movement of the pedals and a resistance control adjustably controlling the resistance of the resistance member, and wherein the resistance control reduces the resistance the resistance member applies to the pedals of the corresponding first or second exercise cycle of the one user while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user is being adjusted upward.

22. The exercise system of claim 18 wherein the display control adjusts upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by adjusting upward the measured exercise speed of the one user used to determine the cumulative exercise effort of the one user.

23. The exercise system of claim 22 wherein the display control adjusts upward the measured exercise speed of the one user by a preselected portion of the measured exercise speed of the one user.

24. The exercise system of claim 18 wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise effort of the first and second users during an exercise period by determining a current incremental exercise effort of the corresponding first or second user during a current time interval and summing the determined current incremental exercise effort with the previously determined cumulative exercise efforts during the exercise period.

25. The exercise system of claim 24 wherein the display control adjusts upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by adjusting upward the determined current incremental exercise effort.

26. The exercise system of claim 25 wherein the display control determines the current incremental exercise effort based on the measured speed of the one user during the current time interval, and adjusts upward the determined current incremental exercise effort by adjusting upward the measured exercise speed of the one user during the current time interval.

27. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise cycle for a first user to apply a first user exercise effort;

a second exercise cycle for a second user to apply a second exercise effort;

a display displaying a first user indicator moving along a first path of travel on the display simulating the movement of a first cycle therealong, and displaying a second user indicator moving along a second path of travel on the display simulating the movement of a second cycle therealong, the first and second paths of travel being displayed on the display to simulate the travel of two cycles racing each other; and

a display control measuring the exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise cycles and determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users, the display control determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by a predetermined amount, the display control controlling movement of the first and second user indicators along the first and second paths of travel of the display, with the displayed movement of the first user indicator along the first path of travel being indicative of the first user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, and with the displayed movement of the second user indicator along the second path of travel being indicative of the second user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, the display control thereby simulating the one user drafting behind the other user.

28. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise cycle for a first user to apply a first user exercise effort;

a second exercise cycle for a second user to apply a second exercise effort;

a display control measuring the exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise cycles and determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users, the display control determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by a predetermined amount; and

a display displaying an indication of the relative adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

29. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise force at a first user exercise speed;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise force at a second exercise speed;

a display displaying a first user indicator moving along a first path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the first user therealong, and displaying a second user indicator moving along a second path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the second user therealong, the first and second paths of travel being displayed on the display to simulate the travel of the two users racing each other; and

a display control measuring the exercise speed of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise apparatus, determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise apparatus, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the one user relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the other user by a predetermined amount, the display control controlling movement of the first and second indicators along the first and second paths of travel of the display, with the displayed movement of the first user indicator along the first path of travel being indicative of the first user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, and with the displayed movement of the second user indicator along the second path of travel being indicative of the second user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, whereby the first and second user indicators are caused to travel along the first and second paths of travel at rates corresponding to the adjusted exercise efforts of the first and second user, thereby giving the one user an advantage over the other user.

30. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise force at a first user exercise speed;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise force at a second exercise speed;

a display control measuring the exercise speed of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise apparatus, determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise apparatus, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the one user relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the other user to give the one user an advantage over the other user; and

a display displaying an indication of the relative adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

31. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise effort;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise effort;

a display displaying a first user indicator moving along a first path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the first user therealong, and displaying a second user indicator moving along a second path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the second user therealong, the first and second paths of travel being displayed on the display to simulate the travel of the two users racing each other; and

a display control measuring the exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise apparatus and determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users, the display control determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the one user relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the other user by a predetermined amount, the display control controlling movement of the first and second user indicators along the first and second paths of travel of the display, with the displayed movement of the first user indicator along the first path of travel being indicative of the first user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, and with the displayed movement of the second user indicator along the second path of travel being indicative of the second user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, the display control thereby giving the one user an advantage over the other user.

32. The exercise system of claim 31 wherein the display includes a first display mounted in association with the first exercise apparatus for viewing by the first user and a second display mounted in association with the second exercise apparatus for viewing by the second user, and the display control includes a first display control controlling movement of the first and second user indicators on the first display and a second display control controlling movement of the first and second indicators on the second display.

33. The exercise system of claim 32 wherein the first and second displays each define the first path of travel by a displayed first lane with the first user indicator moving along in the first lane and the second path of travel by a displayed second lane with the second user indicator moving along in the second lane.

34. The exercise system of claim 33 wherein the first lane displayed on the first display is marked to identify to the first user the first lane as having the first user indicator, and the second lane displayed on the second display is marked to identify to the second user the second line as having the second user indicator.

35. The exercise system of claim 33 wherein the first and second lanes each extend between spaced apart first and second ends, and each has a first path portion along which the corresponding first or second user indicator travels from the first end to the second end and a second path portion along which the corresponding first or second user indicator travels from the second end to the first end.

36. The exercise system of claim 31 wherein the display further displays a statement of which of the first or second users is the one user with an adjusted cumulative exercise effort within the preselected range during the time when the adjusted cumulative exercise effort remain with the preselected range.

37. The exercise system of claim 31 wherein the display further displays a statement of which of the first or second users had the greatest adjusted cumulative exercise effort and which has the lesser adjusted cumulative exercise effort.

38. The exercise system of claim 31 wherein the display control adjusts the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by a first predetermined amount if within a first subrange of values of the preselected range and by a second predetermined amount less than the first predetermined amount if within a second subrange of values of the preselected range, with the second subrange of values being greater in numerical value than the first subrange of values, whereby the one user receives a greater adjustment of the cumulative exercise effort when within the preselected range if within the first subrange of values corresponding to a smaller difference between the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

39. The exercise system of claim 31 further including a user activated start selector, and wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users commencing upon user activation of the start selector.

41. The exercise system of claim 31 wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise effort of the first and second users during an exercise period by determining a current exercise effort of the corresponding first or second user during a current time interval and summing the determined current exercise effort with the previously determined cumulative exercise efforts during the exercise period.

42. The exercise system of claim 41 wherein the display control adjusts upward the cumulative exercise effort of the one user by adjusting upward the determined current exercise effort.

43. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise effort;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise effort;

a display control measuring the exercise efforts of the first and second users applied to the first and second exercise apparatus and determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users, the display control determining when the cumulative exercise effort of one of the first and second users is within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the other of the first and second users, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the one user remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the one user relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the other user to give the one user an advantage over the other user; and

a display displaying an indication of the relative adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

45. The exercise system of claim 43 wherein the display further displays a numerical indication of the adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users.

46. The exercise system of claim 43 wherein the display further displays a statement of which of the first or second users is the one user with an adjusted cumulative exercise effort within the preselected range during the time when the adjusted cumulative exercise effort remains within the preselected range.

47. The exercise system of claim 43 wherein the display further displays a statement of which of the first or second users has the greatest adjusted cumulative exercise effort and which has the lesser adjusted cumulative exercise effort.

48. The exercise system of claim 43 wherein the display control adjusts the cumulative exercise effort of the one user relative to the other user by a first predetermined amount if within a first subrange of values of the preselected range and by a second predetermined amount less than the first predetermined amount if within a second subrange of values of the preselected range.

49. The apparatus of claim 43 wherein the display control converts the adjusted cumulative exercise effort of the first and second users into equivalent positions of the first user relative to the second user along a path of travel, and the display displays an indicator for each of the first and second users positioned along the path of travel at its equivalent positions.

50. The exercise system of claim 43, further including a user activated start selector, and wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise efforts of the first and second users commencing upon user activation of the start selector.

52. The exercise system of claim 43 wherein the display control determines the cumulative exercise effort of the first and second users during an exercise period by determining a current exercise effort of the corresponding first or second user during a current time interval and summing the determined current exercise effort with the previously determined cumulative exercise efforts during the exercise period.

53. The exercise system of claim 52 wherein the display control adjusts the cumulative exercise effort of the one user relative to the other user by adjusting upward the determined current exercise effort of the one user.

54. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise force at a first user exercise speed;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise force at second exercise speed;

a third exercise apparatus for a third user to apply a third exercise force at a third exercise speed;

a display displaying a first user indicator moving along a first path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the first user therealong, displaying a second user indicator moving along a second path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the second user therealong, and displaying a third user indicator moving along a third path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the third user therealong, the first, second and third paths of travel being displayed on the display to simulate the travel of the three users racing each other; and

a display control measuring the exercise speed of the first, second and third users applied to the first, second and third exercise apparatus, determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first, second and third users applied to the first, second and third exercise apparatus, determining a lead user based on which of the first, second or third users has the greatest cumulative exercise effort, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of particular ones of the first, second and third users are within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users by predetermined amounts, the display control controlling movement of the first, second and third indicators along the first, second and third paths of travel of the display, with the displayed movement of the first user indicator along the first path of travel being indicative of the first user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, with the displayed movement of the second user indicator along the second path of travel being indicative of the second user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, and with the displayed movement of the third user indicator along the third path of travel being indicative of the third user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, whereby the corresponding first, second or third user indicator of the particular users are caused to travel along the corresponding first, second or third path of travel at a rate corresponding to the upwardly adjusted exercise effort of the particular users, thereby giving the particular users an advantage over the lead user.

55. The exercise system of claim 54, further including the display control determining which of the particular ones of the first, second and third users has a cumulative exercise effort closest to and next closest to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the closest user by a first predetermined amount, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the next closest user by a second predetermined amount, with the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount, whereby the closest user to the lead user gets a first level of benefit from being behind the lead user and the next closest user to the lead user gets an increased second level of benefit from being behind both the lead user and the closest user.

56. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise force at a first user exercise speed;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise force at a second exercise speed;

a third exercise apparatus for a third user to apply a third exercise force at a third exercise speed;

a display control measuring the exercise speed of the first, second and third users applied to the first, second and third exercise apparatus, determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first, second and third users applied to the first, second and third exercise apparatus, determining a lead user based on which of the first, second or third users has the greatest cumulative exercise effort, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of particular ones of the first, second and third users are within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users remains within the preselected range, and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user to give the particular users an advantage over the lead user; and

a display displaying an indication of the relative adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first, second and third users.

57. The exercise system of claim 56, further including the display control determining which of the particular ones of the first, second and third users has a cumulative exercise effort closest to and next closest to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the closest user by a first predetermined amount, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the next closest user by a second predetermined amount, with the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount, whereby the closest user to the lead user gets a first level of benefit from being behind the lead user and the next closest user to the lead user gets an increased second level of benefit from being behind both the lead user and the closest user.

58. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise effort;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise effort;

a third exercise apparatus for a third user to apply a third exercise effort;

a display displaying a first user indicator moving along a first path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the first user therealong, displaying a second user indicator moving along a second path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the second user therealong, and displaying a third user indicator moving along a third path of travel on the display simulating the movement of the third user therealong, the first, second and third paths of travel being displayed on the display to simulate the travel of the three users racing each other; and

a display control measuring the exercise efforts of the first, second and third users applied to the first, second and third exercise apparatus and determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first, second and third users, the display control determining a lead user based on which of the first, second or third users has the greatest cumulative exercise effort, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of particular ones of the first, second and third users are within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user by predetermined amounts, the display control controlling movement of the first, second and third user indicators along the first, second and third paths of travel of the display, with the displayed movement of the first user indicator along the first path of travel being indicative of the first user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, with the displayed movement of the second user indicator along the second path of travel being indicative of the second user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, and with the displayed movement of the third user indicator along the third path of travel being indicative of the third user adjusted cumulative exercise effort, the display control thereby giving the particular users an advantage over the lead user.

59. The exercise system of claim 58, further including the display control determining which of the particular ones of the first, second and third users has a cumulative exercise effort closest to and next closest to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the closest user by a first predetermined amount, and adjusted upward the cumulative exercise effort of the next closest user by a second predetermined amount, with the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount, whereby the closest user to the lead user gets a first level of benefit from being behind the lead user and the next closest user to the lead user gets and increased second level of benefit from being behind both the lead user and the closest user.

60. An exercise system, comprising:

a first exercise apparatus for a first user to apply a first user exercise effort;

a second exercise apparatus for a second user to apply a second exercise effort;

a third exercise apparatus for a third user to apply a third exercise effort;

a display control measuring the exercise efforts of the first, second and third users applied to the first, second and third exercise apparatus and determining the cumulative exercise efforts of the first, second and third users, the display control determining a lead user based on which of the first, second or third users has the greatest cumulative exercise effort, and determining when the cumulative exercise effort of particular ones of the first, second and third users are within a preselected range less than the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and while the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users remains within the preselected range and in response thereto, adjusting the cumulative exercise effort of the particular users relative to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user to give the particular users an advantage over the lead user; and

a display displaying an indication of the relative adjusted cumulative exercise efforts of the first, second and third users.

61. The exercise system of claim 60, further including the display control determining which of the particular ones of the first, second and third users has a cumulative exercise effort closest to and next closest to the cumulative exercise effort of the lead user, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the closest user by a first predetermined amount, and adjusting upward the cumulative exercise effort of the next closest user by a second predetermined amount, with the second predetermined amount being greater than the first predetermined amount, whereby the closest user to the lead user gets a first level of benefit from being behind the lead user and the next closest user to the lead user gets an increased second level of benefit from being behind both the lead user and the closest user.