Systems and methods for administering an exercise program

• US 7,753,825 B2
• Filed: 10/19/2005
• Issued: 07/13/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 10/19/2005
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Performance Health Systems, LLC
• Original Assignee: Performance Health Systems, LLC
• Inventors: Jaquish, Paul Edward, Jaquish, John Paul, McCoy, Joseph Wesley
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US11/254,289
• Publication Number:
  US 20070087913A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,728 Days
• Field of Search: 482 1- 9, 482900-902, 434/247, 601/23
• US Class Current: 482/8
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0068 Comparison to target or threshold, previous performance or not real time comparison to other individuals
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0023 for isometric exercising, i.e. substantial force variation without substantial muscle motion
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/58 Measurement of force related parameters by electric or magnetic means
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/20 with means for remote communication, e.g. internet or the like
• 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: A63B 24/0075 Means for generating exercise programs or schemes, e.g. computerized virtual trainer, e.g. using expert databases
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 482/901 having computer circuitry

Abstract

Systems and methods for facilitating an isometric contraction exercise regimen for many subjects across a network are provided. One or more exercise constraints are developed for a subject as a function of the medical health information of the subject. The subject performs a plurality of isometric contraction exercises using exercise equipment always in the presence of a personal fitness trainer thereby producing an exercise result. The exercise equipment has a strain gauge in order to impose exercise constraints in the one or more exercise constraints. A mandatory recovery period for the subject is then imposed. During this mandatory recovery period, the subject does not perform isometric contraction exercises. These steps are repeated using a new set of one or more exercise constraints that were refined based upon the exercise result of a previous isometric contraction exercise work out session.

Claims

1. A method of facilitating a fully contracted exercise regimen for a subject, the method comprising:

(A) receiving medical health information of said subject;

(B) developing one or more exercise constraints as a function of the medical health information of said subject;

(C) receiving the one or more exercise constraints at an exercise apparatus, the apparatus comprising a strain gauge;

(D) imposing or monitoring with the strain gauge the one or more exercise constraints during the subject'"'"'s performance of a plurality of fully contracted exercises using the exercise apparatus in the presence of a fitness trainer or health professional who is not assigned to any other subjects during this step;

(E) computing an exercise result, the exercise result comprising information about a force measured by the strain gauge during the subject'"'"'s performance of the plurality of fully contracted exercises;

(F) based upon the exercise result, determining a mandatory recovery period for said subject after step (D) during which time said subject is not to perform said plurality of fully contracted exercises;

(G) based upon the exercise result, developing one or more refined exercise constraints; and

(H) repeating steps (D) and (E) based on the one or more refined exercise constraints.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein an exercise constraint in said one or more exercise constraints is an amount of force that can be used in a fully contracted exercise in said plurality of fully contracted exercises.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein an exercise constraint in said one or more exercise constraints is a maximum amount of repetitions of a fully contracted exercise in said plurality of fully contracted exercises.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said mandatory recovery time is a function of the exercise result.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein said exercise result comprises a length of time that said subject was able to exert the force during a fully contracted exercise in said plurality of fully contracted exercises.

6. The method of claim 4, wherein said exercise result comprises an amount of the force that said subject was able to exert during a fully contracted exercise in said plurality of fully contracted exercises.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein step D is accomplished in five minutes or less.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the exercise equipment provides visual feedback of said exercise result.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein said fully contracted exercise regimen works a plurality of muscle groups of said subject thereby accomplishing a full body stimulation.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a fully contracted exercise in said plurality of fully contracted exercises stresses a muscle group to a point of failure.

11. The method of claim 1, further comprising communicating via a network all or a portion of the exercise constraints and exercise results in an encrypted manner to a central system.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a length of time of the mandatory recovery period is a function of said exercise result and an experience trend measured among other subjects that use said fully contracted exercise regimen, wherein said other subjects have one or more characteristics in common with said subject.

13. The method of claim 1, the method further comprising:

sending accounting and billing information relating to said fully contracted exercise regimen for said subject to a central data store and to also electronically interact with a physician of the subject, an employer of the subject, or an insurance carrier of the subject.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the plurality of fully contracted exercises comprises one or more bench presses, one or more leg presses, one or more bent rows, and one or more deadlifts.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the exercise result comprises development of skeletal muscle in said subject.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the subject is in a fully contracted position during an entirety of a fully contracted exercise in the plurality of fully contracted exercises.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein an exercise constraint in said one or more exercise constraints is a maximum amount of force of a fully contracted exercise in said plurality of fully contracted exercises.