Method and apparatus for pacing human body exercises using audible cues

• US 7,824,309 B1
• Filed: 09/02/2008
• Issued: 11/02/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 09/02/2008
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Thomas L. Tadlock
• Original Assignee: Thomas L. Tadlock
• Inventors: Tadlock, Thomas L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Lucchesi; Nicholas D
• Assistant Examiner(s): Ganesan; Sundhara M
• Application Number:
  US12/231,280
• Time in Patent Office: 791 Days
• Field of Search: 482/1, 482/3, 482/8, 482/9
• US Class Current: 482/3
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2071/063 Spoken or verbal instructions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/06 User-manipulated weights
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/12 for upper limbs or related muscles, e.g. chest, upper back or shoulder muscles bench press exercises A63B21/078; for teaching music G09B15/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1236 Push-ups in horizontal position, i.e. eccentric movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 24/0021 Tracking a path or terminating locations

Abstract

A method and apparatus for pacing human exercises includes a sequence of pre-recorded, repetitive humanly perceptible signals in which a first, accented signal pulse, such as the first beat in a four-four measure of musical time, establishes a repetitive rhythmic tempo to thus provide timing track signal for synchronizing various phases of an exercise. The rhythmic pulses, which are preferably provided by a percussion instrument such as a drum and accompanied by musical tones, are accompanied by instructions verbalized by an exercise trainer in synchronization with the timing track signal. The perceptible signals are preferably audible and are optionally accompanied by or replaced by visibly perceptible signals such as flashing lights.

Claims

1. A method for pacing human physical exercises performed cyclically at an exercise cycle rate by stimulating a physiological response in a human being, said method comprising utilizing an audio playback device to;

a. provide a first audible rhythmic clock signal at a first frequency, higher than an exercise cycle rate,

b. provide simultaneously with said first clock signal a second audible exercise phase cuing signal containing cues for pacing sequential phases of an exercise cycle, said second phase cuing signal being at a second frequency and synchronized with said first clock signal, and

c. said first and second signals being autonomously and automatically provided independently of any external influence.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein said first audible clock signal is further defined as being cyclically repeated.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein said first frequency is constant.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein at least one of said first and second audible signals is accompanied by a visually perceptible signal.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein said first signal includes a sequence of time intervals, each of said intervals containing a first perceptibly accented signal pulse followed by a predetermined number of unaccented signal pulses.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein said first audible signal includes percussion musical instrument sounds.

7. The method of claim 6 further including providing a third audible signal synchronously with said first audible signal, said third audible signal containing musical sounds.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein said second, audible cuing signal includes a verbal instruction.

9. The method of claim 8 wherein said second, audible cuing signal is cyclically repeated at a sub-harmonic of said first frequency.

10. The method of claim 8 wherein said verbal instruction include exercise initiation cues indicating the beginning of an exercise.

11. The method of claim 10 wherein said verbal instruction include a cyclically repeated sequence of exercise phase directions.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein said verbal instruction include exercise cessation signals indicating the completion of a pre-determined number of cyclically repeated phases of an exercise.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein said first frequency is higher than said second frequency.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the first frequency is greater than one cycle per second.

15. An apparatus for pacing human physical exercises performed cyclically at an exercise rate by stimulating a physiological response in a human being, said apparatus comprising;

a. pre-recorded medium containing,

i. a first recorded audible rhythmic clock signal at a first frequency higher than an exercise cycle rate, and

ii. a second recorded audible exercise phase cuing signal containing cues for pacing sequential phases of an exercise cycle, said second signal being synchronized with said first signal, and

b. a playback transducer device for emitting in response to said first and second recorded signals to first and second audible signals, said first and second audible signals being emitted simultaneously and independently of any influence external to said playback transducer.

16. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first recorded signal includes a sequence of time intervals, each of said time intervals containing a first perceptibly accented signal pulse followed by a pre-determined number of unaccented signal pulses.

17. The apparatus of claim 15 further including a display device for producing a visual display responsive to at least one of said first and second signals.

18. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said first audible signal includes musical instrument percussion sounds.

19. The apparatus of claim 15 further including a third recorded, audible signal synchronized with said first recorded audible signal, said third recorded audible signal containing musical sounds.

20. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein at least one of said first and second signals includes a verbal instruction.

21. The apparatus of claim 15 wherein said second signal is cyclically repeated at a sub-harmonic of said first frequency.

22. The apparatus of claim 21 wherein said verbal instruction includes exercise initiation cues indicating the beginning of an exercise.

23. The apparatus of claim 22 wherein said verbal instruction includes a cyclically repeated sequence of exercise phase directions.

24. The apparatus of claim 23 wherein said verbal instruction includes exercise cessation signals indicating the completion of a pre-determined number of cyclically repeated phases of an exercise.

25. A method for pacing human physical exercises performed cyclically at an exercise cycle rate by stimulating a physiological response in a human being, said method comprising;

a. utilizing an audio playback device for playing back pre-recorded audio signals, said signals including,

i. a first audible rhythm-setting clock signal emitted at a first frequency higher than an exercise cycle rate,

ii. a second audible exercise phase cuing signal containing cues for pacing sequential phases of an exercise, said second signal being emitted at a second frequency synchronized with said first signal, and

iii. said first and second signals being emitted simultaneously and independently of any external influence.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein said first audible signal is further defined as being cyclically repeated.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein said first frequency is constant.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein at least one of said first and second audible signals is accompanied by a visually perceptible signal.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein said first audible signal includes a sequence of time intervals, each of said intervals containing a first perceptibly accented signal pulse followed by a predetermined number of unaccented signal pulses.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein said first audible signal includes musical instrument percussion sounds.

31. The method of claim 30 further providing a third audible signal synchronously with said first audible signal, said third audible signal containing musical sounds.

32. The method of claim 25 wherein said second, audible cuing signal includes a verbal instruction.

33. The method of claim 32 wherein said second, audible cuing signal is cyclically repeated at a sub-harmonic of said first frequency.

34. The method of claim 32 wherein said verbal instruction includes exercise initiation cues indicating the beginning of an exercise.

35. The method of claim 34 wherein said verbal instruction includes a cyclically repeated sequence of exercise phase directions.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein said verbal instructions include exercise cessation signals indicating the completion of a pre-determined number of cyclically repeated phases of an exercise.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein said first frequency is higher than said second frequency.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the first frequency is greater than one cycle per second.