System for testing muscular power

• US 8,523,789 B2
• Filed: 10/27/2003
• Issued: 09/03/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 06/14/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Keiser Corp.
• Original Assignee: Keiser Corp.
• Inventors: Keiser, Dennis L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Hindenburg, Max
• Assistant Examiner(s): Foreman, Jonathan M
• Application Number:
  US10/694,198
• Publication Number:
  US 20040250618A1
• Time in Patent Office: 3,599 Days
• Field of Search: 600/587, 600/595, 733/790.1, 733/790.9, 733/790.8, 482 1- 9
• US Class Current: 600/595
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/224 Measuring muscular strength
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00069 Setting or adjusting the resistance level; Compensating for a preload prior to use, e.g. changing length of resistance or adjusting a valve
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00072 by changing the length of a lever
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/00076 on the fly, i.e. varying the resistance during exercise
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/008 using hydraulic or pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0087 of the piston-cylinder type using hydraulic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0083
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4047 Pivoting movement weight pivoting A63B21/0615
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/56 Pressure
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/0355 A single apparatus used for either upper or lower limbs, i.e. with a set of support elements driven either by the upper or the lower limb or limbs
• 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 24/00 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of preceding groups; Controlling or monitoring of exercises, sportive games, training or athletic performances

Abstract

An apparatus and method evaluate the power of a muscle or a muscle group by initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level. An engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element is moved at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke while a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke is measured. At the completion of the exercise stroke, the resistance level of the resistance element is increased and the exercise stroke is repeated. The resistance level is increased until the resistance level is sufficient to preclude moving the engagement assembly through a complete exercise stroke. The power for each exercise stroke, the maximum power and the velocity and resistance at which the maximum power is produced are calculated based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke.

Claims

1. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes;

determining a maximum power for the muscle group; and

determining a velocity and a resistance level where the maximum power is produced.

2. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes; and

determining a maximum power for the muscle group,

wherein the engagement assembly is configured as a chest press, and wherein a first handgrip is provided for a left hand of a subject and a second handgrip is provided for a right hand of a subject, each handgrip being coupled to a respective resistance element, the act of measuring being performed independently for each handgrip to provide an independent power measurement for each arm of the subject.

3. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected, wherein sufficient data are collected when the resistance level is sufficient to preclude moving the engagement assembly through a complete exercise stroke;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes; and

determining a maximum power for the muscle group.

4. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes; and

determining a maximum power for the muscle group,

wherein the step of repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing comprises increasing the resistance level to a maximum resistance, and wherein the step of calculating power involves calculating a power at the maximum resistance.

5. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes;

determining a maximum power for the muscle group; and

determining a maximum velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved during a plurality of exercise strokes.

6. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke, wherein the resistance element provides a generally consistent resistance against movement of the engagement assembly throughout the exercise stroke;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes; and

determining a maximum power for the muscle group.

7. A method of evaluating the power of a muscle group of a person, comprising:

initializing a resistance element to a first resistance level;

moving an engagement assembly coupled to the resistance element at a highest achievable velocity through an exercise stroke, wherein the resistance element is a pneumatic cylinder in which the engagement assembly causes a piston within the pneumatic cylinder to move against air pressure in the pneumatic cylinder;

measuring a representative velocity at which the engagement assembly is moved through the exercise stroke and collecting data responsive to the representative velocity;

increasing the resistance level of the resistance element;

repeating the acts of moving, measuring and increasing until sufficient data are collected;

calculating power for each exercise stroke based on the resistance level for each exercise stroke and the representative velocity for each exercise stroke;

generating an output that represents at least the measured velocity and calculated power for a plurality of exercise strokes; and

determining a maximum power for the muscle group.

8. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the time between the act of measuring selectively increases as the resistance level increases to enable the muscle group to rest between successive acts of moving the engagement assembly.

9. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein the velocity is determined by periodically measuring a position of the piston, and the velocity is calculated based on the distance moved during a known time interval.

10. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein sufficient data are collected when the resistance level is incremented to a predetermined level.

11. The method as defined in claim 7, wherein sufficient data are collected when a predetermined number of exercise strokes are completed.