Heart rate based training system

• US 9,463,356 B2
• Filed: 08/13/2015
• Issued: 10/11/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 11/15/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IFIT Incorporated (Amynta Agency, Inc.)
• Original Assignee: ICON Health & Fitness Incorporated (HF HOLDINGS INC)
• Inventors: Rhea, Matthew
• Primary Examiner(s): RICHMAN, GLENN E
• Application Number:
  US14/825,610
• Publication Number:
  US 20150343264A1
• Time in Patent Office: 425 Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/024 Detecting, measuring or recording pulse rate or heart rate A61B5/0205, A61B5/021 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A61B 5/6895 Sport equipment
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0065 Evaluating the fitness, e.g. fitness level or fitness index
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2024/0093 the load of the exercise apparatus being controlled by performance parameters, e.g. distance or speed
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0023 the inclination of the main axis of the movement path being adjustable, e.g. the inclination of an endless band
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0056 the pivoting movement being in a vertical plane, e.g. steppers with a horizontal axis platforms for rocking motion about a horizontal axis A63B22/16
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0076 Rowing machines for conditioning the cardio-vascular system seats moving during exercise A63B22/0087; training appliances for rowing or sculling on boats A63B69/06
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0235 driven by a motor
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0605 performing a circular movement, e.g. ergometers
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/0664 performing an elliptic movement
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 22/203 in a horizontal plane
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2220/836 Sensors arranged on the body of the user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/50 Wireless data transmission, e.g. by radio transmitters or telemetry
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/067 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2230/208 used as a control parameter for the apparatus
• 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: A63B 24/0087 Electric or electronic controls for exercising apparatus of groups A63B21/00 - A63B23/00, e.g. controlling load
• CPC Class Codes: G16H 20/30 relating to physical therapies or activities, e.g. physiotherapy, acupressure or exercising

Abstract

Exercise systems and methods are provided that create and run exercise programs that are custom tailored to individual users. An exercise program for a specific user is based upon the user'"'"'s average work heart rate and recovery heart rate. The exercise programs may include a series of workouts for the user to perform. Each workout requires the user to exercise at various intensity levels so that the user'"'"'s heart rate moves between different predetermined target heart rate zones. The target heart rate zones are calculated from data relating to the user'"'"'s average work heart rate and recovery heart rate. As the user'"'"'s fitness level changes, the user'"'"'s average work heart rate and recovery heart rate also change. Creation of new exercise programs uses the most current heart rate data to calculate the target heart rate zones, thereby continuously tailoring the exercise programs to the user.

Claims

1. A method for generating and performing exercise program workouts for individual exercisers, comprising:

performing a fitness evaluation of an exerciser, including determining an average work heart rate and a recovery heart rate for the exerciser;

generating a series of program workouts based on a selected exercise program and the exerciser'"'"'s average work heart rate and recovery heart rate; and

running one or more program workouts from the series of program workouts, including adjusting an operating parameter of an exercise device to increase or decrease an intensity level of the workout and thereby increase or decrease the exerciser'"'"'s heart rate into one of a plurality of target heart rate zones, wherein each of the plurality of target heart rate zones is calculated using both the average work heart rate and recovery heart rate of the exerciser.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the fitness evaluation of an exerciser comprises a warm up portion, a work portion, and a recovery portion.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the average work heart rate of the exerciser comprises determining the average heart rate of the exerciser during the work portion of the fitness evaluation.

4. The method of claim 2, wherein determining the recovery heart rate of the exerciser comprises subtracting the exerciser'"'"'s heart rate at the end of the recovery portion from the exerciser'"'"'s heart rate at the beginning of the recovery portion.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the series of program workouts comprises calculating lower and upper limits of each of the plurality of target heart rate zones.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein calculating the lower and upper limits of each of the plurality of target heart rate zones comprises adding or subtracting a predetermined percentage of the exerciser'"'"'s recovery heart rate from the exerciser'"'"'s average work heart rate.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein generating the series of program workouts comprises identifying a work-to-rest ratio associated with the selected exercise program.

8. The method of claim 1, further comprising:

performing an updated fitness evaluation of the exerciser, including determining an updated average work heart rate and an updated recovery heart rate for the exerciser; and

calculating updated lower and upper limits for each of the plurality of target heart rate zones based on the exerciser'"'"'s updated average work heart rate and updated recovery heart rate.

9. A computer program product for implementing within an exercise system a method for enabling the generation and performance of exercise program workouts for individual exercisers, the computer program product comprising one or more computer readable storage media having stored thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the exercise system to perform the method, including the following:

performing a fitness evaluation of an exerciser, including determining an average work heart rate and a recovery heart rate for the exerciser;

generating a series of program workouts based on a selected exercise program and the exerciser'"'"'s average work heart rate and recovery heart rate; and

running one or more program workouts from the series of program workouts, including adjusting an operating parameter of an exercise device to increase or decrease an intensity level of the workout and thereby increase or decrease the exerciser'"'"'s heart rate into one of a plurality of target heart rate zones, wherein each of the plurality of target heart rate zones is calculated using both the average work heart rate and recovery heart rate of the exerciser.

10. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein generating the series of program workouts comprises identifying a work-to-rest ratio associated with the selected exercise program.

11. The computer program product of claim 9, wherein generating the series of program workouts comprises calculating lower and upper limits of each of the plurality of target heart rate zones.

12. The computer program product of claim 11, wherein calculating the lower and upper limits of each of the plurality of target heart rate zones comprises adding or subtracting a predetermined percentage of the exerciser'"'"'s recovery heart rate from the exerciser'"'"'s average work heart rate.

13. The computer program product of claim 12, further comprising:

performing an updated fitness evaluation of the exerciser, including determining an updated average work heart rate and an updated recovery heart rate for the exerciser; and

calculating updated lower and upper limits for each of the plurality of target heart rate zones based on the exerciser'"'"'s updated average work heart rate and updated recovery heart rate.