Lateral training system and method

• US 20080300118A1
• Filed: 06/09/2008
• Published: 12/04/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 07/16/2003
• Status: Active Application

• Current Assignee: VertiMax, LLC
• Original Assignee: VertiMax, LLC
• Inventors: Wehrell, Michael A.
• Granted Patent: US 10,286,279 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/129
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/04 attached to static foundation , e.g. a user
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0552 Elastic ropes or bands
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/154 using special pulley-assemblies
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/16 Supports for anchoring force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/169 for anchoring on or against a wall
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4001 Arrangements for attaching the exercising apparatus to the user's body, e.g. belts, shoes or gloves specially adapted therefor weights worn on the user's body A63B21/065; exoskeletons in general B25J9/0006, for aiding patients or disabled persons to walk about A61H3/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4009 to the waist
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4011 to the lower limbs means for physically limiting movements of body parts A63B69/0057
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4017 to the upper limbs
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/035 for limbs, i.e. upper or lower limbs, e.g. simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03575 Apparatus used for exercising upper and lower limbs simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/047 Walking and pulling or pushing a load for exercising the player ability for rugby or American football A63B69/34
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/0028 for running, jogging or speed-walking movable endless bands A63B22/02

Abstract

An exercise apparatus and method for applying one or more lateral resistive loads to participants performing complex motions at low or high speeds to condition one'"'"'s body to better and more quickly perform physical movements at high speeds. Elastic members may be used to generate resistance emanating from a ground-based or vertically-positioned apparatus. The elastic members may connect to one or more of the following body parts simultaneously: feet, thighs, waist, hands, elbows or shoulders. The apparatus may be mechanically designed to fully retract the elastic members into the apparatus to maintain resistance while participants are in close proximity to the apparatus. The apparatus may provide a plurality of self-contained elastic members and provides participants with the ability to alter the vertical and horizontal positions of each elastic member'"'"'s emanation point from the apparatus. This provides the ability to control applied resistance vectors between the attachment point on the participant and the apparatus.

Claims

8. A training apparatus comprising a means for providing training vectors of a substantially constant or varying magnitude to one or more portions of one or more trainees wherein the magnitude of said training vector is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee within a predetermined training area.

9. A lateral training apparatus comprising a vertically oriented base and a means for providing a plurality of training vectors to one or more selected portions of a trainee, said means being attached to said base, wherein said training vector provides a substantially constant or varying force to said portion of the trainee through a predetermined range of motion, wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of said force is substantially independent of the distance of said trainee from said apparatus and is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee.

10. The lateral training apparatus of claim 9 wherein said selected portions of said trainee are selected from the group consisting of:

hands, wrists, feet, waist, thighs, shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, and combinations thereof.

11. The lateral training apparatus of claim 9 wherein said predetermined range of motion is selected from the group consisting of:

running, throwing, passing, jumping, kicking, boxing, sprinting, pitching, swinging, and sports-specific movements.

12. A lateral training apparatus comprising:

a base attached to a vertical surface;

one or more garments each adapted to be worn by a trainee;

at least one member attached to each garment for providing a training vector opposing the motion of the garment in a predetermined range of motion, said members providing a force that is relatively constant or varying over said predetermined range; and

a mechanical assembly attached to said base for directing each of said members from said base.

13. The lateral training apparatus of claim 12 wherein said garment is selected from the group consisting of:

harness, glove, strap, clothing, shoe, and combinations thereof.

14. The lateral training apparatus of claim 12 wherein the origin of said training vector is variable in a planar surface defined by said base.

15. The lateral training apparatus of claim 12 wherein said mechanical assembly further comprises a plurality of tracking mechanisms carried by said base for routing said member from an anchor at one end to a connector means at the other end, wherein said member is an elastic member.

16. The lateral training apparatus of claim 15 wherein said mechanical assembly further comprises a rigid frame attached to said base, said frame carrying said tracking mechanisms for routing said elastic member from said anchor to said connector means.

17. The lateral training apparatus of claim 12 wherein the magnitude of said training vector is adjustable.

18. The lateral training apparatus of claim 12 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of said training vector is substantially independent of the distance of said trainee from said apparatus.

19. The lateral training apparatus of claim 12 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of said training vector is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee.

20. A lateral training apparatus comprising:

a base attached to a vertical surface;

one or more garments each adapted to be worn by a trainee;

at least one member attached to each garment; and

a mechanical assembly attached to said base for directing each of said members from said base and for providing a training vector opposing the motion of the garment in a predetermined range of motion, said assembly providing a force that is relatively constant or varying over said predetermined range.

21. The lateral training apparatus of claim 20 wherein said mechanical assembly is selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic spool, hydraulic assembly, pneumatic assembly, spring-driven assembly, motor-driven assembly, and combinations thereof.

22. A training apparatus comprising:

a hinged base having a first portion forming a substantially planar surface and a second portion forming a substantially planar surface;

one or more garments each adapted to be worn by a trainee;

at least one member attached to each garment for providing a training vector opposing the motion of the garment in a predetermined range of motion, said members having a length whereby the force is relatively constant over said predetermined range; and

a mechanical assembly attached to said hinged base for directing each of said members from said hinged base.

23. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein said second portion of said hinged base is attached to a vertical surface.

24. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein the origin of said training vector is variable in a planar surface defined by said first portion of said hinged base.

25. The training apparatus of claim 24 wherein the origin of said training vector is variable in a planar surface defined by said second portion of said hinged base.

26. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein said garment is selected from the group consisting of:

harness, glove, strap, clothing, shoe, and combinations thereof.

27. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein said mechanical assembly further comprises a plurality of tracking mechanisms carried by said base for routing said member from an anchor at one end to a connector means at the other end, wherein said member is an elastic member.

28. The training apparatus of claim 27 wherein said mechanical assembly further comprises a rigid frame attached to said base, said frame carrying said tracking mechanisms for routing said elastic member from said anchor to said connector means.

29. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein the magnitude of said training vector is adjustable.

30. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of said training vector is substantially independent of the distance of said trainee from said apparatus.

31. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of said training vector is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee from said apparatus.

32. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein said training vectors are provided to a body portion of the trainee performing an exercise on a training surface defined by said first portion, the exercise selected from the group consisting of:

running, throwing, passing, jumping, kicking, boxing, sprinting, pitching, swinging, and sports-specific movements.

33. The training apparatus of claim 22 wherein said training vectors are provided to a body portion of the trainee performing an exercise on a training surface defined by an area external to said first portion, the exercise selected from the group consisting of:

running, throwing, passing, jumping, kicking, boxing, sprinting, pitching, swinging, and sports-specific movements.

34. A lateral training apparatus comprising:

a hinged base having a first portion forming a substantially horizontal planar surface and a second portion forming a substantially vertical planar surface; and

a plurality of means for providing training vectors to a trainee, one of said means being removably attached to said horizontal portion and another of said means being removably attached to said vertical portion,

wherein the vector origin location of each of said means is variable in the respective planar surface defined by said first and second portions.

1. A training apparatus comprising a means for providing training vectors of a substantially constant or varying magnitude to one or more portions of one or more trainees wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of said training vector is substantially independent of the distance of said trainees from said apparatus and is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee.

2. The training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said training vectors are provided to a body portion of a trainee performing an exercise selected from the group consisting of:

running, throwing, passing, jumping, kicking, boxing, sprinting, pitching, swinging, and sports-specific movements.

3. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein said means comprises:

an elastic member secured at one end to an anchor and attached at the other end to a connector means; and

a plurality of tracking mechanisms carried by said apparatus for directing said elastic member from said connector means to said anchor.

4. The training apparatus of claim 1, wherein said plurality of tracking mechanisms are carried by a rigid frame attached to said apparatus.

5. The training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means is selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic spool, hydraulic assembly, pneumatic assembly, spring-driven assembly, motor-driven assembly, pulley assembly, and combinations thereof.

6. The training apparatus of claim 1 wherein the magnitude of said training vector is adjustable.

7. The training apparatus of claim 1 wherein said one or more portions of said trainee is selected from the group consisting of:

hands, wrists, feet, waist, thighs, shoulders, elbows, knees, hips, and combinations thereof.

35. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein one of said means further comprises:

an elastic member secured at one end to an anchor and attached at the other end to a connector means; and

a plurality of tracking mechanisms carried by said base for directing said elastic member from said connector means to said anchor.

36. The training apparatus of claim 35 wherein said means further comprises a rigid frame attached to said base, said frame carrying said tracking mechanisms for routing said elastic member from said anchor to said connector means.

37. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein one of said means is selected from the group consisting of:

an electronic spool, hydraulic assembly, pneumatic assembly, spring driven assembly, motor driven assembly, and combinations thereof.

38. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein said training vectors have a varying magnitude over a predetermined range of motion.

39. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein the magnitude of each of said training vectors is adjustable.

40. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of each of said training vectors is substantially independent of the distance of said trainee from said apparatus.

41. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of each of said training vectors is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee from said apparatus.

37-1. The lateral training apparatus of claim 34 wherein said training vectors have a substantially constant magnitude over a predetermined range of motion.

42. A lateral training apparatus comprising:

a base forming a substantially planar vertical surface; and

a mechanical assembly attached to said base for directing each of one or more members from said base to a garment worn by a trainee, said member providing a training vector opposing the motion of the garment in a predetermined range of motion,

wherein the magnitude of each of said training vectors is adjustable by a resistance mechanism.

43. The lateral training of apparatus of claim 42 wherein said resistance mechanism is a cam cleat.

44. The lateral training of apparatus of claim 42 wherein said resistance mechanism is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic, hydraulic, pneumatic, spring, mechanical, and combinations thereof.

45. The lateral training apparatus of claim 42 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of each of said training vectors is substantially independent of the distance of said trainee from said apparatus.

46. The lateral training apparatus of claim 42 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of each of said training vectors is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee from said apparatus.

47. The lateral training apparatus of claim 42 wherein at least one of said training vectors has a substantially constant magnitude over said predetermined range of motion of said trainee.

48. The lateral training apparatus of claim 42 wherein at least one of said training vectors have a varying magnitude over said predetermined range of motion of said trainee.

49. A lateral training system comprising:

a first hinged base having;

a first portion forming a first planar surface and a second portion forming a second planar surface, and

a plurality of means for providing training vectors to a trainee, one of said means being removably attached to said first or second portion; and

a second hinged base having;

a first portion forming a third planar surface and a second portion forming a. fourth planar surface, and

a plurality of means for providing training vectors to the trainee, one of said means being removably attached to said third or fourth portion,

wherein the horizontal component of the training vectors provided by the first and second hinged bases are in opposite directions.

50. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein the origin location of each of said means is variable in the respective planar surface defined by said first or second portions of said first or second hinged bases.

51. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein one of said first or second portions of said first or second hinged bases forms a substantially vertical planar surface.

52. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein the magnitude of each of said training vectors is adjustable.

53. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein the vector origin location of each of said means is variable in the respective planar surface defined by said respective portion.

54. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of at least one of said training vectors is substantially independent of the distance of said trainee from said system.

55. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein within a predetermined training area the magnitude of at least one of said training vectors is substantially independent of the acceleration or deceleration of said trainee from said system.

56. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein at least one of said training vectors has a substantially constant magnitude over a predetermined range of motion of said trainee.

58. The lateral training system of claim 49 wherein at least one of said training vectors has a varying magnitude over a predetermined range of motion of said trainee.

59. A training apparatus comprising:

a hinged base having a first portion forming a substantially planar surface and a second portion forming a substantially planar surface;

one or more garments each adapted to be worn by a trainee;

at least one member attached to each garment; and

a mechanical assembly attached to said hinged base for directing each of said members from said base and for providing a training vector opposing the motion of the garment in a predetermined range of motion, said assembly providing a force that is relatively constant or varying over said predetermined range.

60. The training apparatus of claim 59 wherein said mechanical assembly is selected from the group consisting of:

electronic spool, hydraulic assembly, pneumatic assembly, spring driven assembly, motor driven assembly, and combinations thereof.