EXERCISE MACHINE FOR TRAINING WATERSPORTS ATHLETES

• US 20110275489A1
• Filed: 05/04/2010
• Published: 11/10/2011
• Est. Priority Date: 05/04/2010
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Michael Apau
• Original Assignee: Michael Apau
• Inventors: APAU, Michael
• Application Number:
  US12/773,748
• Publication Number:
  US 20110275489A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 482/73
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/062 by pulling on a cable
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/068 kayaking, canoeing
• 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 21/0087 of the piston-cylinder type using hydraulic piston-cylinder type force resistors A63B21/0083
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4029 Benches specifically adapted for exercising for bench press exercises A63B21/078
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4035 for operation by hand
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/4043 Free movement, i.e. the only restriction coming from the resistance A63B21/00043, A63B21/072 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2210/50 Size reducing arrangements for stowing or transport
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2244/20 Swimming
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03525 Supports for both feet or both hands performing simultaneously the same movement, e.g. single pedal or single handle A63B21/0724 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/03541 Moving independently from each other A63B22/00 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 23/1209 Involving a bending of elbow and shoulder joints simultaneously
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/06 for rowing or sculling

Abstract

An exercise machine adapted for training watersports athletes has a pair of spaced-apart vertical columns each with hollow tubular body with a weighted plunger attached to a cable for vertical reciprocation while a user performs power and return stroke movements on an instrument attached to the other end of the cable. The plunger is hydraulically coupled to an air channel fed by an air-through valve sized to control air movement into the air channel by the rising plunger during a power stroke to approximate water resistance to an oar, paddle or arm in the water. The air channel has a release opening for releasing air balanced against the weight of the falling plunger to approximate lifting an oar, paddle, or arm out of the water on a return stroke. The exercise machine can be used to practice a wide range of watersports training exercises for swimming, paddleboarding, canoe paddling, rowing, etc.

Claims

1. An exercise machine adapted for training watersports athletes comprising:

a pair of spaced-apart vertical columns each having a hollow tubular body and a plunger disposed in the tubular body which is moved by an attached cable in vertical reciprocation between a power movement and a recovery movement;

a pair of water-resistance simulating mechanisms each hydraulically coupled to the plunger of a respective one of the vertical columns for generating a weight resistance approximating water resistance to an oar, paddle or arm in the water during the power movement of the plunger'"'"'s vertical reciprocation, and for releasing the weight resistance approximating lifting the oar, paddle, or arm out of the water during the recovery movement of the plunger'"'"'s vertical reciprocation;

a bench positioned along a perpendicular axis normal to the pair of spaced-apart vertical columns on which a user of the exercise machine can sit, stand, straddle or lie to perform watersports training exercises on the exercise machine; and

a pair of exercise cables entrained on pulleys along respective sides of the vertical columns, each having a distal end attached to the plunger of a respective one of the vertical columns and a proximal end coupled to an instrument that the user uses to perform watersports training exercises while seated, standing, straddling or lying on said bench.

2. An exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein the water-resistance simulating mechanism is provided with an air channel that is fed by an air-through valve at an upper end and a channel output at a lower end which is coupled to an air-coupling end of the vertical column.

3. An exercise machine according to claim 2, wherein the plunger has a given weight and is designed to be movable in reciprocation in the tubular body of the vertical column and is fitted and sealed therein in an airtight manner.

4. An exercise machine according to claim 2, wherein when the plunger is pulled by the attached cable upward in the tubular body, the suction vacuum created by the upwardly moving plunger sucks air into the vertical column through the air-coupling end which is fed through the air-through valve into the air channel of the water-resistance simulating mechanism.

5. An exercise machine according to claim 4, wherein the air-through valve is constructed and dimensioned to allow air to be sucked through under a pulling force that approximates the water resistance to a power stroke of an oar, paddle or arm in the water.

6. An exercise machine according to claim 4, wherein the air-through valve has an adjustable cover that is used to adjust the size of its air-through opening to set the level of pulling force against water resistance desired by the user.

7. An exercise machine according to claim 4, wherein the air channel has an upper release opening which is controlled by a displaceable hollow ball that is lifted upward from the release opening by the force of the pushed air when the plunger is released during the recovery movement to move back downward under gravity, wherein movement of the weight of the plunger under gravity approximately balances the force required to push the air from the air channel through the release opening such that the release movement approximates the feeling when an oar, paddle or arm is lifted from the water on a return stroke.

8. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a double-handed oar instrument which can be attached to the proximal ends of the exercise cables of both vertical columns to enable a user seated on the bench to practice two-handed oaring stroke movements.

9. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a pair of hand grips respectively coupled to the proximal ends of the exercise cables of both vertical columns to enable a user lying prone on the bench to practice swimming or surf paddling stroke movements.

10. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a long paddle instrument coupled to the proximal end of the exercise cable of the vertical column on one side to enable a standing user to practice paddleboard stroke movements.

11. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a short paddle instrument coupled to the proximal end of the exercise cable of the vertical column on one side to enable a seated user to practice canoe paddling movements.

12. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a double-sided paddle instrument coupled to the proximal ends of the exercise cables of both vertical columns to enable a seated user to practice kayak paddling movements.

13. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a movable seat on the bench to enable a user to adjust the position of the seat for practicing correspondingly positioned stroke movements.

14. An exercise machine according to claim 1, further comprising a seat back installable on the bench adjacent the vertical columns to enable a user to be seated with back against the vertical columns for practicing correspondingly positioned stroke movements.

15. An exercise machine according to claim 1, wherein said bench is foldable to an upright position in parallel with said vertical columns to fold the exercise machine into a compact space for storage or when not in use.

16. A device adapted for use in an exercise machine for training watersports athletes comprising:

a vertical column having a hollow tubular body and a plunger disposed in the tubular body which is moved by an attached cable in vertical reciprocation between a power movement and a return movement;

a water-resistance simulating mechanism hydraulically coupled to the plunger of the vertical column for generating a weight resistance approximating water resistance to an oar, paddle or arm in the water during the power movement of the plunger'"'"'s vertical reciprocation, and for releasing the weight resistance approximating lifting the oar, paddle, or arm out of the water during the return movement of the plunger'"'"'s vertical reciprocation; and

an exercise cable having a distal end attached to the plunger of the vertical column and a proximal end coupled to an instrument that the user uses to perform watersports training exercises.

17. A device according to claim 16, wherein the water-resistance simulating mechanism is provided with an air channel that is fed by an air-through valve at an upper end and a channel output at a lower end which is coupled to an air-coupling end of the vertical column.

18. A device according to claim 17, wherein when the plunger is pulled by the attached cable upward in the tubular body, the suction vacuum created by the upwardly moving plunger sucks air into the vertical column through the air-coupling end which is fed through the air-through valve into the air channel of the water-resistance simulating mechanism.

19. A device according to claim 18, wherein the air-through valve has an adjustable cover that is used to adjust the size of its air-through opening to set the level of simulated pulling force against water resistance desired by the user.

20. A device according to claim 18, wherein the air channel has an upper release opening which is controlled by a displaceable hollow ball that is lifted upward from the release opening by the force of the pushed air when the plunger is released during the recovery movement to move back downward under gravity, wherein movement of the weight of the plunger under gravity approximately balances the force required to push the air from the air channel through the release opening such that the release movement approximates the feeling when an oar, paddle or arm is lifted from the water on a return stroke.