Muscle training apparatus and method

• US 7,351,157 B2
• Filed: 10/09/2003
• Issued: 04/01/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 10/09/2003
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Priester W. Bradford
• Original Assignee: William B. Priester
• Inventors: May, Richard E., Priester, William B.
• Primary Examiner(s): Legesse; Nini F.
• Application Number:
  US10/681,971
• Publication Number:
  US 20050079922A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,636 Days
• Field of Search: 473/223, 473/226, 473/228, 473/437, 473/451, 473/457, 482/109, 482/111, 446/217, 446/218, 446/233
• US Class Current: 473/228
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 15/00 Clubs for gymnastics or the like , e.g. for swinging exercises
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2069/0008 for batting
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0085 using pneumatic force-resisters
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 21/0088 by moving the surrounding air
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 2225/09 Adjustable dimensions
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3608 Attachments on the body, e.g. for measuring, aligning, restraining A63B69/0059, A63B69/3673 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3623 for driving A63B69/3608, A63B69/3658, A63B69/3661, A63B69/3667 and A63B69/3691 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/3632 Clubs or attachments on clubs, e.g. for measuring, aligning A63B69/3614 takes precedence; clubs for swinging exercises in general A63B15/00
• CPC Class Codes: A63B 69/38 for tennis A63B61/006, A63B69/0073 and A63B69/0097 take precedence

Abstract

The invention is directed to a muscle trainer and method for exercising a weaker of two opposing muscle groups of a person swinging an implement, such as a golf club, wherein, if the two opposing muscle groups were of appropriate strength, the two muscle groups would desirably apply forces in opposite directions to the implement to assist in maintaining the implement in an ideal club shaft plane. The contemplated muscle trainer of this invention includes a body having a grip surface located thereon, and a force generator positioned at a prescribed location on the body, which is spaced from the grip surface, for urging the prescribed location of the body in a direction away from a force direction which the weaker muscle would normally apply to the implement in the swinging thereof by the person. The invention further contemplates a method exercising at least a dominated muscle of two opposing muscles typically used by the golfer when attempting to swing a golf club in an ideal club shaft plane, where the dominated muscle applies a first swing force to the golf club in a non-dominating swing force direction, and a dominating muscle applies a second swing force in a dominating swing force direction to the golf club which is opposite the direction, and exceeds the force, of the non-dominating swing force.

Claims

1. A muscle trainer for exercising muscles of a person moving the muscle trainer, wherein, if the muscles were of appropriate strength, the muscles would desirably apply forces to an implement to maintain the implement in a desired movement path as the implement is gripped and moved by the person in performing a useful or recreational function, the muscle trainer thereby training the muscles to consistently maintain the implement in the desired movement path during performance of the useful or recreational function, the muscle trainer comprising:

a body having a shape and a weight distribution configured to simulate the shape and weight distribution of an implement selected from the group consisting of golf clubs, baseball bats, softball bats, tennis rackets, racket ball rackets, weight throwing devices, mauls and hammers;

a grip structure; and

a force generator disposed on the body and spaced away from the grip structure, the force generator positioned for urging the body to move with respect to the grip structure, the force generator comprising a motor coupled to a blade assembly.

2. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the body comprises a shaft, and the grip structure comprises a grip surface on the shaft.

3. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 2, wherein the force generator generates a force at an angle with respect to the shaft.

4. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 3, wherein the force generator generates a force that is substantially perpendicular to the shaft.

5. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 1, wherein the blade assembly comprises a propeller attached to the motor in such a position that, upon operation of the motor, the propeller is operated to urge the distal end of the body to move with respect to the grip structure.

6. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 5, which further comprises a controller for controlling the operation of the motor to effect rotation of the propeller in either of two rotational directions.

7. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 5 further comprising:

the body having a passage therein extending at least partially between the proximal end and the distal end; and

a power cord having portions thereof located within the passage and having a first cord portion connected to the motor, and a second cord portion being connectable to an electrical power source.

8. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 7, which further comprises an electrical switch electrically connected to the motor and the electrical power source for facilitating a selectively operable connection of the electrical power source to the motor.

9. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 8, wherein the electrical switch is electrically structured to facilitate the selective operation of the motor in either of a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction.

10. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 5 further comprising a controller connected to the motor for selectively varying the speed of operation of the motor.

11. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 5, which further comprises a shroud substantially enclosing the propeller.

12. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motor and blade assembly comprise a jet engine.

13. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 1 wherein the motor comprises an electric motor.

14. A muscle trainer for exercising muscles of a person moving the muscle trainer, wherein, if the muscles were of appropriate strength, the muscles would desirably apply forces to the muscle trainer to maintain the muscle trainer in a desired movement path as the muscle trainer is gripped and moved by the person, the muscle trainer thereby training the muscles to maintain the desired movement path while the person moves the muscle trainer, the muscle trainer comprising:

an elongate body having a proximal end, a distal end and a longitudinal axis extending between the proximal and distal ends;

a grip formed on the elongate body; and

a force generator disposed on the elongate body for urging the body to move with respect to the grip, the force generator comprising a motor coupled to a blade assembly,

wherein the muscle trainer is free of projections or structures that extend in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body, which projections or structures may interfere with a wrist or arm of the person as the person holds the grip with at least one hand and moves the muscle trainer.

15. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 14, wherein the elongate body comprises a shaft, and the grip comprises a grip surface on the shaft.

16. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 14, wherein the force generator generates a force at an angle with respect to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body.

17. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 14, wherein the force generator generates a force that is substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the elongate body.

18. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 14, wherein the blade assembly comprises a propeller attached to the motor in such a position that, upon operation of the motor, the propeller is operated to urge the distal end of the elongate body to move with respect to the grip.

19. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 18, which further comprises a controller for controlling the operation of the motor to effect rotation of the propeller in either of two rotational directions.

20. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 18 further comprising:

the elongate body having a passage therein extending at least partially between the proximal end and the distal end; and

a power cord having portions thereof located within the passage and having a first cord portion connected to the motor, and a second cord portion being connectable to an electrical power source.

21. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 20, which further comprises an electrical switch electrically connected to the motor and the electrical power source for facilitating a selectively operable connection of the electrical power source to the motor.

22. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 21, wherein the electrical switch is electrically structured to facilitate the selective operation of the motor in either of a first rotational direction and a second rotational direction.

23. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 18 further comprising a controller connected to the motor for selectively varying the speed of operation of the motor.

24. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 18, which further comprises a shroud substantially enclosing the propeller.

25. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 14 wherein the motor and blade assembly comprise a jet engine.

26. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 14 wherein the motor comprises an electric motor.

27. A muscle trainer for exercising muscles of a person moving the muscle trainer, wherein, if the muscles were of appropriate strength, the muscles would desirably apply forces to an implement to maintain the implement in a desired movement path as the implement is gripped and moved by the person in performing a useful or recreational function, the muscle trainer thereby training the muscles to consistently maintain the implement in the desired movement path during performance of the useful or recreational function, the muscle trainer comprising:

a body having a shape and a weight distribution configured to simulate the shape and weight distribution of an implement selected from the group consisting of golf clubs, baseball bats, softball bats, tennis rackets, racket ball rackets, weight throwing devices, mauls and hammers;

a grip structure; and

a force generator disposed on the body and spaced away from the grip structure, the force generator positioned for urging the body to move with respect to the grip structure, the force generator comprising a device for developing a pressurized media and for discharging the pressurized media from the device.

28. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 27 wherein the device for developing a pressurized media comprises a motor and blade assembly.

29. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 27 wherein the device for developing a pressurized media comprises a motor and a propeller.

30. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 27 wherein the device for developing a pressurized media comprises a jet engine.

31. The muscle trainer as set forth in claim 27 wherein the device comprises an electric motor.