Exercise apparatus

The present invention is related to an exercise apparatus according to the preamble of the claims.

Several exercise apparatus are available for rehabilitation, exercise and play, for improving the balance and increasing the strength of human body.

It is an object for the present invention to provide an exercise apparatus which easily can be placed in the individual homes and where the shape and size is adjusted to exercises in a lying position, a sitting position as well as a position standing on the knees. The exercise apparatus should give possibilities for exercise loads from extreme low to high where optimal adjustment for activation of muscles and load of connective tissue is emphasized. The above mentioned objectives are achieved with the exercise apparatus according to the present invention as defined by the features stated in the claims.

The drawing discloses in figure 1 an exercise apparatus according to the present invention in a side view and figure 2 discloses the exercise apparatus in a ground view.

The exercise apparatus comprises a bottom or base 1 to which is connected a flexible, airtight and inflatable enclosure 2 and may be manufactured by blow moulding, welding of the enclosure 2 to the bottom 1, gluing of the enclosure 2 to the bottom 1 or other methods. The enclosure may be inflated to a balloon-like shape which is secured to the bottom plate 1. The apparatus is inflated with air to a relatively low pressure which ensures that the pressure easily can be increased when part of the apparatus is pressed in due to a body or part of a body being pressed into the apparatus. For example it can be provided help to lift the seat area of a body when said body is lying on the apparatus and pressing the shoulders down into the apparatus in such a way that the hips are lifted, or in case the arms are pressed downwardly and thereby increasing the pressure in the apparatus. It is achieved a controlled help to lift the seat area, controlled by the user and it may be achieved a uniformed support and an optimized sequence of activation of a muscle chain. This provides force and control to activate muscles at the end of the movement. For persons having wear in the hips or knees, sacrum or back pains, this has proven suitable, even for persons having pains in the shoulders. The exercise apparatus according to the present invention provides a large and soft contact surface providing uniformed support. Stress release may be achieved with rhythmic rocking movements which effectively is supported by the resilient properties of the material as well as the special form.

Compression, support and movement are made possible due to the soft and resilient material by way of displacing the weight of a person. The apparatus will respond even to breathing-in.

When only a little air is in the apparatus, the degrees of freedom are increased resulting in larger demands to the stabilizing muscles.

By using a relatively little air, a hammock effect is achieved which provides a feeling of the body floating in the air and the edges of the apparatus extending upwardly outside and against the body. This principle provides more contact surface between the apparatus and the body. When a person is lying over the edge or in another way is influenced by the curvature of the apparatus, a support is achieved which also provides pressure outwardly.

The apparatus according to the present invention is an exercise apparatus for rehabilitation, exercise and play where it is attempted to achieve relaxation, muscle activation and consciousness raising of the body based on different principles and willingly also in the same exercise. The muscle chains transversally as well as longitudinally as well as the short stabilizing muscles near the joints provide special possibilities.

The exercise apparatus provides an interaction in may physical directions such as assist by lifting and simultaneously a pressure outwardly, meaning in the transversal or longitudinal direction. The claims for stability also are multi-dimensional.

By the design of the apparatus one has had the term tensegrity in the mind.

Tensegrity is the description of a phenomena in a structure which has among others a good distribution of forces through the system in such a way that tensions in part of the system are distributed across the entire structure. The apparatus provide an explanation by the tensegrity theory for the superb relaxing effect on tense structures, by the superb ability to provide one unity with the body being supported.

The height of the exercise apparatus provides help for exercise in the inner path such as the last part of a path of movement. This is also the case for pushup with a plus for the shoulder arc with additional use of the muscle Serratus Anterior and by lifting the seat for hip stretches.

The exercise apparatus suitably can be used alone or in combination with for example balls, slings or pulling apparatus. The apparatus provides a low threshold for the user and therefore provides substantial advantage for users on different levels.