TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention belongs to the field of exercise stands and exercise machines. The invention can be used for exercising in sports, rehabilitation and psychotherapy. The invention can also be used in the natural or artificial water reservoir, e.g., in a waterpool or in a bath, where it is preferably securely fastened to the bottom of the water reservoir.

BACKGROUND ART

A deck chair and various exercise stands and machines used in fitness studios are known. There is a need for an exercise stand that allows for adequate support for shoulder and hip joints while allowing hands and legs to move without excessive surface resistance when exercising, including when exercising in the water or at the water surface.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The objective is achieved by a device comprising a stand, the upper surface of which follows the shape of a human body and where people can lay down. The preferred shape of the upper surface of the stand includes concavities of suitable shape for shoulder joints and hip joints allowing the joints to move more freely (with less surface resistance) while still being well supported.

The device is preferably installed into a water reservoir, such as waterpool or a bath, preferably securely fastened to a bottom of such water reservoir so that the upper surface of the stand is near the water surface, thereby making it possible to exercise in the water or at least partly in the water, at the water surface, making use of the upward force of the water.

The stand may be equipped with other exercising devices such as bendable, flexible portions of the stand for different exercises, weights for legs and hands or a device for imitating bicycle riding. A person using the device for sporting or other purposes can move their hands and legs freely while laying on it, preferably on their back or belly. The device can be also used in the water. The device has the following advantages: (1) it allows for people who are allergic to pool water or the chemicals in it or who wish to avoid these to enjoy water sports; (2) it allows for people to imitate flying or swimming (legs apart and together, hands up and down on the sides) for exercising, psychologically relaxing and/or other positive and therapeutic purposes; (3) it allows for exercising and bathing (e.g. aroma therapy, salts, bath foams) at the same time; (4) it allows for people who cannot swim to still enjoy swimming-like sports; (5) it ensures safe exercising in the water (no drowning or straining of muscles); (6) it allows for exercising laying down, which is useful for the backbone and a certain resting position for people (does not require attention or an effort to stand), and exercising in the water prevents or reduces wearing down of joints; (7) it can be used for exercising many muscle groups: leg muscles, hand muscles, back muscles, chest muscles, abdominal muscles, etc.; (8) the water massages the skin during exercising or therapy.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Fig 1A is a top view of an embodiment of the invention.

Fig IB is a cross-section (B) of the embodiment shown in Fig 1A.

Fig 1C is a cross-section (A) of the embodiment shown in Figure 1A.

Fig 2 is an axonometric view of one embodiment of the invention.

Fig 3 is an embodiment of the invention installed in a water reservoir (axonometric view).

MODES FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

The invented device is depicted in Figs 1A-1C. The device comprsises a stand, having an upper surface that follows a shape of human body. A person can lay down on the stand and the stand supports their head, neck, back and bottom. The rests 2 and 3 for shoulder joints and hip joints are concavities of a suitable shape that gradually get lower and allow for hands and legs to be moved, including horizontal (or near horizontal) movement of legs and hands either simultaneously, or one or more at the time, up and down (imitation of flying and moving legs apart and together), while supporting them enough at the same time.

The various parts of the stand, i.e. the headrest 4, the neck-rest 5, the backrest 6 and the bottom-rest 7 may be adjustable in length and width as required for each user but preferably form a comfortable single stand while in use.

This stand is preferably fastened into a water reservoir such as a waterpool or a bath (8, see figure 2) so that the upper surface of the stand is at the water surface or near to it. The stand can be, e.g., on a foundation (9), thereby making it possible to exercise in the water or at the water surface. The upward force of the water helps people keep their hands and legs at the same height as their body, i.e., horizontally.

The concavities for the bottom part of the body holds the body in place. The bottom-rest ensures that the person can lay down as safely and comfortably as possible. The invention may also have supporting rests elsewhere, e.g. under the armpits. Furthermore, there may be for example elbow-rests. The invention may also have straps for keeping a person in place while the person is using the device.

The advantage of device is that the hip joints or upper leg joints and shoulder joints are free and can move while the back is in a resting position. The backbone is supported, which ensures that the person does not slip off the stand and can move their hands and legs horizontally without excessive surface resistance. The hands and legs can move freely also if the person lies on their belly.

The stand may be equipped with other exercising devices such as bendable, flexible parts of the stand, weights for legs and hands or a device for imitating bicycle riding. For the purpose of exercising abdomen muscles, the part of the stand that is under the lower back can be elastic - the person can press their lower back to the bottom part of the stand and this part flexes (i.e., it yields to pressure, becomes lower, but if the pressure relieves, it comes up again). The same may be possible for the upper back and neck.

Underneath the stand, there may be various fastenings for fixing it to the floor or to a foundation (which may be in the water as well). The invention may have armrests and leg-rests, including adjustable ones, that help keep the hands and legs in a horizontal position or that enable these to be lowered in order to rest (such constructions are particularly useful when the invention is used outside the water).

The invention may also include various add-ons that increase the exercise load on various muscles, e.g. adjustment of elasticity of the stand to exercise abdominal or neck muscles, or that increase the load on hand and leg muscles (especially required if exercising outside water where there is no resistance for the limbs). The invention may also have a device with which to imitate bicycle riding.

The other invention implementation example is of a shape that is suitable for exercising while lying on the belly. It has a chinrest instead of the headrest and the rest of the stand follows the shape of a human body as well. It enables imitation of breaststroke. According to yet another implementation example, the stand is of an adequately soft material, so that the shape of the stand adjusts to the shape of its user.

A person using the device for sporting or other purposes can move their hands and legs freely while laying on their back, or belly, and also in the water. The invention: (1) allows for people who are allergic to pool water or the chemicals in it or who wish to avoid these to enjoy water sports; (2) allows for people to imitate flying or swimming (legs apart and together, hands up and down on the sides) for exercising, psychologically relaxing and/or other positive and therapeutic purposes; (3) allows for exercising and bathing (e.g. aroma therapy, salts, bath foams) at the same time; (4) allows for people who cannot swim enjoy swimming-like sports anyway; (5) ensures safe exercising in water (no drowning or straining of muscles); (6) allows for exercising laying down, which is useful for the backbone and a certain resting position for people (does not require attention or effort to stand), and exercising in the water prevents or reduces wearing down of joints; (7) can be used for exercising many muscle groups: leg muscles, hand muscles, back muscles, chest muscles, abdominal muscles, etc.; (8) the water massages the skin during exercising or therapy.