EXERCISING DEVICE

Technical Field

The invention relates to a device useful for maximising the use of specific muscle groups during a leg lunge exercise. The invention also provides a method of performing a leg lunge .

Background to the Invention

Various methods for exercising the hamstrings are known in the art, however all have significant drawbacks. For example, the dead lift produces an extensive amount of pressure on the lower back. Likewise, squats produce pressure on the lower back, and also concentrate effort on the quadriceps. Further, squats do not isolate an individual leg, thus they do not help develop the stabiliser muscles. The one leg squat produces extensive pressure on the front of the knee, and concentrates a large amount of effort on the quadriceps. The leg press, where only the heels are placed on a plate, provides an unnatural range of movement, and tends to focus effort on the glutes as opposed to the hamstrings .

It is an object of the invention to overcome at least one of the above problems .

Statements of Invention

According to the invention, there is provided a device useful for maximising the use of the hamstring and glute muscle groups during a leg lunge, the device comprising a cradle having an inclined supporting surface adapted for receiving a heel of a users forward foot such that during a leg lunge the users heel bears the majority of the resistance. The cradle is supported on, or integrally formed with, a base adapted to keep the cradle stable during the leg lunge.

In this specification, the term "heel" should be taken to mean either the heel of a users foot, or the heel of footwear being worn by the user during use.

The incline on the supporting surface ensures that a large amount of a users weight is distributed through the users heel, thereby focussing effort on the hamstring and glute muscle groups, especially the hamstrings.

In one embodiment of the invention, the supporting surface is inclined at an angle of at least 5°, suitably at least 10°, more preferably at least 15°, to the horizontal. In a preferred embodiment, the supporting surface is inclined at an angle of between 20° and 45°, typically between 25° and 35°, and preferably between 28° and 32°, to the horizontal.

Typically, the cradle is shaped for supporting the heel during a leg lunge. Thus, for example, the cradle may comprise means for supporting the back of the heel. This rear support surface (for supporting the rear/back of the heel) may be shaped into a heel shape, or it may be a flat upstanding support against which the back of the heel can bear during the lunge. In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the rear support surface is slightly inclined away from the vertical and away from the user's heel. Ideally it is inclined at an angle of between 5 and 20 degrees to the vertical. Preferably, the cradle comprises sidewalls for supporting the sides and back of the users heel .

In one embodiment of the invention, the support surface

(that surface that support the weight through the heel) has a slight convex curvature such that the surface curves slightly downwardly away from the heel of the user's foot. This curvature ensures that the majority of the user's weight, is transferred to the device through the user's heel.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the inclined supporting surface comprises a gripping surface to prevent a user's foot slipping from the surface. The gripping surface may be provided by any means which serves to increase purchase between a user' s foot or footwear and the supporting surface, and such means will be well known to those skilled in the art. For example, a patch of elastomeric material may be adhered to the surface such that it substantially covers the support surface and provides purchase for a user's foot.

In one embodiment of the invention the base comprises means for spacing a users balancing foot from the forward foot during use. Thus, for example, the base may comprise a platform extending rearwardly of the cradle which is dimensioned to make the user adapt the required stance during the leg lunge.

In a preferred embodiment of the invention, the platform extends forwardly, rearwardly, and laterally of the cradle. This has the advantage of providing forward, rearward, and lateral support to the cradle during use, thereby keeping the cradle stable during use.

In a one embodiment of the invention, the plateform is a u- shaped platform, in which the arms of the u-shaped platform extend forwardly of the cradle on each side of the cradle. Typically, the cradle nests within the arms of the u-shaped platform.

In one embodiment of the invention, the heel supporting surface is at dimensioned for supporting a users heel, but not a ball of the users foot. Thus, the heel supporting surface may be at most 6 inches long. However, longer heel supporting surfaces are envisaged as being part of the invention provided the surface is designed such that, during use, the majority of the users weight is transferred through the users heel as opposed to the ball of the foot. As mentioned above, this is provided for by having the inclined supporting surface at an angle to the horizontal, and also by the provision of a downward curvature on the surface away from the heel supporting part.

Preferably, the base comprises means for frictional engagement of a floor. Various means for providing frictional engagement of supporting surfaces will be apparent to those skilled in the art such as, for example, suitable elastomeric grips, ridged surfaces and the like.

The invention also relates to a method of performing a leg lunge which employs an inclined heel support adapted for supporting a users weight predominantly through the heel, the method comprising the steps of placing a forward foot into the heel support and performing the leg lunge, wherein during the lunge the users heel bears the majority of the resistance. Suitably, the inclined heel support is dimensioned for supporting the heel but not the ball of the users foot.

The invention also relates to a method of performing a leg lunge which employs a device according to the invention, the method comprising the steps of placing a forward foot into the heel support and performing the leg lunge, wherein during the lunge the users heel bears the majority of the resistance .

The invention also relates to a packaged product comprising a device according to the invention and instructions for performing a leg lunge according to a method of the invention

Brief Description of the Figures

The invention will be more clearly understood from the following description of some embodiments thereof, given by way of example only, with reference to the accompanying figures in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a device according to the invention;

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of a detail of the device of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of the device of Fig. 1 from above ;

Figs. 4 to 6 are illustrations of the use of the device of Fig. 1 to perform a leg lunge according to the method of the invention;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of a device according to an alternative embodiment of the invention;

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the device of Fig. 7 taken along the lines viii-viii of Fig. 7; and

Figs. 9 and 10 are illustrations of the use of the device of Figs. 7 and 8 to perform a leg lunge according to the method of the invention.

Detailed Description of the Invention

Referring to the drawings, and initially to Figs 1 to 3, there is illustrated a device according to the invention and indicated generally by the reference numeral 1. The device 1 comprises a cradle 2 having a supporting surface 3 which is inclined at an angle of 30° to the horizontal and six inches in length. The cradle 2 is nested within the hollow 4 of the u-shaped platform 5 in such a way that the sidewalls 6 of the hollow provide support for the heel during use. Arms 7, 7 on the platform extend forwardly of the cradle 2 to anchor the device 1 to the floor and prevent the device 1 tilting forward under the weight of the user during use. In this embodiment, the arms 7, 7 extend approximately 8 inches forwardly of the cradle 2.

The platform 5 has an extended proximal section 8 which is approximately 6 to 8 inches in length. This proximal section provides means for ensuring that the users adapts the correct stance during the exercise by forcing the users to space their forward and supporting legs a sufficient distance apart. An underside of the platform 5 (not shown) comprises a layer of elastomeric material having a series of ridges suitable for providing a degree of frictional engagement between the platform 5 and the floor.

The device 1 made injection moulded from a suitable polymeric material.

■In use, and referring to Figs 4 to 6, a user 10 addresses the device 1 by standing in front of the device 1 adjacent the extended proximal section 8 (Fig. 4) . The user 10 then places a foot (the forward foot 11) into the cradle 2 such that the supporting surface 3 engages the heel 12 and not

the ball 12a of the users foot or footwear. In this position, and because of the extended proximal section 8, the users is forced into adapting the correct stride, with the feet space apart a desired distance. The user then leans forward partially bending the balancing leg 13 (Fig. 2).

Finally, the users leans further forward into the full lunge position shown in Fig. 3, where the knee does not touch the ground, holds the position for a desired period of time, and then pushes themselves back into a standing position by bearing against the cradle 2 through their knee. Due to the position of the foot on the cradle, where the user' s weight is predominantly, or completely, supported by the heel, the exercise focuses the effort on the hamstring and glute muscle groups, as opposed to the quadriceps, with the heel bearing the majority of the resistance during the lunge.

Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, these is illustrated a device 20 according to an alternative embodiment of the invention in which parts similar to that described with reference to the previous embodiment are assigned the same reference numerals. In this embodiment, the cradle 2 is supported on two supporting legs 14 and has a slightly curved supporting surface 3 that is inclined to the horizontal at an angle of approximately 18° (see θ in Fig. 8) and a rear supporting surface 15 that is inclined away from a user' s heel an angle to the horizontal of 15° (see θ' in Fig. 8) . Further, the support surface 3 extends nearly the length of the device and comprises an elastomeric gripping surface 16. The use of this embodiment of the device is substantially similar to that of the previous embodiment.

An advantage of supporting heel is that it reduces the pressure on the front of the knee that normally occurs when a conventional leg lunge is performed. Without being bound by theory, it is believe that this is achieved by virtue of the angle that the foot adapts during the lunge which has the effect of reducing the degree of friction between the^ engaging bones at the top of the knee during performance of the leg lunge.

The invention is not limited to the embodiment hereinbefore described, which may be varied in construction and detail without departing from the spirit of the invention.