Apparatus for enhancing exercises and methods of using same

Abstract

The present invention relates to an apparatus for enhancing isometric and/or isotonic exercises and methods of using same. In particular, the apparatus for enhancing isometric exercises includes a substantially rigid annular exercising assembly which is placed in a user's mouth and held in place by the user's lips and more particularly between the user's lips in such a manner that the user's upper and lower teeth are not in a substantially engaged position. The substantially rigid annular exercising assembly has an exterior and an interior wall which connect and thereby form a trough. The anterior, medial and posterior surfaces of the user's lips fit within the trough thereby providing the mechanism for holding the substantially rigid annular exercising assembly within the user's mouth during exercise. In this manner, the substantially rigid annular exercising assembly is essentially freestanding and does not require the user to grind their teeth, or tense or strain the jaw or Templar-Mandibular Joint. When in place, the substantially rigid annular exercising assembly increases isometric resistance during exercise, weight training, or facial toning. When used as an isotonic exercising aid, the apparatus would be substantially flexible or semi-flexible to thereby allow some movement of a user's jaw and other facial muscles.

What I claim is:  
     
         1 . A resistance apparatus, comprising: 
 an annular exercising assembly sized and shaped so as to fit in a user's mouth between an upper lip area and a lower lip area and in front of an outside surface of the user's teeth, 
 the annular exercising assembly having an exterior member, an interior member having an exterior side, and a trough formed by the connection of the exterior member to the interior member, 
 the trough being sized and shaped to accept the user's lips therein, and wherein when the user's lips are inserted in the trough, the user's upper and lower teeth are kept in a substantially non-engaged position, and the exterior side of the interior member is adjacent the outside surface of the user's teeth, and  
 
 the annular exercising assembly further having a passageway extending from the exterior member to the interior member with the passageway allowing for unimpeded breathing of the user.  
   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the interior member has an interior peripheral edge substantially adjacent an inside surface of the user's upper and lower lip portions and wherein the exterior member has an exterior peripheral edge substantially adjacent an outside surface of a user's upper and lower lip portions.  
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the apparatus is fabricated from plastic or plastic laminates or combinations thereof.  
     
     
         4 . A method for enhancing isometric or isotonic resistance during exercise, comprising the steps of: 
 providing an annular exercising assembly sized and shaped so as to fit in a user's mouth between an upper lip area and a lower lip area and in front of an outside surface of the user's teeth, the annular exercising assembly having an exterior member, an interior member having an exterior side, and a trough formed by the connection of the exterior member to the interior member, 
 the trough being sized and shaped to accept the user's lips therein, and wherein when the user's lips are inserted in the trough, the user's upper and lower teeth are kept in a substantially non-engaged position, and the exterior side of the interior member is adjacent the outside surface of the user's teeth, and  
   the annular exercising assembly further having a passageway extending from the exterior member to the interior member with the passageway allowing for unimpeded breathing of the user;    placing the annular exercising assembly in the user's mouth between the upper lip area and the lower lip area;    compressing the annular exercising assembly between the upper lip area and the lower lip area; and    performing a predetermined exercise while the annular exercising assembly is compressed between the upper lip area and the lower lip area.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein in the step of providing an annular exercising assembly, the interior member has an interior peripheral edge substantially adjacent an inside surface of the user's upper and lower lip portions and wherein the exterior member has an exterior peripheral edge substantially adjacent an outside surface of a user's upper and lower lip.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein in the step of providing an annular exercising assembly, the annular exercising assembly is fabricated from a plastic or plastic laminate or combinations thereof.