Exercise apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus comprises an oblong platform and at least one detachable convex instability member projecting from the lower surface of the platform. The platform is of sufficient length for a person to perform whole body exercises, e.g. in a prone, supine or semi-supine position, on the platform. The person exercising on the platform faces the challenge of attempting to maintain the platform in a horizontal orientation as it rocks or wobbles during the exercise, thus improving the balancing skills of the user. The apparatus may be provided in kit form with a plurality of interchangeable detachable convex instability members of different forms, shapes and sizes to provide different balancing challenges of varying degrees of difficulty. The apparatus or kit may also include one or more exercise aids or attachments, e.g. bars and exercise balls mountable on the upper surface of the platform.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, and an instability means including at least one convex member projecting from the lower surface of the platform, wherein the platform is of sufficient dimensions to allow an adult person to perform whole body exercises on the platform with substantially full body contact.  
     
     
         2 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the platform is large enough for an adult person to perform exercises in a number of generally horizontal positions, including prone, supine and on hands and knees, without the body having to contact another support or support surface.  
     
     
         3 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 1  or  claim 2  wherein the platform is oblong in shape having a length falling substantially within the range from about 1.5 m to about 3.0 m.  
     
     
         4 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  3  wherein the width of the platform falls substantially within the range from about 0.6 m to about 2.1 m.  
     
     
         5 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one convex member is such that the platform occupies a substantially horizontal position of equilibrium when standing at rest on a substantially flat surface.  
     
     
         6 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 5  wherein the apparatus is designed such that, when the platform carries the body weight of a person and the centre of gravity of the person is offset in a horizontal direction from the centre of gravity of the apparatus, the platform becomes unstable and rocks or wobbles from its horizontal position of equilibrium.  
     
     
         7 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein said at least one convex member has a curved lower surface which is arranged to stand on the ground or other generally horizontal surface.  
     
     
         8 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 7  wherein the curved surface of said at least one convex member is part-cylindrical.  
     
     
         9 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the curved surface of said at least one convex member is part-spherical or part-ovoid.  
     
     
         10 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  7  wherein the instability means comprises a plurality of convex members provided on the lower surface of the platform.  
     
     
         11 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 10  wherein said plurality of convex members are part-cylindrical rocker members.  
     
     
         12 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 1  to  7  wherein the instability means comprises a single convex member provided on the lower surface of the platform.  
     
     
         13 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 12  wherein the single convex member is dome-shaped.  
     
     
         14 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the dome-shaped convex member has a part-spherical lower surface.  
     
     
         15 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein the dome-shaped convex member has a part-ovoid lower surface.  
     
     
         16 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 13  to  15  wherein the dome-shaped member is disposed with its centre directly below the centre of the platform.  
     
     
         17 . An exercise apparatus according to any of the preceding claims wherein said at least one convex member is detachably mounted on the lower surface of the platform.  
     
     
         18 . An exercise apparatus comprising a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, and instability means including at least one convex member projecting from the lower surface of the platform, wherein a plurality of detachable convex members of different profiles are provided, and said at least one convex member is detachably mounted on the lower surface of the platform to enable replacement of said at least one convex member with at least one other convex member having a different profile.  
     
     
         19 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 17  or  claim 18  wherein the lower surface of the platform includes a plurality of fixtures to which said at least one convex member can be detachably secured.  
     
     
         20 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 19  wherein said plurality of fixtures include parallel attachment members extending laterally across the lower surface of the platform.  
     
     
         21 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 20  wherein the attachment members each define a channel for receiving an attachment portion on the upper surface of said at least one convex member.  
     
     
         22 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform has mounting means for mounting at least one exercise attachment on its upper surface.  
     
     
         23 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 22  wherein an exercise attachment comprising a transversely extending bar is mounted on the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         24 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 23  wherein the transversely extending bar is supported above the platform by posts received in recesses in the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         25 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 22  wherein an exercise attachment comprising an exercise ball is mountable on the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         26 . An exercise apparatus comprising a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, and instability means including at least one convex member projecting from the lower surface of the platform, wherein the platform has mounting means for mounting an exercise ball on the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         27 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 25  or  claim 26  wherein the platform has a removable circular portion which, when removed, leaves a circular opening in the platform for receiving the exercise ball.  
     
     
         28 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 25  to  27  wherein the exercise ball is secured to the upper surface of the platform by one or more straps extending over the exercise ball and having ends attached to the platform.  
     
     
         29 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the upper surface of the platform is covered with a resilient, rubber-like material.  
     
     
         30 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the platform is of modular construction and is formed from a plurality of platform parts.  
     
     
         31 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 30  wherein the platform has a central part and a pair of end parts.  
     
     
         32 . An exercise apparatus according to claims  30  or  31  wherein each of the platform parts has at least one attachment member for a detachable convex member on its lower surface.  
     
     
         33 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 30  to  32  wherein adjacent ends of the platform parts have interengageable formations.  
     
     
         34 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of  claims 30  to  33  wherein releasable locking clips are provided for securing the platform parts together.  
     
     
         35 . An exercise apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims wherein the apparatus includes handle means for carrying the platform.  
     
     
         36 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 35  wherein the handle means is constituted by shaped apertures in the platform forming hand holds.  
     
     
         37 . An exercise kit comprising a platform having an upper surface and a lower surface, and a plurality of instability means comprising detachable convex members removably attachable to the lower surface of the platform, said detachable convex members having different profiles providing different stability characteristics when attached to the platform.  
     
     
         38 . An exercise apparatus or kit according to any one of  claims 18  to  21  or  37  wherein the plurality of detachable convex members include part-cylindrical rocker members.  
     
     
         39 . An exercise apparatus or kit according to  claim 38  wherein the part-cylindrical rocker members include a first set of substantially D-shaped rocker members having a curved surface with a relatively large radius of curvature, and a second set of substantially D-shaped rocker members having a curved surface with a smaller radius of curvature.  
     
     
         40 . An exercise apparatus or kit according to any one of  claims 18  to  21  or  37  to  39  wherein the plurality of detachable convex members include at least one dome-shaped member.  
     
     
         41 . An exercise apparatus or kit according to  claim 40  wherein a number of detachable dome-shaped members of varying size and/or shape and/or radius of curvature are provided.  
     
     
         42 . An exercise kit according to any one of  claims 37  to  41  including at least one exercise attachment for mounting on the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         43 . An exercise kit according to  claim 42  wherein an exercise attachment comprising at least one raised bar is provided for mounting on the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         44 . An exercise kit according to  claim 42  or  claim 43  wherein an exercise attachment comprising an exercise ball is provided for mounting on the upper surface of the platform.  
     
     
         45 . An exercise kit according to  claim 44  wherein the platform has a removable circular portion which, when removed, leaves a circular opening in the platform for receiving the exercise ball.  
     
     
         46 . An exercise kit according to  claim 45  or  claim 46  including at least one strap attachable to the platform for securing the exercise ball in position.  
     
     
         47 . An exercise kit according to any one of  claims 37  to  46  wherein the platform is of modular construction and is formed from a plurality of detachable platform parts.