Exercise method and apparatus

Abstract

An exercise method and apparatus employing an exercise shaft such as a golf club of sufficient length to be gripped by a user's two hands in a spaced apart parallel position to extend the arms and shoulders, and having distal ends structured such that removable strap weights may be attached to the distal ends to provide added exercise resistance for inner core muscle strength.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising: 
 a. an exercise shaft such as a golf club, baton, bat, or other item of sports equipment of sufficient length to be gripped by a user's two hands in a parallel spaced apart position to extend the arms and shoulders and having distal ends each of which accommodates    b. at least one flexible, removable strap weight having a predetermined weight with ends and of a length to removably enwrap the strap weight about the distal end of the shaft.    
   
   
       2 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein the strap weight comprises a flexible weighted strip having an underside with a gripping surface to grip the shaft, and an upper surface adapted to removably secure additional weighted strips thereto about the shaft so that increasing weights may be added for strength training.  
   
   
       3 . A set of incrementally weighted paired flexible strap weights with ends each of a length to enwrap about the distal ends of an exercise shaft, and including a gripping undersurface to prevent slippage when attached to the exercise shaft, and including securing means associated with the ends to removably secure the strap weights about the shaft and/or about secured paired strap weights to add additional weight for a user performing exercises requiring increased weight.  
   
   
       4 . An exercise method employing the device of  claim 1 , comprising: 
 a. attaching a pair of removable flexible strap weights of sufficient length to enwrap about ends of a golf club exercise shaft of sufficient length to be gripped by two hands in a parallel spaced apart position to extend the arms and shoulders,    b. gripping with two hands the shaft in the spaced apart position, and    c. performing desired stretching, and bending exercises.    
   
   
       5 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins by holding the club in the hands on the floor squatting on the ground on the balls of his/her feet similar to a frog position with knees together, and    b. then springs upward and forward extending both legs as the club is pushed down with straight arms towards the thighs, landing in the identical position he/she began in.    
   
   
       6 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with his/her back on the ground holding the club above their head with the arms extended and touching the ears, with their legs remaining straight with toes pointed, and    b. lifts their chest towards the ceiling at the same time their toes and legs reach towards the ceiling in a half moon or boat like position, which is held, not pulsed.    
   
   
       7 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins on the ground with the legs extended and straight, and the arms placed above his/her head and held straight touching the ears,    b. grasps the exercise shaft with the hands,    c. lifts his/her upper body and golf club towards the ceiling as the legs and feet lift towards the ceiling fully extended “if able”, to meet up with the club and upper body in the center creating a “V” like position with only the tailbone touching the ground at this point,    d. then slowly allows both half's of his/her body back to the ground, and    e. rolls their body over onto the stomach while not touching his/her hands, club, chest, thighs, knees or feet on the floor in a “Superman like bent flying position” with arms brushing the ears, remaining extended and straight with the upper body arched and lifting towards the ceiling and the thighs and pointed feet arched and lifting towards the ceiling.    
   
   
       8 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins in a push up type of position and squeezes the buttocks to tightens up the quads as the chest hollows up by trying to touch both shoulders together in front of the chest with the hips remaining lower than the chest during this exercise,    b. pulls the ABS in and tight as the arms attempt to push through the floor and the back between the shoulder blades work to become as rounded and smooth as possible with the chin reaching towards the chest such that this position is held, or places the club parallel to the body next to the hand on the floor, and starting as tight and hollow as possible without bending the arms or legs,    c. pops him/herself up and over the club with the hands and feet popping up at the same time.    
   
   
       9 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with one foot turned in and in front of the other foot as well as in front of the body such that the more distance between the feet with the toes turned in, the more the inner thigh; buttocks and groin area will be worked,    b. holds the club in the hands either proximate the hips or behind the neck with the chest extended towards the ceiling,    c. bends his/her back knee until it is 1 inch from the ground and the front knee is bent and slightly behind the front foot, and    d. springs upward changing feet positions and ending in the identical beginning position only with the other foot turned in and in front.    
   
   
       10 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins by positioning him/herself on their back on the ground with both legs placed side by side,    b. places the weighted club on top of the legs closer to the knees such that if the club teeters or falls off, it indicates the knees have separated,    c. bends one knee allowing the foot to be moved along side the hip while both knees remain touching and the lower back remains on the ground, provided that if the lower back lifts up off of the ground when the foot is placed up by the hip, then the user lifts his upper body off the ground until the lower back touches the ground before the shoulders with both knees continuing to touch the ground.    
   
   
       11 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins by sitting on the floor with his/her feet and legs extended out in front of the body with pointed toes and the thighs held tight forcing the heels to lift off the floor and the back of the knees to touch the floor,    b. places the club across the hips to give the user an object to squeeze,    c. places the hands on the floor next to the hips with straight arms and the fingers facing the toes,    d. pulls the ABS in and the shoulders down and out of contact with the ears as they pull back as if to squeeze a penny between the shoulder blades and    e. places the chin is placed parallel to the floor.    
   
   
       12 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins in a “Straight Sitting” position    b. places the club across the hips to give the golfer an object to squeeze,    c. extends one leg towards the ceiling and up off of the floor with the leg remaining completely straight as the leg is either held by it's own strength or pulsed up and down such that the hamstring attempts to lift the leg off the ground, no the quad, and    d. holds the body in a straight sitting position as the leg is lifted off the ground.    
   
   
       13 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. places a golf club across the hips as the knees are bent and pulled up against the chest with the feet up and off of the floor,    b. places the hands next to the hips flat on the ground fingers facing the toes, and    c. pushes against the ground lifting the body off of the ground using the shoulders and triceps to rotate the hips forward and back onto the ground moving the body forward while maintaining the original position.    
   
   
       14 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins in a push up type of position squeezing the buttocks to tighten up the quads as the chest hollows up by trying to touch both shoulders together in front of the chest, and the hips remain lower than the chest,    b. pulls the ABS in tight as the arms attempt to push through the floor and the back between the shoulder blades work to become as rounded and smooth as possible with the chin reaching towards the chest,    c. places the club directly under the chest on the ground, and    d. lowers the chest to the ground as the user pushes the arms straight and the entire body pops off of the ground and moves forward as the user attempts to touch his/her chest to the club each time the chest lowers to the ground while holding the push up type position.    
   
   
       15 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with his feet in a stance wider than the shoulders with the toes facing slightly inward with the body weight over the toes as the knees are bent at a 90-degree angle, and the chest is not quite parallel with the floor,    b. wedges one end of the club between the floor and the foot and the other end of the club is placed across the opposite thigh, and as the arm nearest the wedged end    c. extends to a complete straight arm position grasping the shaft near the wedge, with the other hand holding the club on the thigh as that hand pushes the knees further apart without moving the feet.    
   
   
       16 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins on his back with his knees bent at a 90-degree angle with the heels on the floor and the toes flexed,    b. places the golf club under the shoulders on the floor and at the bottom of the neck, which is held in place while the chest is being lifted up and towards the ceiling, and    c. attempts to touch his/her chest to his/her knees, when lowering the chest making sure not to allow the club to touch or rest on the floor while attempting to touch the opposite side of the club to the opposite knee without allowing the club to come back and touch or rest on the ground.    
   
   
       17 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins on his/her back on the ground with the arms either in a T position or down by the hips on the floor,    b. places the club across the hips and the thighs, while the legs are extended and completely straight above the hips with pointed toes with the lower back remaining on the floor or if the lower back begins to lift off of the floor, bends the legs slightly, and    c. pulses the feet towards the nose in 3 different positions: 
 i. one with the feet pulsing side by side;  
 ii. the other is pulsing the right foot only, and  
 iii. then pulsing the right foot only;  
   whereby the user does not allow the tailbone or hips to leave the ground during the pulsing.    
   
   
       18 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins on his back on the ground with the arms either in a T position or down by the hips on the floor,    b. places the club across the hips and the thighs with the legs placed in a wide straddle position with the toes pointed and reaching towards the floor outside of the hips such that the legs must work to stay completely extended and straight, and    c. lists the legs toward the ceiling 1-inch every 5-10 seconds until the feet meet up above the hips in the original position, or then lowers the legs towards the floor in the same manner.    
   
   
       19 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins by sitting on the ground in a cross-legged sitting position,    b. moves one leg out of the cross-legged sitting position while the other leg remains in the cross-legged sitting position,    c. places the leg that has been moved with its foot flat on the floor on the other side of the thigh of the leg that is in the cross-legged sitting position such that both hips remain on the floor while the body twist's toward the cross-leg, and    d. uses the club to push against the foot on the floor to assist in more upper body rotation.    
   
   
       20 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with feet placed in a wide stance slightly wider than the shoulders such that the feet remain facing forward and slightly turned in with the weight over the toes,    b. holds the club with straight arms down in front of the upper thighs,    c. rotates the shoulders by having them come up to the ears roll back towards the back and then down towards the floor and rotating towards the front in either a forward or backward motion, with the elbow placed in either of two different positions: 
 i. one with the elbow down by the rib cage, and  
 ii. the other with the elbow up and level with the shoulder.  
   
   
   
       21 . An exercise method according to  claim 20 , wherein the user has the shoulders move up towards the ears and down towards the floor only.  
   
   
       22 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with his feet placed in a wide stance slightly wider than his shoulders with the feet facing forward and slightly turned in with the weight over the toes,    b. holds the club in front of the upper thighs and hips and the shoulders remain down towards the ground while the head moves left to right trying to touch the ears to the shoulders, without lifting to the ears,    c. moves the head front to back touching the chin to the chest and the back of the head to the floor, and    d. circles the head in a complete circle right and left keeping the shoulders pulling down and towards the floor.    
   
   
       23 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. holds the club down in front of the upper thighs and hips with straight arms as the legs are placed in a wide stance with the toes forward and slightly turned and the shoulders pull backwards and down, and    b. twists the upper body is right and left swinging the club as far around the body as possible without moving the feet, provided the heel may lift off of the ground to improve the fluidity of the swing, and the knees may be bent slightly, as the head attempts not to move up or down front or back.    
   
   
       24 . An exercise method according to  claim 23 , wherein the club is positioned at the chest with one arm bent holding the club up against the chest as the other arm is extended and completely straight and grasping the other end of the club such that the club has half of the club against the chest while the other half is to the side of the chest.  
   
   
       25 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with feet in a wide stance, arms overhead and straight while brushing up against the ears and grasping the club, and    b. pulses the club backwards behind the head.    
   
   
       26 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with his feet in a wide stance; the body bent at the hips while attempting to touch the head to the ground,    b. holds the club above the head, and    c. pulses the club upward and towards the buttocks.    
   
   
       27 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with feet in a wide stance with toes slightly turned in,    b. holds the club above the head with straight arms,    c. moves one arm until it touches the ear continuing to hold one end of the club, and    d. pulls the other arm opposite end of the club down and slightly backwards until the user feels a stretch.    
   
   
       28 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. stands with feet in a wide stance,    b. holds the club with arms straight out in front of the chest and the shoulders remaining down and out of contact with the ears, and    c. rotates the club to one side of the body as the user continues to keep the arms straight, and then to the opposite side in which the club is rotated such that the hand grasping the club from underneath the shaft pulls it away from the other hand without either hand letting go of the club.    
   
   
       29 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. stands with feet in a wide stance,    b. positions the club completely to the side of the body such that if the club is on the right side of the body, the left hand is positioned underneath the handle of the club, and the other hand sits on top of the club fully extended and straight as the arm touches the ear, with the left hand under the handle of the club, and    c. pushes the club towards the ceiling while the other hand remains on top of the club bladed end.    
   
   
       30 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. stands with feet in a wide stance and the club is down in front of the upper thighs and hips, with the chin touching the chest,    b. rolls slowly the body towards the floor stretching the entire spine as he/she rolls down with the weight remaining over the toes and the legs as straight as possible, and    c. then rolls his/her body back up towards the ceiling making sure the chin is the last to roll up.    
   
   
       31 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with his feet in a wide stance with the weight over the toes and the body bent at the hips as the head tries to touch the floor,    b. places the club with its blade against the outside of the foot and the club handle leaning against the outside of the hip, and    c. extends the user's arm that is furthest from the club down to the shaft nearest the foot, such that the other hand holds the handle of the club at the hip as the body leans away from the club with out bending the knees.    
   
   
       32 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins with feet in a wide stance a few inches wider than the shoulders with the toes forward and slightly turned in with the knees bent to a 90-degree angle with the chest parallel to the floor,    b. places the elbows on the knees and    c. pushes the knees outward with out moving the feet and the hands grasp the club in front of the legs.    
   
   
       33 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. begins by sitting on the ground with feet side by side and straight in front of the body,    b. reaches for their toes trying to put the stomach on the thighs before allowing the head to drop to the knees and as the user remains in the pike sit with the body sitting up towards the ceiling,    c. lifts one leg as it remains straight by the hands with a flexed and pointed toe and held at the point that the hamstring is getting the most stretch with out bending the knees,    d. hooks the blade of the club onto the bottom of the foot as the user holds the shaft and lifts the leg into position.    
   
   
       34 . An exercise method according to  claim 4 , wherein the user: 
 a. places the club across the hips, and    b. bends the knees pulled into the chest with the knees together and feet flat on the floor, and    c. lifts up the chest with shoulders pulling back, chin parallel to the floor and hands placed on the floor next to the hips with the fingers facing forward.    
   
   
       35 . An exercise method according to  claim 34 , wherein the user extends one leg off of the floor with a pointed toe, and pulses the straight extended leg without it bending or touching the floor.