Exercise bar with head-accepting gap

Abstract

An exercise bar including an elongated frame having two spaced hand grips with which the bar is grasped by the user during an exercise routine and a U-shaped mid-section which joins the hand grips to one another. Each hand grip accommodates a change in position of the wrists of the grasping hands relative to the frame as the bar is moved with the hands during an exercise routine. Furthermore, the opening of the U of the U-shaped mid-section provides a gap disposed between the hand grips which is sized to accommodate the passage of the mid-section over the head of the user without the need to lift the grips of the bar any higher than the user's head.

1 . An exercise bar for use during an exercise routine, the exercise bar comprising: 
 an elongated frame having two opposite ends; and    two hand grips with which the bar is grasped by the user during an exercise routine performed with the bar and wherein each hand grip is associated with a corresponding end of the bar so that the two grips are spaced from one another and wherein the hand grips permit the user's hands grasped thereabout to be arranged so that the palms of the grasping hands face one another; and    wherein the frame includes a mid-section which joins the opposite ends of the bar to one another and which provides a gap disposed between the hand grips which is sized to accommodate the passage of the mid-section over the head of the user without the need to lift the grips of the bar any higher than the user's head.    
   
   
       2 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 1  wherein the bar mid-section has a U-shaped form and wherein the U of the U-shaped form includes a base and two legs joined by the base, and each leg has an end disposed opposite the base, and each hand grip is secured to the frame adjacent the end of a corresponding leg of the U of the U-shaped form of the bar mid-section.  
   
   
       3 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 2  wherein the hand grips are disposed outboard of the U of the U-shaped form of the bar mid-section.  
   
   
       4 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 3  wherein the frame includes end sections disposed outboard of the hand grips which are adapted to accept barbell weights placed thereover.  
   
   
       5 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 4  wherein the end sections are linear in form and aligned with one another along an axis which intersects the hand grips.  
   
   
       6 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 1  wherein each hand grip is pivotally attached to the frame to accommodate a change in position of the wrists of the grasping hands relative to the frame as the bar is moved with the hands during an exercise routine.  
   
   
       7 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 6  wherein each hand grip provides a grip axis and is pivotally secured to the frame for pivotal movement relative thereto about a pivot axis which is disposed substantially perpendicular to the grip axis.  
   
   
       8 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 7  wherein the bar mid-section has a U-shaped form and wherein the U of the U-shaped form of the bar mid-section includes a base and two legs joined by the base, and each leg has an end disposed opposite the base, and each hand grip is secured to the frame adjacent the end of a corresponding leg of the U of the U-shaped form of the bar mid-section.  
   
   
       9 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 1  wherein the gap disposed between the hand grips is at least about nine inches in width.  
   
   
       10 . An exercise bar comprising: 
 an elongated frame having two opposite ends and a U-shaped section disposed between the opposite ends;    a pair of hand grips being disposed along the length of the frame so that the opening of the U of the U-shaped section is disposed between the hand grips, each hand grip being pivotally attached to the frame to accommodate a change in position of the wrists of the grasping hands relative to the frame as the bar is moved with the hands during an exercise routine; and    the opening of the U of the U-shaped section is sized to permit the passage of the head of the user therethrough as the user holds the bar adjacent his shoulders by the hand grips and subsequently rotates the bar with his wrists between a first position at which a major portion of the bar mid-section is disposed forwardly of the user's head and a second position at which a major portion of the bar mid-section is disposed rearwardly of the user's head.    
   
   
       11 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 10  wherein the U of the U-shaped section includes a base and two legs joined by the base, and each leg has an end disposed opposite the base, and each hand grip is secured to the frame adjacent the end of a corresponding leg of the U of the U-shaped section.  
   
   
       12 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 11  wherein the hand grips are disposed outboard of the U of the U-shaped section.  
   
   
       13 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 10  wherein the frame includes linear end sections disposed outboard of the hand grips which are adapted to accept barbell weights placed thereover.  
   
   
       14 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 10  wherein each hand grip provides a grip axis and is pivotally secured to the frame for pivotal movement relative thereto about a pivot axis which is disposed substantially perpendicular to the grip axis.  
   
   
       15 . The exercise bar as described in  claim 10  wherein the U of the U-shaped section includes a base and two legs joined by the base, and each leg has an end disposed opposite the base, and each hand grip is secured to the frame adjacent the end of a corresponding leg of the U of the U-shaped section.  
   
   
       16 . An exercise bar which is held by the hands of the user during the performance of an exercise routine, the exercise bar comprising: 
 an elongated frame;    a pair of ring members which are pivotally mounted within the frame at spaced locations therealong to accommodate the pivotal movement of each ring member about a corresponding pivot axis relative to the frame;    a pair of elongated grips wherein each grip extends across and is fixedly secured to a corresponding ring member, and each grip is oriented along a grip axis which is substantially perpendicular to the pivot axis of the corresponding ring member so that as the user grasps the elongated grips and moves the exercise bar during an exercise routine, each ring member is permitted to pivot about its corresponding pivot axis; and    the elongated frame includes a U-shaped section having a U which is disposed between the pair of ring members and wherein the U of the U-shaped section provides a gap which accommodates the passage of the U-shaped section over the head of the user without the need to lift the grips of the bar any higher than the user's head.    
   
   
       17 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 16  wherein the pivot axes about which the ring members are permitted to pivot are coplanar.  
   
   
       18 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 17  wherein the frame includes linear end sections disposed outboard of the hand grips which are adapted to accept barbell weights placed thereover and which are aligned with one another along an axis which intersects the hand grips, and the fixed pivot axes about which the ring members are permitted to pivot are substantially co-planar with said axis which intersects the hand grips.  
   
   
       19 . The exercise bar as defined in  claim 18  wherein the pivot axes about which the ring members are permitted to pivot are each oriented in an angular relationship with said axis which intersects the hand grips.