Exercise device with on board personal trainer

Abstract

An exercise device with an on board personal trainer is provided. The exercise device comprises a frame, a movable element operatively coupled to the frame, a resistance assembly coupled to the frame and to the movable element such that the movable element moves against resistance provided by the resistance assembly, and a console coupled to the frame and electrically coupled to the movable element and/or the resistance assembly. The console is configured to display a menu structure to enable a user to select an exercise program, wherein the console provides graphical and audio instructions regarding the selected exercise program, such that the console enables (i) selection of a desired exercise program, (ii) a graphical display of the selected exercise program, and (iii) audio instructions relating to the selected exercise program. The on board personal trainer also keeps track of the user's repetitions and sets of a particular exercise.

1 . An exercise device comprising: 
 a frame;    a movable element operatively coupled to the frame; and    a console coupled to the frame and electrically coupled to the movable element, the console configured to display a menu structure to enable a user to select an exercise program, wherein the console provides graphical and audio instructions regarding the selected exercise program.    
     
     
         2 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the graphical and audio instructions regarding the selected exercise program are provided prior to the performance of the exercise by the exerciser.  
     
     
         3 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 1 , wherein the graphical instructions comprise a video and/or animated demonstration of the selected exercise program, wherein the audio instructions correspond to the video and/or animated demonstration of the selected exercise program, the graphical and audio instructions being provided prior to the performance of the selected exercise program by the exerciser.  
     
     
         4 . An exercise device comprising: 
 a frame;    a movable element operatively coupled to the frame;    a resistance assembly coupled to the frame and to the movable element such that the movable element moves against resistance provided by the resistance assembly; and    a console coupled to the frame and electrically coupled to the movable element and/or the resistance assembly, the console configured to display a menu structure to enable a user to select an exercise program, the console being adapted to provide graphical and audio instructions regarding the selected exercise program, such that the console enables (i) selection of a desired exercise program, (ii) a graphical display of the selected exercise program, and (iii) audio instructions relating to the selected exercise program.    
     
     
         5 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the console comprises: 
 a microcontroller;    a user interface electrically coupled to the microcontroller, the user interface having plurality of user inputs; and    a display electrically coupled to the microcontroller, the display displaying operating parameters of the exercise device, instructions relating to exercises to be performed, and/or parameters for the user of the exercise device.    
     
     
         6 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 5 , wherein the exercise program further comprises at least one control signal, the microcontroller controlling the exercise device in response to the at least one control signal.  
     
     
         7 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 6 , wherein at least a portion of the at least one control signal is audibly presented by means of an audio output device associated with the exercise device.  
     
     
         8 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the console provides audio instructions and/or motivational content regarding how a selected exercise program is to be performed and further provides graphical instructions demonstrating graphically how the selected exercise program is to be performed.  
     
     
         9 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the console includes a display screen that displays graphically a representation of an exerciser demonstrating how an exercise program is to be performed.  
     
     
         10 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 9 , wherein the console further provides audio instructions telling the user how to perform the exercise program and further shows the user how to perform the exercise program by showing on the display a representation of an individual performing the exercise program.  
     
     
         11 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the graphical instructions further comprise an animation.  
     
     
         12 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 8 , wherein the graphical instructions further comprise a video presentation of an exerciser.  
     
     
         13 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 4 , wherein the movable element comprises a cable and pulley system.  
     
     
         14 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 4 , further comprising a storage structure associated with the console, the storage structure storing the exercise programming.  
     
     
         15 . An exercise device comprising: 
 a frame;    a movable element operatively coupled to the frame; and    a console coupled to the frame and in electrical communication with the movable element, the console adapted to allow a user to select an exercise program from a menu of exercise programs, the console being adapted to provide graphical and audio instructions regarding how to perform the selected exercise program prior to the user performing the selected exercise program.    
     
     
         16 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the graphical instructions regarding the selected exercise program comprise an animation of an exerciser illustrating how to perform the selected exercise program.  
     
     
         17 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 16 , wherein the audio instructions comprise a voice that describes the exercise program being illustrated in the graphical instructions.  
     
     
         18 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 15 , wherein the console comprises a display screen adapted to provide the graphical instructions to the user.  
     
     
         19 . An exercise device comprising: 
 an element movable during performance of an exercise by an exerciser;    a console in electrical communication with the element and having a microcontroller capable of controlling the at least one element, the console comprising 
 a storage structure adapted to store a plurality of exercise programs, and  
 a display capable of presenting graphical and audio instructions regarding an exercise program selected from the plurality of exercise programs, the graphical instructions illustrating performance of the exercise program prior to the performance of the exercise by the exerciser.  
   
     
     
         20 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the audio instructions are presented to the user at the same time as the graphical instructions, the audio instructions corresponding to the graphical instructions to enable the exerciser to watch the graphical instructions and listen to the audio instructions simultaneously to learn how to perform the selected exercise program.  
     
     
         21 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 19 , wherein the console further comprises at least one output device and at least one input device.  
     
     
         22 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the at least one output device and the at least one input device comprise at least one touch-sensitive visual display.  
     
     
         23 . An exercise device as recited in  claim 21 , wherein the at least one output device comprises at least one audio delivery device.  
     
     
         24 . A method for teaching and performing an exercise program, comprising: 
 providing an exercise device, the exercise device comprising: 
 a frame;  
 a movable element operatively coupled to the frame; and  
 a console electrically coupled to the frame and/or the movable element, the console having a) a microcontroller capable of controlling the movable element, b) a storage structure adapted to store a plurality of exercise programs, and c) at least one display capable of presenting i) a menu structure for selecting an exercise program from the plurality of exercise programs, and ii) graphical and audio instructions regarding the exercise program selected from the plurality of exercise programs;  
   selecting an exercise program from the plurality of exercise programs using the menu structure presented on the at least one display of the console;    presenting, on the at least one display, graphical and audio instructions regarding the selected exercise program; and    performing the selected exercise program after watching and listening to the graphical and audio instructions.    
     
     
         25 . The method for teaching an exercise program to an exerciser as recited in  claim 24 , wherein the graphical instructions comprise an animated and/or video presentation of an exerciser performing the selected exercise program, and wherein the audio instructions comprise a voice explaining how to perform the exercise program illustrated in the graphical instructions.