Vertical Lumbar Stretching Machine and Method

Abstract

A machine and method for conditioning and strengthening the human frame, and particularly the lumbar muscles of the lower back and pelvic region. The user-controlled machine has a single restraint strap which wraps around the user's pelvic region and connects to both sides of a support structure. The single restraint strap may be positioned high or low about the user's pelvic region while the user faces forward, backward, or sideways relative to the support structure. The user causes the single restraint strap to be drawn tightly about the pelvic region, thereby restraining the pelvic region against the support structure. This isolates the lumbar muscles and permits the user to conduct specific lumbar muscle conditioning and strengthening exercises while remaining in an upright position.

1 . An exercise machine ( 10 ) for stretching the human body comprising,
 a vertical support structure ( 20 ) arranged and designed with a vertical contact area ( 22 ) to receive a user's pelvic region thereagainst when a user stands upright adjacent to said support structure, said vertical contact area having two vertical sides;   a single restraint strap ( 12 ) having two end portions with one end portion un-releasably connected to a moveably disposed first member ( 19 ) of said support structure positioned adjacent to one vertical side of said vertical contact area and with another end portion un-releasably connected to a moveably disposed second member ( 24 ) of said support structure positioned adjacent to another vertical side of said vertical contact area, said single restraint strap comprising two sections ( 15 ,  17 ) which couple using a coupling mechanism ( 11 ,  13 ) at a position along said strap between said first and second members; said two sections of said single restraint strap being arranged and designed to couple around a user's pelvic region when a user stands upright adjacent to said support structure; and   a support structure actuator ( 16 ) connected adjacent to said first and second members and arranged and designed to adjust a vertical height of said first and second members of said support structure by vertically moving said first and second members, said vertical movement of said first and second members also vertically moving said single restraint strap relative to said support structure and to a user when a user stands upright adjacent thereto by moving the two end portions of said single restraint strap;   whereby, when a user stands upright adjacent to said vertical contact area of said support structure and couples said two sections of said single restraint strap around said user's pelvic region, said user's pelvic region is restrained against said vertical contact area of said support structure by said single restraint strap at said vertical height adjusted by said support structure actuator.   
   
   
       2 . The machine of  claim 1  further comprising,
 a strap actuator ( 26 ) connected adjacent to said first and second members and arranged and designed to horizontally move said first and second members of said support structure; said horizontal movement of said first and second members also horizontally moving said two end portions of said single restraint strap relative to a user when a user is standing upright adjacent to said support structure;   whereby, when a user stands upright adjacent to said vertical contact area of said support structure and couples said two sections of said single restraint strap around said user's pelvic region, said user's pelvic region is tightly restrained against said vertical contact area when said first and second members are moved horizontally away from said user.   
   
   
       3 . The machine of  claim 2  wherein,
 said first and second members are adjacently connected to each other.   
   
   
       4 . The machine of  claim 2  wherein,
 said strap actuator is arranged and designed to be controlled by a user of said machine.   
   
   
       5 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein,
 said first and second members are adjacently connected to each other.   
   
   
       6 . The machine of  claim 1  further comprising,
 a weight bearing arrangement comprising a strap ( 40 ), a sheave ( 42 ), and a weight ( 44 ), said strap arranged and designed to be disposed about a user's torso and to connect to said weight through said sheave positioned on said support structure above said vertical contact area such that weighted resistance is applied to said user's torso.   
   
   
       7 . The machine of  claim 1  further comprising,
 a safety cord having two end portions, said first end portion being coupled to said support structure above said vertical contact area and said second end portion arranged and designed to be disposed about a user's torso.   
   
   
       8 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein,
 said support structure actuator is arranged and designed to be controlled by a user of said machine.   
   
   
       9 . The machine of  claim 1  wherein,
 said coupling mechanism comprises a hook and loop fastener.   
   
   
       10 . An exercise machine ( 10 ) for stretching the human body comprising,
 a vertical support structure ( 20 ) arranged and designed with a vertical contact area ( 22 ) to receive a user's pelvic region thereagainst when a user stands upright adjacent to said support structure, said vertical contact area having two vertical sides;   a single restraint strap ( 12 ) having two end portions with one end portion un-releasably connected to a moveably disposed first member ( 19 ) of said support structure positioned adjacent to one vertical side of said vertical contact area and with another end portion releasably connectable to a moveably disposed second member ( 24 ) of said support structure positioned adjacent to another vertical side of said vertical contact area; said single restraint strap being arranged and designed to be disposed around a user's pelvic region when a user stands upright adjacent to said support structure; and   a support structure actuator ( 16 ) connected adjacent to said first and second members and arranged and designed to adjust a vertical height of said first and second members of said support structure by vertically moving said first and second members, said vertical movement of said first and second members also vertically moving said single restraint strap relative to said support structure and to a user when a user stands upright adjacent thereto by moving the two connected end portions of said single restraint strap;   whereby, when a user stands upright adjacent to said vertical contact area of said support structure and connects said releasably connectable end portion of said single restraint strap around said user's pelvic region and to said second member, said user's pelvic region is restrained against said vertical contact area of said support structure by said single restraint strap at said vertical height adjusted by said support structure actuator.   
   
   
       11 . The machine of  claim 10  further comprising,
 a strap actuator ( 26 ) connected adjacent to said first and second members and arranged and designed to horizontally move said first and second members of said support structure; said horizontal movement of said first and second members also horizontally moving said two end portions of said single restraint strap relative to a user when a user stands upright adjacent to said support structure;   whereby, when a user stands upright adjacent to said vertical contact area of said support structure and connects said releasably connectable end portion of said single restraint strap around said user's pelvic region and to said second member, said user's pelvic region is tightly restrained against said vertical contact area when said first and second members are moved horizontally away from said user.   
   
   
       12 . The machine of  claim 11  wherein,
 said first and second members are adjacently connected to each other.   
   
   
       13 . The machine of  claim 11  wherein,
 said strap actuator is arranged and designed to be controlled by a user of said machine.   
   
   
       14 . The machine of  claim 10  wherein,
 said first and second members are adjacently connected to each other.   
   
   
       15 . The machine of  claim 10  further comprising,
 a weight bearing arrangement comprising a strap ( 40 ), a sheave ( 42 ), and a weight ( 44 ), said strap arranged and designed to be disposed about a user's torso and to connect to said weight through said sheave positioned on said support structure above said vertical contact area such that weighted resistance is applied to said user's torso.   
   
   
       16 . The machine of  claim 10  further comprising,
 a safety cord having two end portions, said first end portion being coupled to said support structure above said vertical contact area and said second end portion arranged and designed to be disposed about a user's torso.   
   
   
       17 . The machine of  claim 10  wherein,
 said support structure actuator is arranged and designed to be controlled by a user of said machine.   
   
   
       18 . The machine of  claim 10  wherein,
 said releasably connectable end portion of said single restraint strap connects to said moveably disposed second member of said support structure using a hook and loop fastener.   
   
   
       19 . An exercise method for stretching the human body comprising the steps of,
 standing a user upright adjacent to a vertical contact area ( 22 ) of a vertical support structure ( 20 ), said vertical contact area arranged and designed to receive a user's pelvic region and having two vertical sides;   disposing a single restraining strap ( 12 ) around said user's pelvic region, said single restraining strap having two end portions;   releasably connecting said first end portion to a moveably disposed first member ( 24 ) of said support structure positioned adjacent to one vertical side of said vertical contact area, said second end portion being un-releasably connected to a moveably disposed second member ( 19 ) of said support structure positioned adjacent to another vertical side of said vertical contact area;   controlling a support structure actuator ( 16 ) connected adjacent to said first and second members to vertically move said single restraint strap to a desired vertical height relative to said user; and   controlling a support structure actuator ( 26 ) connected adjacent to said first and second members to horizontally move said first and second members and said first and second end portions connected thereto away from said user, thereby tightly restraining said user's pelvic region against said vertical contact area at said desired vertical height.   
   
   
       20 . The exercise method of  claim 19  wherein,
 said controlling steps are performed by said user while using said machine.