Abdominal exercise machine

Abstract

An abdominal exercise machine for developing the main, the lower and oblique abdominal muscles, wherein a seat is hingedly connected to a fixed frame and a back support is hingedly connected to the seat. A pair of resistance arms are pivotally connected to the frame and a trampoline-line target and medicine ball can be used with the exercise machine as an accessory.

1 . An exercise machine for exercising the main and lower abdominal muscles as well as the oblique abdominal muscles of a user comprising, a main frame, a sub-frame pivotally connected to the main frame, a seat secured to the sub-frame, and a back support pivotally connected to the sub-frame, whereby when a user sitting on the machine in an upright position falls back against the back support, the seat and associated sub-frame are pivoted upwardly thereby developing the main and lower abdominal muscles, the same muscles being developed during the return to the upright position. 
   
   
       2 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivotal connection of the back support to the sub-frame includes an elbow connected to the lower end of the back support, said elbow engaging the top surface of a plate member, said plate member being mounted on the upper end of a vertically extending tube, said tube being slidably mounted in a sleeve secured to the main frame, and a detent assembly operatively connected between the tube and the sleeve, whereby the vertical position of the tube and associated plate member can be varied to thereby adjust the inclination of the back support. 
   
   
       3 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a pair of arms are pivotally connected to the sub-frame assembly, each pivotal connection comprising a stub shaft having one end fixedly connected to the sub-frame, a tubular member rotatably mounted on the opposite end portion of the stub shaft, a torsion spring having one end connected to the stub shaft and the opposite end connected to the tubular member, each arm being detachably connected to a respective tubular member, whereby the arms can be pivoted to an inoperative stored position under the seat. 
   
   
       4 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the pivotal connection for each arm is positioned in a downwardly inclined orientation, whereby when the user pushes on the arms, they are moved in a diagonal direction across the user's chest to thereby exercise the user's oblique abdominal muscles. 
   
   
       5 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a leg member is connected to a forward end portion of the main frame, and a pair of foot bolsters adjustably mounted on the leg member, whereby the user's instep engages the bolsters while exercising. 
   
   
       6 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein a pair of bolsters are mounted on the upper end portion of the back support for supporting the user's back. 
   
   
       7 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein one end of a tubular shaft is detachably connected to the seat and extends outwardly therefrom, a trampoline-target mounted on the opposite end of said shaft, and a weighted ball, whereby when the user leans backward and forward against the back rest, the medicine ball is tossed at the target which quickly returns the ball to the user, so that when the user comes from the back position to the upright position, the weighted ball is carried, thereby adding resistance and difficulty to the exercise. 
   
   
       8 . An exercise machine according to  claim 1 , wherein the tubular shaft is telescopic, whereby the distance of the target from the user can be varied.