Abdominal exercise and training apparatus

Abstract

An abdominal training apparatus designed to be used by a seated exerciser for concentrated training of the abdominal muscles in performing crunch exercises, comprising an upper portion and a lower portion pivotably suspended from a base, the upper portion and lower portion being linked together causing them to rotate in opposing directions toward, and in a fixed angular proportion to, one another. The apparatus includes weight addition means on the upper and lower portions to respectively increase and decrease the force required to perform the crunch exercises, so as to accommodate both advanced and beginning exercisers as well as those with injured or weak abdominal muscles. The apparatus further includes a pivotably mounted seat portion having a plurality of angular positions enabling the apparatus to be used by an exerciser to target both the oblique and the frontal abdominal muscles.

1 . An apparatus for training abdominal muscles using a crunch motion comprising:
 a base;   an upper portion pivotably suspended from said base, said upper portion including a back rail having a back support, a head support, and at least one handle adapted to be gripped by the hands of a person;   a lower portion pivotably suspended from said base, said lower portion including a lumbar rail having a seat and a lumbar support; and,   a linking bar interconnecting said upper portion to said lower portion causing said upper portion and said lower portion to pivot simultaneously and cooperatively in opposite rotational directions with respect to said base so that said upper portion and said lower portion approach substantial parallelity with each other, with the relative angular displacement of said upper portion and said lower portion being a fixed ratio determined by the distances between the respective pivot points of said upper portion and said lower portion to the base and linking bar attachment points thereto.   
   
   
       2 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said upper portion includes left and right side rails joined to the back rail and by a pair of rotatable upper joints joined to said base, said lower portion includes left and right side rails joined to the lumbar rail and by a pair of rotatable lower joints to said base, and said linking bar connecting said upper portion to said lower portion from the respective side rails providing an off center pivoting allowing said upper portion and said lower portion to move in opposing rotational directions to achieve substantial parallelity between the seat of the lower portion and the back and head supports of the upper portion. 
   
   
       3 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said lower portion additionally includes means to retain the legs of a person seated in said apparatus, enabling the legs to be used to assist in performing the intended crunch motion. 
   
   
       4 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said lower portion further includes a means for receiving weights for decreasing the workout resistance of said apparatus so as to assist a person with weak abdominal muscles in performing the intended crunch motion. 
   
   
       5 . The apparatus of  claim 1  wherein said upper portion further includes a means for receiving weights to increase the force required by a person to perform the intended crunch motion. 
   
   
       6 . The apparatus of  claim 2  wherein said leg retaining means is rigidly interconnected to said seat and said seat is pivotably positionable on said lower portion, allowing said seat and said leg retaining means to be angularly positioned with respect to said apparatus, said lower portion additionally including a means to secure and lock into desired position said seat and said leg retaining means in a selected one of a straight-ahead position, a rightwardly angled position, or a leftwardly angled position, enabling a person to exercise both frontal and oblique abdominal muscles without leaving said apparatus. 
   
   
       7 . An apparatus for training abdominal muscles using a crunch motion comprising:
 a base;   an upper portion pivotably suspended from said base, said upper portion including a back rail having a back support, a head support, and at least one handle adapted to be gripped by the hands of a person;   a lower portion pivotably suspended from said base, said lower portion including a lumbar rail having a seat and a lumbar support;   said upper portion includes left and right side rails joined to the back rail and by a pair of rotatable upper joints joined to said base, said lower portion includes left and right side rails joined to the lumbar rail and by a pair of rotatable lower joints to said base; and,   a linking bar interconnecting said upper portion to said lower portion causing said upper portion and said lower portion to pivot simultaneously and cooperatively in opposite rotational directions with respect to said base so that said upper portion and said lower portion approach substantial parallelity between the seat of the lower portion and the back and head supports of the upper portion, with the relative angular displacement of said upper portion and said lower portion being a fixed ratio determined by the distances between the respective rotatable joints of said upper portion and said lower portion to the base and linking bar attachment points thereto.   
   
   
       8 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said lower portion additionally includes means to retain the legs of a person seated in said apparatus, enabling the legs to be used to assist in performing the intended crunch motion. 
   
   
       9 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said lower portion further includes a means for receiving weights for decreasing the workout resistance of said apparatus so as to assist a person with weak abdominal muscles in performing the intended crunch motion. 
   
   
       10 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said upper portion further includes a means for receiving weights to increase the force required by a person to perform the intended crunch motion. 
   
   
       11 . The apparatus of  claim 7  wherein said seat and said leg retaining means are interconnected to form a seat portion that is pivotably positionable on said lower portion and said lower portion further includes a seat portion securing means, said seat portion being angularly positioned and secured by said seat portion securing means in a selected one of a straight-ahead position, a rightwardly angled position, or a leftwardly angled position with respect to said apparatus, enabling a person to exercise both frontal and oblique abdominal muscles without leaving said apparatus.