Exercise Apparatus

Abstract

Wearable exercise apparatae are both convenient and efficient as a means of physical conditioning. A wearable exercise apparatus having elastic bands disposed thereupon is disclosed herein.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising;
 a substantially flat ribbon of fabric sized and shaped to be engaged about the waist of a wearer thereby defining a belt, with the belt having a cephalic side, a caudal side, an anterior portion, and a posterior portion defined by their orientation relative to the wearer;   an elongated portion of fabric coupled to the caudal side of the belt at its first end and engageable about a leg of the wearer at its second end thereby defining a leg strap,   an elongated portion of elastic material defining a resistance band, with opposing ends of the resistance band coupled to the respective anterior and posterior portions of the cephalic side of the belt.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , where the resistance band is operatively configured to cross the saggital plane of the wearer as it goes from the anterior to the posterior portions of the belt. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there are two corresponding, laterally disposed resistance bands. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance band is coupled to the belt by a coupling method selected from the following: a sewn seam, a d-loop coupled to the belt, a buckle coupled to the belt, adhesive, a d-loop coupled to the belt with the band looped into retaining ring disposed on the band, a d-loop disposed on the belt and a complementary carabiner disposed on the band, a slide release buckle with complementary portions of the buckle coupled to the belt and the band. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the belt is integrated into a garment, particularly shorts. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the shorts are reinforced about the legs of the wearer by thin elongated portions of fabric that encircle the superior portions of the thighs of the wearer. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there are thin elongated portions of fabric disposed ventrally about chest of the wearer and dorsally about the wearer's shoulders with narrow, lateral portions of fabric thereby defining a harness which connects and bands about the wearer's shoulders and is connected to the belt by a portion of fabric. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the harness is integrated into a garment, particularly a shirt. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the resistance band may be coupled to the harness by way of a coupling method selected from the following: a sewn seam, a d-loop on the reinforcement which is in turn coupled to the band, a buckle coupled to the reinforcements, adhesive, a d-loop coupled to the reinforcements with the band looped into retaining ring disposed on the strap, a slide release buckle with complementary portions of the buckle coupled to the reinforcements and the strap. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , there is a rigid loop disposed on a first end of the belt, and a coupling strip of fabric disposed on the second end of the belt configured to be temporarily retained within the rigid loop, thereby closing the belt; wherein the structure for closing the belt is selected from the following, the coupling strip being a hook-loop fastener which may be folded onto itself, there is a rod hingedly coupled to the loop which traverses the strap defining a clasp, there are two loops disposed in parallel arrangement to one another thereby allowing a folded strip of fabric to be frictally retained therebetween. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the length of the belt is interrupted by a portion of elastic material thereby making the belt compliant in length. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the fabric of which the belt is composed is selected from the following types, crocheted and non-crocheted, synthetic and natural fibers, and leather. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the hook and loop fasteners used therein are selected from those made from textile threads or portions of plastic. 
     
     
         14 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cross-section of resistance band is selected from the following, flat, round-filled, round hollow, annular; and the material of which it is composed is selected from natural or synthetic resin, rubber, or elastomer. 
     
     
         15 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the terminal ends of the leg strap are coupled to the respective anterior and posterior portions of the caudal side of the belt; 
     
     
         16 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein there is a loop of fabric coupled to the second end of the strap sized and shaped to engage the thigh of a wearer. 
     
     
         17 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the thin portions of fabric are incorporated into a greater garment by means of seamless stitching. 
     
     
         18 . An exercise apparatus comprising;
 a substantially flat ribbon of fabric sized and shaped to be engaged about the waist of a wearer thereby defining a belt, with the belt having a cephalic side, a caudal side, an anterior portion, and a posterior portion defined by their orientation relative to the wearer;   an elongated portion of fabric coupled to the cuadal side of the belt at its first end and engageable about a leg of the wearer at its second end thereby defining a leg strap,   an elongated portion of elastic material defining a resistance band, with opposing ends of the resistance band coupled to the respective anterior and posterior portions of the cephalic side of the belt,   with the exercise apparatus having two resistance bands disposed laterally from one another.   
     
     
         19 . An exercise apparatus comprising;
 a substantially flat ribbon of fabric sized and shaped to be engaged about the waist of a wearer thereby defining a belt, with the belt having a cephalic side, a caudal side, an anterior portion, and a posterior portion defined by their orientation relative to the wearer;   an elongated portion of fabric coupled to the cuadal side of the belt at its first end and engageable about a leg of the wearer at its second end thereby defining a leg strap,   an elongated portion of elastic material defining a resistance band, with opposing ends of the resistance band coupled to the respective anterior and posterior portions of the cephalic side of the belt,   with the exercise apparatus having two resistance bands disposed laterally from one another,   and with a portion of the length of the belt portion interrupted by a portion of elastic material thereby making the belt elastically compliant in length.   
     
     
         20 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the resistance bands are coupled to one another at the posterior portions thereof.