Rotating shin guard

Abstract

A rotating shin guard can be placed on a weight bar to provide a cushion between the person exercising and the metal bar. The shin guard includes a hook and loop closure system that allows the pad to rotate freely around the bar during a deadlift exercise and does not allow the shin guard to slip off the bar. The design of the shin guard provides a comfortable feeling on the shins, knees and quads, without injury to them, while helping achieve proper form that will protect the back from injury. The shin guard can be made of a material, such as a foam rubber material, which is strong enough to take a continuous rotation around a metal bar and soft enough to cushion the shins.

1 . An exercise accessory comprising:
 a soft, flexible core material;   an outer fabric cover covering the soft, flexible core material; and   a fastener adapted to hold the exercise accessory together in a looped configuration, wherein the looped configuration is operable to fit loosely around a weight bar and allows free rotation of the exercise accessory around the weight bar.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the fastener is a hook and loop fastener material disposed on opposite sides and opposite ends of the weight bar. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise accessory of  claim 1 , further comprising trim disposed about an outer periphery of the soft flexible core material and the outer fabric cover. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise accessory of  claim 1 , wherein the soft, flexible core material is foam rubber. 
     
     
         5 . A shin guard protector for protecting a user's shins during deadlift exercises, comprising:
 a soft, flexible core material;   an outer fabric cover covering the soft, flexible core material;   trim disposed about an outer periphery of the soft flexible core material and the outer fabric cover; and   a hook and loop fastener material adapted to hold the shin guard protector together in a looped configuration about a weight bar, wherein the looped configuration is operable to fit loosely around the weight bar to allow free rotation of the shin guard protector around the weight bar.   
     
     
         6 . The shin guard of  claim 5 , wherein the soft, flexible core material is foam rubber. 
     
     
         7 . A method for protecting a user from contact with a weight bar during exercise, the method comprising:
 wrapping a shin protector about the weight bar, the shin protector including a soft, flexible core material, an outer fabric cover covering the soft, flexible core material; and a fastener adapted to hold the shin protector loosely about the weight bar, allowing free rotation of the shin protector; and   performing an exercise where the weight bar is lifted and passed along a body part of the user and the shin protector rotates as the weight bar moves along the body part.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the exercise is a deadlift exercise. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein the fastener is a hook and loop fastener disposed on opposite sides and opposite ends of the shin protector. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the body part includes the user's shins, knees and quads.