Device and Method for Exercise Device

Abstract

The present invention provides an exercise device for exercising the human body, wherein the device is formed as a low friction apparatus for use on a variety of surfaces. The device in a particular form incorporates a retraining harness that is affixed to the device that allows the user to secure their hands and feet into separate devices. The present invention is also directed to a device that allows the user to select between high friction and low frictions parts of the bottom, so as to perform an expanded array of exercises.

I claim: 
     
         1 . An apparatus for performing a series of human exercises comprising:
 at least one exercise platform having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is configured to secure an extremity of a user;   the bottom portion of the exercise platform is configured to come into contact with a flat surface; and   the bottom portion of the exercise platform is further configured to be at least partially formed of, or coated with, a substance having a low co-efficient of friction relative to the surface.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion has a convex shape for the part that contacts the flat surface. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the bottom portion is formed of a flexible material. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom portion is partially coated in a substance designed to increase the coefficient of friction of the bottom surface. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise platform is configured with a selectively engageable flexible attachment device. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the attachment device is equipped with a locking means so as to adjust the length of flexible cord between two exercise platforms. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the exercise device is equipped with a plurality of selectively expandable cells wherein the expansion of the cells is activated and controlled by a control device. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the expandable cells are configured to increase in volume such that the cells prevent contact of the bottom portion of the exercise platform with the flat surface. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the expandable cells are at least partially formed of a material having a high coefficient of friction. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the control device is a working fluid pump device 
     
     
         11 . A method for performing a series of human exercises on a surface comprising the steps of;
 securing the exercise device to at least one extremity where said exercise device has a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is configured to secure one extremity of a user, and at least a portion of the bottom portion of the exercise platform is configured have a low coefficient of friction relative to said surface, and   manually moving the exercise device over a flat surface to effectuate a sliding or gliding motion.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , further comprising a restraining step in which a selectively engagable attachment device is configured to restrict movement of the device relative to another device or stationary object. 
     
     
         13 . A method for performing a series of human exercises on a surface comprising the steps of;
 securing the exercise device to at least one extremity where said exercise device has a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is configured to secure one extremity of a user, and at least a part of the bottom portion of the exercise platform is configured have a low coefficient of friction relative to said surface, wherein the bottom portion of the exercise device is equipped with a plurality of selectively expandable cells and wherein the expansion of the cells is activated and controlled by a control device; and   manually moving the exercise device over a flat surface to effectuate a sliding or gliding motion while selectively activating the expansion of the cells.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , further comprising an activating step wherein the bottom surface of the exercise device is equipped with a plurality of selectively expandable cells that have been activated to arrest the sliding or gliding movement of the exercise device. 
     
     
         15 . A method for performing a series of human exercises on a surface comprising the steps of;
 securing an exercise device to at least one extremity where said exercise device has a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is configured to secure one extremity of a user, the bottom is convex, at least a part of the bottom portion is configured to have a low coefficient of friction relative to said surface, and at least a part of the bottom portion is configured to have a high coefficient of friction relative to said surface in a different area than the low coefficient of friction part; and   manually moving the exercise device over a flat surface to effectuate a sliding or gliding motion while applying force selectively to the top of the device to cause the low coefficient of friction part and the high coefficient of friction part to be selectively in contact the surface.   
     
     
         16 . An apparatus for performing a series of human exercises comprising:
 at least one exercise platform having a top portion and a bottom portion, wherein the top portion is configured to secure an extremity of a user;   the bottom portion of the exercise platform has a convex shape configured to come into contact with a flat surface, the bottom portion of the exercise platform being further configured to have a part formed of, or coated with, a substance having a low co-efficient of friction relative to the surface, and at least a part of the bottom portion formed of, or coated with, a substance having a high co-efficient of friction relative to the surface in a different area than the low coefficient of friction part;, and   a web for securing the top of the platform to an extremity of a user,   whereby the application of force selectively to the top of the device causes the convex bottom to have the low coefficient of friction part and the high coefficient of friction part selectively in contact the surface.