Lunge exercise device and methods of use

Abstract

A manually-operated lunge exercise device and methods of performing a lunge exercise using the same. The provided device may comprise at least one guide bar, at least one track operably connected to the guide bar, one or more wheels, and a plate. The plate is slidably engageable with the track and moveable along the guide bar through engagement with at least one wheel, said wheel being rotationally engaged with the track.

1 . A lunge exercise device, comprising:
 a) at least one guide bar having a first end and a second end;   b) a base engaged with the guide bar proximate to the guide bar first end, the engagement inhibiting rotation of the guide bar;   c) at least one track operably connected to a top surface of the guide bar, each track comprising at least one V-shaped edge;   d) one or more wheels, each wheel being rotationally engageable with a V-shaped edge of a track; and   e) a plate operably connected with the one or more wheels, the plate slidably engageable with the track and reversibly moveable along a length of the guide bar.   
     
     
         2 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the engagement of the base and the guide bar is a mechanical attachment between a bottom surface of the guide bar and a top surface of the base. 
     
     
         3 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 2 , wherein the bottom surface of the guide bar is maintained proximate to a surface upon which the device is placed. 
     
     
         4 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the one or more wheels are mechanically attached to the plate. 
     
     
         5 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate is reversibly detachable from the track and the guide bar. 
     
     
         6 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises at least one substantially flat surface opposite the track, said surface having dimensions suitable for receiving a bottom of a user's foot. 
     
     
         7 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the plate comprises at least one inclined surface opposite the track, said surface having dimensions suitable for receiving at least a portion of a bottom of a user's foot. 
     
     
         8 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 7 , wherein the inclined surface has an angle of incline from about 1° to about 30°. 
     
     
         9 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 8 , wherein the angle of incline is reversibly adjustable by raising or lowering a first end of the plate relative to a second end of the plate. 
     
     
         10 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 8 , wherein the angle of incline is reversibly adjustable by adding or removing one or more stackable surfaces, each stackable surface (i) reversibly engageable with the plate or another stackable surface engaged with the plate; and (ii) having a greater angle of incline than the surface upon which it is stacked. 
     
     
         11 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 8 , wherein the angle of incline is reversibly adjustable by adding or removing a single detachable surface having a predetermined angle of incline, the detachable surface reversibly engageable with the plate. 
     
     
         12 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , comprising two tracks on opposite lateral sides of the guide bar, each track being independently rotationally engaged with at least one wheel. 
     
     
         13 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein the track is a single, integral track operably connected to the guide bar and having two V-shaped edges on opposite lateral sides of the guide bar, each V-shaped edge being independently rotationally engaged with at least one wheel. 
     
     
         14 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , wherein each wheel comprises a first portion with a first radius, a second portion with a second radius, and third portion between the first portion and second portion, the third portion having a third radius that is less than the first and second radii. 
     
     
         15 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 14 , wherein the third portion of each wheel is configured to receive a V-shaped edge of a track. 
     
     
         16 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , comprising one or more adjustable locking mechanisms that reversibly limit the length of the guide bar along which the plate may move. 
     
     
         17 . A lunge exercise device according to  claim 1 , comprising two stoppers mechanically joined to the guide bar length at first and second positions on opposite sides of the plate. 
     
     
         18 . A lunge exercise device, comprising:
 a) at least one guide bar having a first and a second end;   b) a base engaged with a bottom surface of the guide bar proximate to the guide bar first end, the engagement maintaining the guide bar bottom surface proximate to a surface upon which the exercise device is placed;   c) at least one track operably connected to the guide bar, each track comprising at least one V-shaped edge; and   d) a plate comprising (i) at least one inclined surface opposite the track and (ii) one or more mechanically joined wheels rotationally engageable with the V-shaped edges of the track, each wheel comprising a first portion with a first radius, a second portion with a second radius, and a third portion with a third radius, the third portion configured to receive a V-shaped edge of a track;   
       wherein the plate is slidably engageable with the track and reversibly moveable along the track and guide bar. 
     
     
         19 . A method of performing lunges, comprising:
 a) positioning a bottom of a user's first foot on a plate of a device comprising:
 i) at least one guide bar having a first end and a second end; 
 ii) a base engaged with the guide bar, the engagement inhibiting rotation of the guide bar; and 
 iii) at least one track operably connected to the guide bar, each track comprising at least one V-shaped edge; 
 wherein the plate has one or more wheels mechanically joined thereto, each wheel rotationally engageable with a V-shaped edge of a track, the plate being slidably engageable with the track and reversibly moveable along a length of the guide bar. 
   b) positioning a bottom of a user's second foot on a surface upon which the device is placed, the second foot being proximate to the first foot;   c) extending the plate forward along a length of the track and guide bar by applying sufficient pressure to the plate with the first foot, frictional engagement between at least a portion of the first foot and the plate being maintained as the plate is extended; and   d) reversing the plate along a length of the track and guide bar by applying sufficient pressure to the plate with the first foot, frictional engagement between at least a portion of the first foot and the plate being maintained as the plate is reversed.   
     
     
         20 . A method of performing lunges according to  claim 19 , further comprising repeating steps a-d with the second foot being positioned on the plate and the first foot being positioned on the surface upon which the device is placed.