Recoil Exercise Ball and Methods of Use

Abstract

A recoil exercise ball includes an elastic material defining an inflatable chamber within the elastic material, a nozzle in the elastic material forming a nozzle opening to provide access to the inflatable chamber, and a pair of ergonomic hand grips extending from the elastic material. The ergonomic hand grips preferably include a gripping portion shaped to receive the front of a hand in a semi-open first state, including openings to receive the fingers. The inflatable chamber is preferably filled with air and liquid water such that the recoil exercise ball has a substantially spherical shape. The nozzle is preferably designed to allow rapid filling and emptying of the recoil exercise ball of both air and liquid water. A recoil exercise ball kit includes the recoil exercise ball, an air pump, an air adapter, a water adapter, and a hose. Methods of using the recoil exercise ball are also disclosed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A recoil exercise ball comprising:
 an elastic material defining an inflatable chamber formed within the elastic material;   a nozzle in the elastic material forming a nozzle opening to selectively provide access to the inflatable chamber; and   a pair of ergonomic hand grips extending from the elastic material;   wherein the nozzle is formed to receive water and air through the nozzle opening.   
     
     
         2 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 1 , wherein each of the pair of ergonomic hand grips comprises a gripping portion shaped to receive a front of a human hand in a semi-open first state and having a plurality of openings to receive fingers of the human hand. 
     
     
         3 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 2 , wherein each of the pair of ergonomic hand grips further comprises a support portion having an inward surface shaped to receive a back of the human hand in the semi-open first with the front of the human hand received in the gripping portion. 
     
     
         4 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 3 , wherein a hand opening between the gripping portion and the support portion allows access of the human hand to the ergonomic hand grip. 
     
     
         5 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 3 , wherein the recoil exercise ball has a substantially spherical outer surface formed by an outer surface of the elastic material and outward surfaces of the support portions when the inflatable chamber is filled. 
     
     
         6 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 1  further comprising air and liquid water in the inflatable chamber such that the recoil exercise ball has a substantially spherical shape. 
     
     
         7 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 6 , wherein the substantially spherical shape has a circumference in a range of about 45 inches to about 60 inches. 
     
     
         8 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 6 , wherein the liquid water has a liquid volume in a range of about one quart to about 2.5 gallons. 
     
     
         9 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 1 , wherein the nozzle comprises a nozzle seat having the nozzle opening and a safety cap removably insertable into the nozzle opening to close the nozzle. 
     
     
         10 . The recoil exercise ball of  claim 9 , wherein the safety cap comprises a central portion insertable into the nozzle opening to form an inner seal with the nozzle seat, an annular portion extending from the central portion, the nozzle seat being insertable into the annular portion to form an outer seal, and a pull tab extending away from the annular portion. 
     
     
         11 . A recoil exercise ball kit comprising:
 a recoil exercise ball comprising:
 an elastic material defining an inflatable chamber formed within the elastic material; 
 a nozzle in the elastic material forming a nozzle opening to selectively provide access to the inflatable chamber; and 
 a pair of ergonomic hand grips extending from the elastic material; 
   an air pump having an air outlet and an air inlet coupled to an air pump body;   an air adapter having a first air end and a second air end, the first air end being couplable to the nozzle;   a water adapter having a first water end and a second water end; and   a hose having a first hose end and a second hose end, the first hose end being couplable to the air outlet of the air pump and the first water end of the water adapter and the second hose end being couplable to the second air end of the air adapter.   
     
     
         12 . The recoil exercise ball kit of  claim 11 , wherein the second hose end is couplable to the air outlet of the air pump and the first water end of the water adapter and the first hose end is couplable to the second air end of the air adapter. 
     
     
         13 . The recoil exercise ball kit of  claim 12 , wherein the first hose end and the second hose end are couplable to the nozzle. 
     
     
         14 . A method of exercise using a recoil exercise ball comprising an elastic material defining an inflatable chamber formed within the elastic material, a nozzle in the elastic material forming a nozzle opening to selectively provide access to the inflatable chamber, a first ergonomic hand grip and a second ergonomic hand grip extending from the elastic material, and a combination of air and liquid water filling the inflatable chamber such that the recoil exercise ball has a substantially spherical outer surface, the method comprising:
 a) gripping the recoil exercise ball;   b) performing a body movement from a starting position requiring a ball movement of the recoil exercise ball and returning to the starting position; and   c) repeating the body movement a plurality of times without pausing between repetitions for the liquid water to stop moving in the inflatable chamber.   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step a) comprises placing a first hand in the first ergonomic hand grip and placing a second hand in the second ergonomic hand grip, the starting position comprises a user lying face up on a surface with knees bent with the ball on the surface behind a head of a user, the body movement comprising lifting the ball up over the head and between the knees of the user. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step a) comprises securing the recoil exercise ball between knees of a user, the starting position comprises the user lying face up on a surface with knees bent and arms bent with hands on opposite sides of a head of the user, and the body movement comprises the user moving elbows and knees toward each other. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step a) comprises placing a first hand in the first ergonomic hand grip and placing a second hand in the second ergonomic hand grip, the starting position comprises a user in a seated position leaning back with the recoil exercise ball in front of the user, and the body movement comprises the user moving the ball to a first side of the user and moving the ball to a second side of the user opposite the first side. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein step a) comprises placing a first hand in the first ergonomic hand grip, the starting position comprises a user lying on a surface on a first side of the user with legs stacked and straight with the recoil exercise ball resting on a hip of the user, and the body movement comprises the user raising the hips of the user away from the surface.