Stowable lower body fitness apparatus providing enhanced muscle engagement, body stability and range of motion

Abstract

A collapsible lower body fitness apparatus is disclosed, providing enhanced gluteal muscle engagement, body stability, and range of motion. The apparatus includes a base, a frame, a line-swiveling assembly, and a gripping device that is horizontally displaced from the line-swiveling assembly's swivel axis, allowing a user to stabilize themselves in tripod posture during exercise. Thus a user can perform full range of motion for any combination of hip extension and hip abduction under resistance transmitted by a line, all from a central standing position that substantially straddles the swivel axis. This functional framework of elements can be realized through a variety of possible embodiments. While the frame provides space for leaning during exercise, it may otherwise vary in structural design. In all cases, the frame can be collapsed into a stowable position that is substantially parallel with and adjacent to the base, thereby rendering the apparatus portable and stowable.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A stowable lower body fitness apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a frame coupled to and supported by the base, the frame being capable of collapsing into a stowable position that is substantially adjacent to and substantially parallel with the base;   a cable-swiveling assembly coupled with the base, the cable-swiveling assembly being configured to engage with a resistance-transmitting cable, to enable a pullable end of the cable to swivel about a vertical swivel axis to allow a user to pull the pullable end with an exercising leg to perform any combination of hip extension and hip abduction from a single standing position;   a gripping device connected to the frame, the gripping device including a plurality of grippable areas positioned along a substantially horizontal grip locus,
 the grip locus being sufficiently positioned relative to the swivel axis to allow the user to stabilize themselves in a tripod posture formed by both arms and a standing leg during the any combination of hip extension and hip abduction; and 
   a leaning space passing through the swivel axis, the leaning space having sufficient volume to allow the user to lean their upper body to achieve full range of exercise motion during the any combination of hip extension and hip abduction.   
     
     
         2 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cable-swiveling assembly and the frame are configured to enable a user to pull the pullable end of the cable with an exercising leg to perform hip flexion. 
     
     
         3 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a resistance adjustment system. 
     
     
         4 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the cable-swiveling assembly includes a swiveling pulley coupled with the resistance-transmitting cable, the swiveling pulley being free to swivel about the swivel axis. 
     
     
         5 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising an intermediate guiding pulley positioned no higher than substantially hip height. 
     
     
         6 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a resistance-activating pulley assembly coupled with the frame, the resistance-activating pulley assembly being configured to engage with the resistance-transmitting cable to facilitate activation of a resistance-generating element. 
     
     
         7 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance transmitted by the resistance-transmitting cable is generated by lifting of an exercise weight that is connected to a resistance-bearing end of the resistance-transmitting cable. 
     
     
         8 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance transmitted by the resistance-transmitting cable is generated by stretching of an elastic resistance band that is connected to a resistance-bearing end of the resistance-transmitting cable. 
     
     
         9 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance transmitted by the resistance-transmitting cable is generated by bending of a flexible resistance rod that is connected to a resistance-bearing end of the resistance-transmitting cable. 
     
     
         10 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance transmitted by the resistance-transmitting cable is generated by twisting of a torsional resistance disc that is connected to a resistance-bearing end of the resistance-transmitting cable. 
     
     
         11 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the pullable end of the resistance-transmitting cable is connected to a lower extremity receiving device, the lower extremity receiving device being configured to receive the user's lower extremity and thereby engage with the user's leg. 
     
     
         12 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping device is configured to support a user during hip adduction. 
     
     
         13 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping device includes a straight bar positioned along a horizontal grip axis. 
     
     
         14 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping device includes a plurality of handlebars positioned along the grip locus. 
     
     
         15 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping device includes two grippable areas positioned substantially at least shoulders width apart along the grip locus. 
     
     
         16 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the grip locus is substantially at least forearm length from the swivel axis. 
     
     
         17 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the gripping device is height-adjustable. 
     
     
         18 . The fitness apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising a swivel-grip displacement adjustment system, the swivel-grip adjustment system being configured to enable adjustment of displacement between the swivel axis and the grip locus. 
     
     
         19 . A stowable lower body fitness apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a frame coupled to and supported by the base, the frame being capable of collapsing into a stowable position that is substantially parallel with and adjacent to the base;   a swiveling pulley coupled with the base, the swiveling pulley being configured to engage with a resistance-transmitting cable, to enable a pullable end of the cable to swivel about a vertical swivel axis to allow a user to pull the pullable end with an exercising leg to perform full range of motion for any combination of hip extension and hip abduction under resistance from a single standing position that substantially straddles the swivel axis;   a weightlifting pulley assembly coupled with the frame, the weightlifting pulley assembly being configured to engage with the cable to facilitate lifting of a liftable exercise weight when the pullable end is pulled with sufficient force;   a gripping device connected to the frame, the gripping device including a plurality of grippable areas positioned along a substantially horizontal grip locus,
 the grip locus being sufficiently positioned relative to the swivel axis to allow the user to stabilize themselves in a tripod posture formed by both arms and a standing leg during the any combination of hip extension and hip abduction; and 
   a leaning space passing through the swivel axis, the leaning space having sufficient volume to allow the user to lean their upper body to achieve full range of exercise motion during the any combination of hip extension and hip abduction.   
     
     
         20 . A stowable lower body fitness apparatus, comprising:
 a base;   a frame coupled to and supported by the base, the frame being capable of collapsing into a stowable position that is substantially parallel with and adjacent to the base;   a swiveling pulley coupled with the base, the swiveling pulley being configured to engage with an resistance-transmitting cable, to enable a pullable end of the cable to swivel about a vertical swivel axis to allow a user to pull the pullable end with an exercising leg to perform full range of motion for any combination of hip extension and hip abduction under resistance from a single standing position that substantially straddles the swivel axis;   a band-stretching pulley assembly coupled with the frame, the band-stretching pulley assembly being configured to engage with the cable to facilitate stretching of an elastic resistance band when the pullable end is pulled with sufficient force;   a gripping device connected to the frame, the gripping device including a plurality of grippable areas positioned along a substantially horizontal grip locus,
 the grip locus being sufficiently positioned relative to the swivel axis to allow the user to stabilize themselves in a tripod posture formed by both arms and a standing leg during the any combination of hip extension and hip abduction; and 
   a leaning space passing through the swivel axis, the leaning space having sufficient volume to allow the user to lean their upper body to achieve full range of exercise motion during the any combination of hip extension and hip abduction.