Exercise apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus and a method of using the exercise apparatus are presented herein. The exercise apparatus includes a handle portion and at least two angularly spaced resistance elements which, in use, are attached to the handle portion for providing resistance to movement through a liquid. The method of using the exercise apparatus includes immersing the exercise apparatus in a liquid, holding a handle portion of the exercise apparatus and exercising by moving the exercise apparatus against resistance provided by the liquid.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a handle portion; and   at least two angularly spaced resistance elements which, in use, are attached to the handle portion for providing resistance to movement through a liquid.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus is reconfigurable between a working configuration and a storage configuration. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the handle portion is provided with at least one retention arrangement for retention of at least one resistance element, the at least one retention arrangement being adapted to releasably retain at least one resistance element. 
     
     
         4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein at least two angularly spaced resistance elements are, in use, attached to the handle portion to provide an array of adjacent angularly spaced resistance elements. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the array of angularly spaced resistance elements comprises at least three resistance elements. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the array of angularly spaced resistance elements is generally cruciform. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the array of angularly spaced resistance elements is adapted to be disassembled into a plurality of pieces. 
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 8 , wherein said pieces are substantially planar in form. 
     
     
         10 . exercise apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein, in use, the exercise apparatus comprises at least two spaced apart arrays of angularly spaced resistance elements. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 3 , wherein retention of at least one resistance element to a retention portion of the retention arrangement comprises insertion of a part of one of the resistance element and the retention portion into a recess provided on the other of the resistance element and the retention portion. 
     
     
         14 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 13 , wherein the retention arrangement comprises at least one recess, the at least one recess being adapted to retain at least one resistance element, and wherein the at least one recess comprises a slot defined by the retention portion, wherein the at least one slot extends substantially transverse to a direction of elongation of the handle portion and extends from an end of the handle portion towards a longitudinal centre of the handle portion. 
     
     
         15 . (canceled) 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 14 , wherein the retention arrangement comprises at least two slots which intersect substantially at a longitudinal axis of the handle portion. 
     
     
         18 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 17 , wherein the retention arrangement comprises a retaining member, for retaining at least one resistance element to the retention portion, and an attachment portion for attachment of the retaining member to the retention portion. 
     
     
         19 . (canceled) 
     
     
         20 . (canceled) 
     
     
         21 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein a retention arrangement for retaining at least one resistance element is provided at each of first and second end regions of the handle portion. 
     
     
         22 . (canceled) 
     
     
         23 . (canceled) 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 21 , wherein each resistance member defines a recess which receives part of another resistance member in use. 
     
     
         26 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 25 , wherein each resistance member provides a first resistance element projecting away from the recess in a first direction and a second resistance element projecting away from the recess in a second direction. 
     
     
         27 . (canceled) 
     
     
         28 . An exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus comprises a number of resistance elements of different sizes, such that differently sized resistance elements may be selected for retention to the handle portion, to provide different amounts of resistance to movement through the liquid. 
     
     
         29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . The exercise apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus further comprises at least one longitudinal resistance component, attachable to the handle portion to provide resistance surfaces which extend in a direction substantially perpendicular to a longitudinal axis of the handle portion, said longitudinal resistance component, in use, providing resistance to movement of the apparatus in a direction substantially parallel to a longitudinal axis of the handle portion. 
     
     
         31 . A method of using an exercise apparatus comprising:
 immersing an exercise apparatus in a liquid,   holding a handle portion of the exercise apparatus and   exercising by moving the exercise apparatus against resistance provided by the liquid,   wherein the exercise apparatus comprises a plurality of removably attached angularly spaced resistance elements.   
     
     
         32 . (canceled) 
     
     
         33 . (canceled) 
     
     
         34 . (canceled) 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . (canceled) 
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . (canceled) 
     
     
         39 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a handle portion; and   at least two resistance members for attachment to the handle portion for providing resistance of the apparatus to movement through a liquid;   wherein each resistance member is generally planar and comprises first and second resistance elements connected by a bridging portion, and defining a slot provided adjacent the bridging portion, and wherein two resistance members are connectable by location of the bridging portion of each of the two resistance members at least partially within the slot of the other of the two resistance members, to provide an array of resistance elements for providing resistance of the apparatus to movement through a liquid.