Pliable object wrapping device for activating and exercising muscles and method of activitaing and exercising

Abstract

This invention relates generally to a muscle activating and exercising device and a method of activating and exercising muscles of the human body. More particularly, it relates to an elongated device that is pliable enough to be wrapped around an object. Such device also has an outer surface that creates a frictional fit between the device and the wrapped object. The wrapped object could be, for example, a wrist or ankle on a human limb or a location on a portion of sports equipment (e.g., a lacrosse stick, baseball bat, hockey stick, golf club or tennis rack). The present invention also relates to a method of activating muscles using a pliable device. Through such a method, a user can, for example. build muscle strength and/or reduce muscle tremors.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A device for activating and exercising human muscles while at least partially wrapped around an object comprising:
 at least one flexible inner material in an elongated form;   an even more flexible outer material capable of accommodating such inner member, wherein such outer material has an exterior surface that can engage with the surface of such object around which such device can be wrapped, at least a partially, with a frictional fit; and   closing elements that help ensure that such inner material stays within the outer ends of such outer material.   
     
     
         2 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein such inner material is at least one lead rod. 
     
     
         3 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein the connection between such device and such object can be tight while not being overly compressive on the object. 
     
     
         4 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein the outer diameter of such inner material is at least as large the inner diameter of such outer material. 
     
     
         5 . The device recited in  claim 4  wherein such inner material is positioned to be surrounded in its entirety by such outer material. 
     
     
         6 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein the closing elements are caps. 
     
     
         7 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein such device has a desirable level of pliability for such device to be at least partially wrapped around such object with a circumference that is greater than the circumference of the outer surface of such device using human forces no greater than those used to perform ‘other every day activities’. 
     
     
         8 . The device recited in  claim 7  wherein such device can be unwrapped such that such device can be readily returned substantially to its original configuration using a similar level of human forces. 
     
     
         9 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein such device is at least 12 inches and has enough pliability to wrap three (3) times around such object with a diameter of one (1) inch. 
     
     
         10 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein the user can wrap such device around different positions of such object, thereby altering, as desired by such user, the distribution of weight of such object. 
     
     
         11 . The device recited in  claim 1 , wherein such device can be wrapped around a human limb. 
     
     
         12 . The device recited in  claim 11 , wherein the location at which such device can be wrapped is a wrist. 
     
     
         13 . The device recited in  claim 12 , wherein the weight of such device, when wrapped around such user's wrist, alleviates muscle tremors of such user by activating such user's muscles, dampening the aptitude of such tremors. 
     
     
         14 . The device recited in  claim 2  wherein such lead rod is coated to protect a user of such device from unwarranted lead exposure. 
     
     
         15 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein such outer material has the characteristics and properties of nitrile foam rubber 
     
     
         16 . The device recited in  claim 6  wherein such caps cover a desired portion of the ends of such outer material. 
     
     
         17 . The device recited in  claim 16  wherein such caps are made of PVC Vinyl. 
     
     
         18 . The device recited in  claim 1  wherein there are two inner materials and the use of two such inner materials increases the weight while not undesirably increasing the stiffness such device. 
     
     
         19 . A method of exercising the muscles of the human body using adding weight to an object, comprising the steps of
 establishing the desired level of weight-induced force to be exerted in influence of the motion of the object to promote the desired level of exercise from the combined motion of such object and such device,   determining, based upon such desired force, the configuration of (1) the weight of such device, (2) the location of such device relative to the surface of such object to optimize the use of such object in such object's normal activities, (3) the dimensions of such device that would allow such device to be wrapped around such object at such location for the exertion of such forces;   selecting a version of such device with the desired weight for such location and with a desirable outer surface that can maintain a friction fit between such object and such device wherein such device stays relatively in close proximity to such location during such combined motion of such object and such device;   wrapping such device around such object at such location using the level of human force that is used in other day-to-day activities; and   moving the combination of such object and such device as desired to activate and/or exercise the desired muscles of the human body.   
     
     
         20 . A method of reducing muscle tremors in a person that has such tremors, comprising the steps of:
 establishing the desired level of weight-induced force to be exerted to reduce the tremors to the desired level,   determining, based upon such desired force, the configuration of (1) the weight of a pliable device, (2) the location of such device relative to the surface of a limb to which the device will be attached, (3) the dimensions of such device that would allow such device to be wrapped around such limb at such location for the exertion of such forces;   selecting a version of such device with the desired weight for such location and with a desirable outer surface that can maintain a friction fit between such limb and such device wherein such device stays relatively in close proximity to such location during such combined motion of such limb and such device;   wrapping such device around such limb at such location using the level of human force that is used in other day-to-day activities; and   moving the combination of such limb and such device as desired to activate the desired muscles of the human body.