Gym cage

Abstract

An exercise apparatus has an arrangement of strategically placed attachment points on a wall structure, floor and ceiling that enables easy attachment and detachment of a variety of resistance devices (e.g., a handheld and/or inline cable operated resistance creation device, or a stretch band resistance device) to any of the vertical and/or horizontal structures, thereby providing a nearly 360 degree dimensional point of resistance to perform a wide variety of exercises for different muscle groups and subgroups of the body. In one embodiment, an adjustable resistance creation device includes a cable that winds onto a cable spool and the adjustable resistance creation device providing a constant force of resistance throughout the performance of an exercise movement as the cable is pulled and unwinds from the spool. The adjustable resistance creation device may be incorporated within a gym grip or, alternatively, attached to an exercise machine.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a machine for performing at least one exercise movement against a force of resistance;   at least one resistance creation device attached to the machine for creating the force of resistance, the at least one resistance creation device being structured for adjusting the force of resistance and for maintaining the adjusted force of resistance constant throughout the performance of the at least one exercise movement;   said at least one resistance creation device comprising:
 a cable spool; 
 a cable having a first end fixed to the cable spool and an opposite second end attached to the machine, and the cable spool being structured to wind the cable about an exterior thereof; 
 an adjustment resistance mechanism for selectively adjusting an amount of force needed to pull the wound cable from the cable spool during the at least one exercise movement, and thereby selectively adjusting the force of resistance while performing the at least one exercise movement; 
 the adjustment resistance mechanism including a piston having a piston head that moves against pressure within an air compression chamber upon rotation of the cable spool; and 
 the adjustable resistance mechanism further including an air expansion chamber communicating with the air compression chamber for allowing air to escape, under pressure, from the air compression chamber and into the air expansion chamber at an adjustably controlled rate and level of resistance during inward movement of the piston head within the air compression chamber while performing the at least one exercise movement, wherein the force of resistance remains constant throughout inward movement of the piston head within the air compression chamber. 
   
     
     
         2 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the adjustable resistance mechanism further comprises:
 at least one aperture between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber. 
 
     
     
         3 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 2  wherein the at least one aperture between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber is adjustably variable in size to control the level of resistance against inward movement of the piston head within the air compression chamber as air is compressed and forced from the air compression chamber, through the at least one aperture, and into the air expansion chamber while performing the at least one exercise movement. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the adjustable resistance mechanism further comprises:
 a plurality of apertures of varying size between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber; 
 a wall between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber and including at least one fixed size aperture formed therethrough; and 
 wherein the plurality of varying size apertures are adjustably positionable to be selectively aligned with the fixed aperture in the wall to allow passage of the air from the air compression chamber into the air expansion chamber at the adjustably controlled rate and level of resistance during inward movement of the piston head within the compression chamber while performing the at least one exercise movement. 
 
     
     
         5 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 3  wherein the adjustable resistance mechanism further comprises:
 an element for urging the piston head back to a starting, prestroke position after completion of inward movement of the piston head in the performance of the at least one exercise movement. 
 
     
     
         6 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the machine further comprises:
 at least one movable member that is movable throughout a range of motion for performing the at least one exercise movement against the adjusted force of constant resistance created by the at least one resistance creation device. 
 
     
     
         7 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 6  wherein the at least one resistance creation device is attached to a stationary member of the machine and the opposite second end of the cable is attached to the at least one movable member. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 1  wherein the machine further comprises:
 a plurality of moving members each movable throughout a range of motion for performing the at least one exercise movement against the adjusted force of constant resistance created by the at least one resistance creation device. 
 
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 8  further comprising:
 a plurality of the resistance creation devices, each one of the plurality of resistance creation devices associated with a respective one of the plurality of movable members of the machine with the opposite second end of the cable of each one of the plurality of resistance creation devices attached to the respective one of the plurality of movable members of the machine. 
 
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 1  further comprising:
 a gym grip including a grip portion for grasping by a hand of a user to perform the at least one exercise movement and the gym grip further including the at least one resistance creation device thereon for creating the adjusted force of constant resistance. 
 
     
     
         11 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 10  further comprising a plurality of the gym grips each including the resistance creation device and the opposite second end of the cable of the resistance creation device being removably attachable to the machine for performing the at least one exercise movement. 
     
     
         12 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a machine for performing at least one exercise movement against a force of resistance;   at least one resistance creation device attached to the machine for creating the force of resistance, the at least one resistance creation device being structured for adjusting the force of resistance and for maintaining the adjusted force of resistance constant throughout the performance of the at least one exercise movement;   said at least one resistance creation device comprising:
 an adjustment resistance mechanism for selectively adjusting the force of resistance while performing the at least one exercise movement; 
 the adjustment resistance mechanism including a piston having a piston head that moves against pressure within an air compression chamber when performing the at least one exercise movement; and 
 the adjustable resistance mechanism further including an air expansion chamber communicating with the air compression chamber for allowing air to escape, under pressure, from the air compression chamber and into the air expansion chamber at an adjustably controlled rate and level of resistance during inward movement of the piston head within the air compression chamber while performing the at least one exercise movement, wherein the force of resistance remains constant throughout inward movement of the piston head within the air compression chamber. 
   
     
     
         13 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the adjustable resistance mechanism further comprises:
 at least one aperture between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber. 
 
     
     
         14 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 13  wherein the at least one aperture between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber is adjustably variable in size to control the level of resistance against inward movement of the piston head within the air compression chamber as air is compressed and forced from the air compression chamber, through the at least one aperture, and into the air expansion chamber while performing the at least one exercise movement. 
     
     
         15 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the adjustable resistance mechanism further comprises:
 a plurality of apertures of varying size between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber; 
 a wall between the air compression chamber and the air expansion chamber and including at least one fixed size aperture formed therethrough; and 
 wherein the plurality of varying size apertures are adjustably positionable to be selectively aligned with the fixed aperture in the wall to allow passage of the air from the air compression chamber into the air expansion chamber at the adjustably controlled rate and level of resistance during inward movement of the piston head within the compression chamber while performing the at least one exercise movement. 
 
     
     
         16 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 14  wherein the adjustable resistance mechanism further comprises:
 an element for urging the piston head back to a starting, prestroke position after completion of inward movement of the piston head in the performance of the at least one exercise movement. 
 
     
     
         17 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the machine further comprises:
 at least one movable member that is movable throughout a range of motion for performing the at least one exercise movement against the adjusted force of constant resistance created by the at least one resistance creation device. 
 
     
     
         18 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 12  wherein the machine further comprises:
 a plurality of moving members each movable throughout a range of motion for performing the at least one exercise movement against the adjusted force of constant resistance created by the at least one resistance creation device. 
 
     
     
         19 . The exercise apparatus as recited in  claim 12  further comprising:
 a gym grip including a grip portion for grasping by a hand of a user to perform the at least one exercise movement and the gym grip further including the at least one resistance creation device thereon for creating the adjusted force of constant resistance.