Weighted garment

Abstract

The present invention relates to a weighted garment which allows a user to incrementally add weights to such garment, the weighted garment comprising (a) a support structure with an outer surface and an inner surface; and (b) a plurality of weight cells disposed in a plurality of weight cell pockets which are disposed on the support structure and aligned with specific muscle groups. Such a weighted garment may also comprise at least one physical treatment modality selected from the group consisting of heat, cooling, and electrical current. The weight cells are strategically placed on the support structure to align the body and gradually develop and safely increase strength while preventing injury; maximizing balance, strength, and development of the muscles and connective tissue in the body; and allowing the user to move, without movement impedance.

I claim: 
     
         1 . A weighted garment comprising:
 a. A support structure with an outer surface and an inner surface; and   b. A plurality of weight cells wherein each weight cell is disposed in a weight cell pocket positioned on the support structure, each such weight cell pocket comprising a weight cell pocket backing disposed on the outer surface of the support structure and a weight cell pocket casing attached to the weight cell pocket backing and forming one or more of an open and a closed interior empty space into which the weight cell is disposed.   
     
     
         2 . The weighted garment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. the support structure is presented in the form of a top; and   b. the plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         3 . The weighted garment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of pants; and   b. The plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the thigh, and hamstring areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         4 . The weighted garment of  claim 3 , further comprising a plurality of weight cells disposed in a plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, shin and calf areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user. 
     
     
         5 . The weighted garment of  claim 1  wherein a plurality of weight cells are adjacently disposed in a plurality of adjacent weight cell pockets formed on the weight cell pocket backing to form a weight cell panel. 
     
     
         6 . The weighted garment of  claim 1  further comprising a system for providing at least one physical treatment modality selected from the group consisting of heat, cooling, and electrical current. 
     
     
         7 . A weighted garment comprising:
 a. A support structure with an outer surface and an inner surface;   b. A plurality of weight cells wherein each weight cell is disposed in a weight cell pocket positioned on the support structure, each such weight cell pocket comprising a weight cell pocket backing disposed on the outer surface of the support structure and a weight cell pocket casing attached to the weight cell pocket backing and forming one or more of an open and a closed interior empty space into which the weight cell is disposed; and   c. A heating system for providing heat to the user when the garment is donned, wherein the heating system comprises a power source and one or more heating elements connected to the power source and disposed on the support structure in one or more configurations selected from the group consisting of (i) attached to one or more of the interior and exterior surfaces of the support structure; (ii) formed within the support structure; and (iii) disposed in the interior, of one or more weight cell pockets.   
     
     
         8 . The weighted garment of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a. the support structure is presented in the form of a top; and   b. the plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         9 . The weighted garment of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of pants; and   b. The plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, thigh and hamstring areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         10 . The weighted garment of  claim 9 , further comprising a plurality of weight cells disposed in a plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the shin and calf areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user. 
     
     
         11 . A weighted garment of  claim 7  wherein a plurality of weight cells are adjacently disposed in a plurality of adjacent weight cell pockets formed on the weight cell pocket backing to form a weight cell panel 
     
     
         12 . A weighted garment comprising:
 a. A support structure with an outer surface and an inner surface;   b. A plurality of weight cells wherein each weight cell is disposed in a weight cell pocket positioned on the support structure, each such weight cell pocket comprising a weight cell pocket backing disposed on the outer surface of the support structure and a weight cell pocket casing attached to the weight cell pocket backing and forming one or more of an open and a closed interior empty space into which the weight cell is disposed; and   c. A cooling system for providing cooling to the user when the garment is donned, wherein the cooling system comprises at least one of (i) a cooling fluid system comprising one or more fluid channels for accommodating the flow of a cooling fluid therethrough disposed on the support structure wherein such one or more fluid channels are embedded between the outer surface and the inner surface of the support structure and a plurality of external components comprising an external fluid supply and an external flow control unit and wherein each external component is in fluid communication with the one or more fluid channels, and (ii) one or more ice packs disposed on the support structure.   
     
     
         13 . The weighted garment of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a. the support structure is presented in the form of a top; and   b. the plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed, in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         14 . The weighted garment of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of pants; and   b. The plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, thigh and hamstring areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         15 . The weighted garment of  claim 14  wherein the plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the shin and calf areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user. 
     
     
         16 . The weighted garment of  claim 12  wherein a plurality of weight cells are adjacently disposed in a plurality of adjacent weight cell pockets formed on the weight cell pocket backing to film a weight cell panel. 
     
     
         17 . A weighted garment comprising:
 a. A support structure with an outer surface and an inner surface;   b. A plurality of weight cells wherein each weight cell is disposed in a weight cell pocket positioned on the support structure, each such weight cell pocket comprising a weight cell pocket hacking disposed on the outer surface of the support structure and a weight cell pocket easing attached to the weight cell pocket backing and forming one or more of an open and a closed interior empty space into which the weight cell is disposed; and   c. An electrical signal system configured to impart an electrical signal to the user when the garment is donned, wherein the system comprises an external electrical signal generating unit connected to an electricity source and connectable to at least one of (i) a support structure made from electrically conductive fabric and (ii) one or more electrodes disposed on the support structure.   
     
     
         18 . The weighed garment of  claim 17 , wherein:
 a. the support structure is presented in the form of a top; and   b. the plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         19 . The weighted garment of  claim 17 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of pants; and   b. The plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, thigh and hamstring areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         20 . The weighted garment of  claim 19  wherein the plurality of weight cells are disposed in weight cell pockets disposed in the shin and calf areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user. 
     
     
         21 . The weighed garment of  claim 17  wherein a plurality of weight cells are adjacently disposed in a plurality of adjacent weight cell pockets formed on the weight cell pocket backing to form a weight cell panel. 
     
     
         22 . The weighted garment of  claim 1 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of a body suit;   b. The upper body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the upper body portion of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user; and   c. The lower body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the thigh and hamstring areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         23 . The weighted garment of  claim 7 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of a body suit;   b. The upper body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the upper body portion of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user; and   c. The lower body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, thigh and hamstring, shin and calf areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         24 . The weighted garment of  claim 12 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of a body suit;   b. The upper body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the upper body portion of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user; and   c. The lower body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, thigh and hamstring areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.   
     
     
         25 . The weighted garment of  claim 17 , wherein:
 a. The support structure is presented in the form of a body suit;   b. The upper body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the upper chest, upper back, shoulder, and arm portions of the upper body portion of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user; and   c. The lower body portion of the support structure has disposed thereon a plurality of weight cell pockets within which is disposed a plurality of weight cells, such plurality of weight cell pockets disposed in the gluteus maximus, thigh, hamstring, shin and calf areas of the support structure when the weighted garment is donned by a user.