Abdominal Core and Plank Exercise Apparatus

Abstract

An exercise apparatus supports plank and core-strength movements by engaging a user's upper limbs and supporting the user above a ground surface. A rigid frame carries at least one upper-limb support pad arranged to support a portion of the upper limb; a hand grip can be grasped while the limb rests on the pad. The pad and grip can be repositioned, re-oriented, or spaced to suit different body sizes, exercise variants, or load angles. A ground-engaging surface permits placement for use on indoor floors, mats, or outdoor terrain.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . An exercise apparatus for enhancing a user's abdominal strengthening, facilitating the user's torso extension in a downward-facing position, the apparatus comprising:
 a frame having a centerline defined as an imaginary vertical plane dividing its left and right halves, which are integrally formed as a unitary one-piece structure or permanently joined, the frame comprising a left elongated arm and a right elongated arm running substantially parallel to or converging toward each other and the centerline along part of their lengths, wherein each elongated arm includes a permanent bend or curvature in its central axis near an upward-angled portion that serves as a handle or grip, and wherein the two elongated arms are rigidly spaced from each other, either by an arch spanning their uppermost handle or grip portions or by a structural member or frame portion that is fixed relative to the centerline and abuts each elongated arm at points substantially the same height as said arm's central axis;   at least one arm support pad, comprising a user-contacting surface, wherein at least one handle or grip portion is fixedly angled at a non-zero angle relative to the plane of the user-contacting surface, wherein the padding of the arm support pad is in direct contact with a rigid support surface that underlies all or a portion of the padding, and wherein the user-contacting surface is further configured to contact a forearm of the user when the at least one handle or grip portion is grasped, while a portion of the user's lower limbs is in contact with a ground surface, and the user's knees are positioned behind the rearmost edge of the frame;   a rigid linear support member defining a substantially straight central axis from end to end in a plan view, with said ends secured at attachment points invariably located along an axis perpendicular to the centerline, such that the rigid linear support member's central axis is fixed substantially perpendicular relative to the centerline; and   a plurality of points where the apparatus contacts a ground surface, including points on a component having an exterior surface with a convex curved portion which, in a side view or in a cross-section parallel to the centerline, forms a substantially continuous arc, wherein the convex curved portion is positioned such that at least a portion of it is lower than the frame and, in a plan view, is located at least in part directly under the rigid linear support member's central axis, and wherein, in a configuration where the user-contacting surface of the arm support pad or a portion of the frame is substantially parallel to the ground surface, at least one of the plurality of points of ground contact is located along the arc, and the outermost lateral edge of the arm support pad or its rigid support surface coincides with an imaginary vertical plane parallel to the centerline, such that all of the plurality of points of ground contact on the same side of the centerline as the imaginary vertical plane lie inward of said plane.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the rigid linear support member comprises a unitary one-piece structure having two opposite terminal ends that define the major dimension of said unitary one-piece structure, and wherein the rigid linear member is coupled to the frame with said opposite ends substantially equidistant from the centerline. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one arm support pad comprises two pads, one positioned on the left and one on the right, each pad disposed on a rigid support surface, and wherein the rigid support surfaces are physically separate from one another, in whole or in part, in the region directly between the two pads. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the underside of the rigid support surface includes a mounting cavity or recess engaged with a rigid support member, the mounting cavity having an axis of insertion perpendicular or otherwise non-oblique relative to the centerline. 
     
     
         5 . An exercise apparatus for enhancing a user's abdominal strengthening, facilitating the user's torso extension in a downward-facing position, the apparatus comprising:
 a front half and a back half divided by a midway axis, the midway axis being an imaginary axis that, in at least one use configuration of the apparatus as viewed in plan, is equidistant from the apparatus's forwardmost and rearmost extents;   a support structure of rigid construction and generally symmetrical geometry having a centerline defined as an imaginary vertical plane dividing the support structure into left and right halves, wherein the support structure comprises at least one arm support pad having a user-contacting surface and a base on which said arm support pad is disposed, wherein the base is positioned beneath a bottom surface of the arm support pad in direct contact with at least a portion of said bottom surface and extends around or proximate to at least half of the perimeter of the arm support pad, and wherein, in a side view, the support structure comprises an outermost lateral structure that, between the front edge and the rear edge of the arm support pad, does not extend substantially above an upper plane of the arm support pad's padding;   at least one elongated arm, comprising a first section angled less steeply than a second section, and a permanent bend or joint therebetween, the first and second sections formed as a single, inseparable piece;   a pair of handles or grip portions, at least one of which is disposed on the elongated arm near the permanent bend or joint at a forwardmost section of the elongated arm, the pair positioned on opposite sides of the centerline, extending upward in paths that are parallel or converging relative to each other and the centerline for most of their respective upward lengths, wherein the pair are connected such that, at all times during their use, they are positioned, at least in part, in the front half, wherein the at least one arm support pad is positioned on or connected to the support structure at an attachment point in the back half behind the midway axis and comprises a user-contacting surface, wherein at least one handle or grip portion is fixedly angled at a non-zero angle relative to the plane of the user-contacting surface, and wherein the user-contacting surface is further configured to contact a forearm of the user when at least one of the handle or grip portions is grasped and the arm support pad is in its most distal position relative to said handle or grip portion, while a portion of the user's lower limbs is in contact with a ground surface, and the user's knees are positioned behind the rearmost edge of the support structure; and   one or more stationary, non-rolling ground-contacting members, each ground-contacting member having at least one surface located at or below the lowest plane of the support structure when viewed from the side, each configured to be in direct, level contact with the ground surface while the support structure is arranged substantially parallel to the ground surface, wherein the one or more ground-contacting members collectively provide multiple points of contact for stability, including at least three coplanar points of contact arranged to lie in a single plane on the ground surface during use: a first point in a first region, a second point in a second region, and a third point in a third region, the first and second regions being laterally spaced apart across the centerline, and the third region being spaced from both the first and second regions, with at least one of these coplanar points being positioned beyond a vertical plane that runs parallel to the centerline and intersects an arm support pad on the same side of the centerline, and wherein all three coplanar points are configured to be stationary relative to adjacent portions of support structure, ensuring they always reside at the lowest point of their respective ground-contacting member during use.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein the pair of handle or grip portions extend from a rigid cross member spanning the centerline and positioned either directly between or above the highest points of the handle or grip portions when viewed from the side. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , wherein, in a plan view, the at least one arm support pad extends at least as far rearward as a rearmost section of the at least one elongated arm, and wherein the at least one elongated arm is rigidly spaced from the centerline, either by an arch spanning from its uppermost handle or grip portion to at least the centerline or by a structural member or part of the support structure that is fixed relative to the centerline and abuts the at least one elongated arm at substantially the same height as at least one point along said arm's central axis. 
     
     
         8 . An exercise apparatus for enhancing a user's abdominal strengthening, facilitating the user's torso extension in a downward-facing position, the apparatus comprising:
 a front half and a back half divided by a midway axis, defined as an imaginary axis equidistant from the apparatus's forwardmost and rearmost extents when viewed in plan, in at least one use configuration of the apparatus;   a left half and a right half defined by an imaginary centerline when viewed in plan, in at least one use configuration of the apparatus;   a pair of support pads, comprising a left support pad and a right support pad positioned on opposite sides of the centerline, each having a base extending to its perimeter, with padding disposed directly on the base, and each configured to be positioned, in whole or in part, in the back half in at least an initial use configuration;   one or more rigid support surfaces, collectively comprising a left portion and a right portion, and further comprising at least one track member, the at least one track member comprising a left track section and a right track section on opposite sides of the centerline configured to underly a portion of each base, wherein each base is independently movable along its respective left or right track section while remaining substantially level throughout its movement, and wherein, in at least one configuration, with one base on the left track section and the other base on the right track section, each base's path of travel is limited to its own side of the centerline and terminates on its side of the centerline, wherein each support pad is configured to engage an upper limb of the user at or distal to the elbow, while a portion of the user's lower limbs is in contact with a ground surface, and the user's knees are positioned behind an imaginary vertical plane containing a rear edge of the left and right track sections in at least one use configuration; and   one or more ground-contacting surfaces, defined as a stable surface in contact with the ground surface during use, positioned below the one or more rigid support surfaces, wherein at least one point of contact with the ground surface is located beyond a vertical plane that runs parallel to the centerline and intersects a support pad on the same side of the centerline.   
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the left track section includes at least one elongated opening that extends in a substantially linear fashion and lies wholly within the left track section, and the right track section includes at least one elongated opening that extends in a substantially linear fashion and lies wholly within the right track section, each elongated opening being formed in a portion of the one or more rigid support surfaces, bounded by at least one substantially planar surface portion, and positioned at least in part beneath one of the respective bases and arranged to be narrower than its respective base. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 9 , wherein each elongated opening extends in the direction of travel is configured to align the movement of its respective base along the track section on which said base is disposed, wherein each base is configured such that, from the perimeter of the associated support pad extending downward, it comprises a unitary, one-piece structure. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the portions of the track member providing the left and right sections are a unitary one-piece structure, wherein at least one of the left or right track sections comprises a unitary, one-piece structure that extends for at least half the length of the elongated opening in the respective track section. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein, in at least one use configuration of a base, the forward-most and rear-most points of support that lie directly beneath the base on the one or more support surfaces are located on a single, unitary, one-piece construction. 
     
     
         13 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein each base has extending from it an elongated handle or grip structure configured to be grasped by the user's hand while its associated support pad engages a portion of the user's upper limb at or distal to the elbow.