Leverage Device for Adaptive Padding of Workout Equipment to Increase Muscle Stretch During Workout Reps

Abstract

An adaptable leverage device for modifying body position and range of motion in use of workout equipment for greater muscle stretch in each workout rep. The device features at least one bundled group of elongated pads that are elongated in a common longitudinal direction and bundled together in longitudinally parallel relationship to one another, and among which any neighbouring two pads of said bundled group are coupled together via one or more flexible interconnections that permits pivoting of said neighboring two pads relative to one another between varying positions of longitudinally parallel relationship to one another. The device is usable in a flat state on flat back and chest supports of various workout equipment, but also usable in a non-flat state conforming to cylindrical legs bars of leg curl and leg extension machines. A stackable embodiment with two pad groups is foldable in half to double the device's effective thickness.

1 . An adaptable leverage device for modifying body position and resulting range of motion relative to a piece of workout equipment for greater muscle stretch in each workout rep performed thereon, said device comprising at least one bundled group of elongated pads that are elongated in a common longitudinal direction and are bundled together in longitudinally parallel relationship to one another, and among which any neighbouring two pads of said bundled group are coupled together via one or more flexible interconnections that permits pivoting of said neighboring two pads relative to one another between varying positions of longitudinally parallel relationship to one another. 
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said bundled group of elongated pads comprises more than two elongated pads. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said bundled group of elongated pads comprises three elongated pads, among which a middle one of said three elongated pads is flexibly coupled to an outer two said three elongated pads at opposing sides of said middle one of said three elongated pads. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1  wherein said at least one bundled group comprises first and second bundled groups, of which each pad in the first bundled group, at least in one state of said device, resides end-to-end with a respective pad in the second bundled group, and, at least in said one state of the device, each pad in the first bundled group is movable synchronously with the respective pad in the second bundled group to remain in end-to-end parallel relationship thereto among said varying positions of each bundled group. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 4  wherein said one state of said device is a flat unfolded state thereof, and said device is foldable from said flat unfolded state into a stacked folded state in which the first and second bundled groups are stacked atop one another to increase a working thickness of the device from a lesser first thickness in the flat unfolded state to a greater second thickness in the stacked folded stated. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 5  comprising one or more securements by which the first and second bundled groups are secured together in stacked relation to one another in said stacked folded state. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6  wherein said one or more securements comprise one or more cooperatively matable pairs of securements, of which each pair of securements comprises a first securement on the first bundled group and a corresponding second securement on the second bundled group at a position of aligning relation to the first securement in the stacked folded state of the device. 
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 6  wherein said one or more securements comprise at least one magnetic securement provided on the first bundled group and at least one magnetically attractable securement provided on the second bundled group, and positioned to align with said at least one magnetic securement in the stacked folded state of the device to magnetically couple the first and second bundled groups together in said stacked folded state. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 6  wherein said one or more securements are provided in at least a sufficient quantity by which each bundled group is holdable to a corresponding pad of the other bundled group, by said one or more securements, in the stacked folded state of the device. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9  wherein said quantity of said securements is as great as a combined pad quantity of the first and second bundled groups, and said securement comprises a respective securement on each pad of the first and second bundled groups. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 5  comprising first and second support straps respectively attached to the first and second bundled groups for respectively coupling thereof to the workout equipment in the flat unfolded state of the device. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11  wherein the first and second support straps are arranged for folded stowage thereof on the respective bundled group when not in use. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 12  wherein said folded stowage of the first and second support straps reside on bottom sides of the first and second groups that face one another in the stacked folded state of the device. 
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 11  comprising cooperatively positioned hook and loop fasteners by which the support straps are securable in folded stowage on the first and second bundled groups of elongated pads. 
     
     
         15 . A method of using the device of  claim 5  comprising installing the device on the workout equipment in a chosen first state selected as either the flat unfolded state or the stacked folded state, assessing a user's body position and achievable muscle stretch on the workout equipment with the device in said chosen first state, and on finding a dissatisfaction of said chosen state, respositioning the device into a different second state that is the opposite of said chosen first state. 
     
     
         16 . A method of using the device of  claim 1 , comprising installing or using the device in a position wrapped around at least a partial circumference of a leg bar of the workout equipment. 
     
     
         17 . A method of modifying a leg bar of a leg workout machine to achieve greater muscle stretch in each workout rep performed thereon, said method comprising wrapping an auxiliary padding device in a position wrapped around at least a partial circumference of a leg bar of the workout equipment to increase a radial distance from an axis of the leg bar at which a user's leg acts upon said leg bar. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16  wherein said auxiliary padding device is installed over existing padding of said leg bar. 
     
     
         19 . A method of enabling achievement of greater muscle stretch in each workout rep performed on a piece of workout equipment using a variable-thickness auxiliary padding device, having a first pad component and a second pad component, said method comprising installing the variable-thickness auxiliary padding device on the workout equipment in a chosen first state having a first working thickness, assessing a user's body position and achievable muscle stretch on the workout equipment with the device in said chosen first state, and on finding a dissatisfaction of said chosen state, reconfiguring the device into a different second state having a different second working thickness, wherein one of said first and second working thicknesses is a combined thickness of both the first and second pad components, and another of said first and second working thicknesses is an individual thickness of only one of said first and second pad components. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein said first and second pad components are coupled together, and reconfigurable between a flat unfolded state lying end-to-end with one another in a shared plane to define a lesser one of said first and second working thicknesses, and a stacked folded state stacked atop one another to define a greater one of said first and second working thicknesses.