Roller plate

Abstract

A foot plate for use in resistance training with elastic resistance bands includes a platform with a substantially flat upper side, a lower side, and at least one pair of opposed edges. Each edge in the pair includes a roller assembly having at least one roller to reduce friction during use. The foot plate also includes a plurality of bases that support the platform above the ground and create a space beneath it through which bands can pass freely. Additionally, one or more sets of guards are provided, each set defining a channel configured to guide an elastic band such that it contacts a roller from each of the opposed roller assemblies during an exercise. In some embodiments, the guards include rollers mounted to axles extending from the platform's underside. The roller assemblies may include cylindrical or concave rollers and may be segmented.

1 . A foot plate for use in resistance training with one or more elastic resistance bands, comprising:
 a platform having at least one pair of opposed edges, a substantially flat upper side, and a lower side, each of the opposed edges in a single pair comprising one of a corresponding pair of opposed roller assemblies, each roller assembly comprising at least one respective roller;   a plurality of bases extending downward from the platform, the bases being configured to support the substantially flat upper side horizontal when the foot plate rests on a horizontal surface and to create a sufficient space below the lower side and the horizontal surface to permit the elastic bands to pass freely; and   one or more sets of guards, each set comprising a plurality of guards configured to define a respective channel such that an elastic band retained in the channel during performance of a resistance exercise using the foot plate will, for one of the pairs of opposed roller assemblies, contact at least one of the rollers comprised respectively by each roller assembly.   
     
     
         2 . The foot plate of  claim 1 , wherein the upper side is substantially flat. 
     
     
         3 . The foot plate of  claim 2 , wherein each guard comprises:
 an axle projecting downward from the lower side of the platform; and   a guard roller configured to rotate around the axle.   
     
     
         4 . The foot plate of  claim 3 , wherein each guard comprises an end cap configured to retain the roller on the axle. 
     
     
         5 . The foot plate of  claim 4 , wherein each guard roller is cylindrical. 
     
     
         6 . The foot plate of  claim 4 , wherein each guard is of sufficient length such that the end cap contacts the horizontal surface while the foot plate is in use, and the guard supports the platform in conjunction with the bases. 
     
     
         7 . The foot plate of  claim 2 , wherein each set comprises four guards. 
     
     
         8 . The foot plate of  claim 7 , wherein:
 the platform comprises two or more pairs of opposed edges, each pair of opposed edges comprising respectively a corresponding pair of opposed roller assemblies;   for each pair of opposed edges, the foot plate comprises exactly one corresponding set of guards defining a corresponding channel underneath the platform running from one of the opposed edges to the other opposed edge.   
     
     
         9 . The foot plate of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the pairs of opposed roller assemblies comprises only cylindrical rollers in each roller assembly. 
     
     
         10 . The foot plate of  claim 2 , wherein at least one of the pairs of opposed roller assemblies comprises concave rollers in each roller assembly. 
     
     
         11 . The foot plate of  claim 2 , wherein each guard is cylindrical and projects downward from the lower side of the platform.