Power walker

Abstract

A wearable upper body exercise device for providing resistance to the natural forward arm swinging motion. The device comprises a wearable structure having one or more resistance units each attached to one end of a cord having an engagement interface attached at the other end of the cord. Each resistance unit provides resistance to pulling of the cord away from it. Each cord is engaged by a cord guide located in back of the user, below waist level, and, optionally, outward relative to the spine of the user. Each cord guide is connected to a cord-positioning structure, each comprising a shaft extending rearward and downward from the point of attachment to the wearable structure. One of the engagement interface or the resistance unit engages an arm or hand of the user, and the other engages the mounting unit.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An exercise device wearable by a human user, comprising: 
 a mounting element adapted to be secured to a torso of the user;    one or more resistance units connected to the mounting element, each resistance unit attached to a cord having an engagement interface at least one end; and    at least one cord-positioning structure comprising a shaft having a point of attachment to the mounting element and having one or more cord guides connected thereto, each cord-positioning structure adapted to provide the one or more cord guides in a position located rearward of the user, downward relative to a waist level of the user, and, optionally, outward relative to a spine of the user;    wherein the device is adapted to provide resistance to a full, natural forward arm swing of the user.    
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the engagement interface is adapted to engage or be engaged by an arm or hand of the user and the resistance unit is mounted on the mounting unit.  
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance is adjustable.  
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the mounting element comprises a belt.  
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each cord guides comprises a pulley.  
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the position of the cord guides is adjustable.  
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the position of the cord guides is adjustable via adjustment at the point of attachment to the mounting element.  
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7  comprising a hinge at the point of attachment of each shaft to the mounting element that allows pivotable adjustment of each shaft.  
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 8 , wherein the hinge is adapted to allow positioning of the shaft into a substantially vertical position when the device is not in use.  
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 6 , wherein the position of the guide is adjustable via axial adjustment of a portion of the cord-positioning structure.  
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cord-positioning structure comprises a resilient member.  
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 11 , wherein the resilient member engages the mounting element at the point of attachment.  
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each resistance unit is adapted to provide frictional resistance.  
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 13 , wherein each resistance unit comprises a reel.  
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each cord is inelastic.  
     
     
         16 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each cord is elastic.  
     
     
         17 . The device of  claim 1 , comprising a single cord-positioning structure.  
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein the single cord-positioning structure comprises a crosspiece attached to and substantially perpendicular to the shaft, the crosspiece having a left end with a left cord guides attached thereto and a right end with a right cord guides attached thereto.  
     
     
         19 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more resistance units comprises a single reel mounted to the mounting element, in which the cord has engagement interfaces at both ends.  
     
     
         20 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the one or more resistance units comprises two reels mounted to the mounting element, each reel having a cord with an engagement interface adapted for engagement by one of the user's arm or hands.  
     
     
         21 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the resistance unit is adapted to engage or be engaged by an arm or hand of the user and the engagement interface is mounted to the mounting element, the cord-positioning structure, or one of the cord guides.  
     
     
         22 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the cord-positioning structure has a length and a width, and wherein one or both of the length and the width is or are adjustable  
     
     
         23 . An exercise device wearable by a human user, comprising: 
 a belt adapted to be secured to a torso of the user;    two reels connected to the belt, each reel comprising a frictional resistance unit having a cord attached thereto at a first end of the cord with a user engagement interface at a second end of the cord; and    a cord-positioning structure comprising a shaft with a perpendicular crosspiece, the shaft having a pivotable attachment to the belt and the crosspiece having opposite ends and a cord guides connected to each end such that the cord guides are positioned rearward of the user, downward relative to a waist level of the user, and, optionally, outward relative to a spine of the user; the pivotable attachment adapted to allow positioning of the shaft in a substantially vertical position when the device is not in use;    wherein the device is adapted to provide resistance to a full, natural forward arm swing of the user.    
     
     
         24 . A method of exercising comprising: 
 (a) providing an exercise device wearable by a human user comprising a mounting element adapted to be secured to a torso of the user; one or more resistance units connected to the mounting element, each resistance unit having at least one cord attached thereto at a first end of the cord, and an engagement interface at a second end of each cord; and at least one cord-positioning structure comprising a shaft having a point of attachment to the mounting element and having one or more cord guides connected thereto, each cord-positioning structure adapted to provide the one or more cord guides in a position located rearward of the user, downward relative to a waist level of the user, and, optionally, outward relative to a spine of the user; wherein (i) the engagement interface is adapted to engage or be engaged by an arm or hand of the user and the resistance unit is mounted on the mounting unit, or (ii) the resistance unit is adapted to engage or be engaged by an arm or hand of the user and the engagement interface is mounted to the mounting unit, the cord-positioning structure, or one of the guides;    (b) wearably securing the device to the user;    (c) engaging or securing the engagement interface or the resistance unit with or to the arm or hand of the user; and    (d) swinging the user's arms in a natural swinging motion in which resistance to swinging motion is provided by the resistance units over a full forward arm swing of the user.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the resistance unit is permanently attached to a mounting element and step (b) comprises putting on the wearable item.  
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 24 , wherein the resistance unit is attachable and detachable from the mounting element and step (b) comprises fastening the unit to the mounting element.  
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 24  further comprising using the wearable exercise device simultaneously while exercising on other exercise equipment