Exercise device with features for simultaneously working out the upper and lower body

Abstract

An exercise device, comprising an upper body unit including at least one load member having at least one elastic/resilient element and a pair of gripping portions for manual grasping by the user, wherein an applied force exerted onto the gripping portions transitions the element from an initial state to an elastically deformed state, and wherein a reduction in the applied force resiliently reforms the element back toward the initial state. In one embodiment, a lower body unit is also provided including a support base defining a support surface, a plurality of light sources configured to generate discrete lighted regions on the support surface, and a controller configured to activate and deactivate the discrete lighted regions. In another embodiment, the lower body unit includes at least two position sensors having sensing paths arranged along a sensing plane to detect a presence of a user, and a controller in communication with the position sensors to determine a position of the user relative to the sensing plane.

1 . An exercise device for simultaneously working out the upper and lower body of a user, comprising:
 an upper body unit configured to work out the upper body of the user, said upper body unit including a support structure and at least one load member, said load member including at least one elastic and resilient element connected to said support structure, said load member including a pair of gripping portions configured to be manually grasped by the user and coupled to said elastic and resilient element, wherein said elastic and resilient element is elastically transitioned from an initial state to an elastically deformed state upon application of a pulling force onto said gripping portions by the user, and wherein a reduction in said pulling force resiliently reforms said elastic and resilient element from said elastically deformed state back toward said initial state; and   a lower body base unit configured to work out the lower body of the user, said lower body base unit including a support base defining a support surface and positioned adjacent said upper body unit so that the user can manually grasp said gripping portions of said load member while standing upon said support surface, said lower body base unit including a plurality of light sources configured to generate discrete lighted regions on said support surface, and a controller in communication with said plurality of light sources to activate and deactivate said discrete lighted regions.   
   
   
       2 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic and resilient element comprises a flexible band, and wherein said application of said pulling force onto said gripping portions stretches said flexible band from an initial length to an elastically deformed stretched length, and wherein said reduction in said pulling force resiliently reforms said flexible band from said stretched length back towards said initial length. 
   
   
       3 . The exercise device of  claim 2 , wherein said flexible band is formed of an elastomeric material. 
   
   
       4 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said upper body unit further includes:
 an inelastic element coupled between said at least one elastic and resilient element and said pair of gripping portions; and   a blocking element associated with said inelastic element, said blocking element configured to permit a predetermined level of elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element in response to said application of said pulling force onto said gripping portions by the user, said blocking element configured to prevent further elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element beyond said predetermined level in response to application of an increased pulling force onto said gripping portions by the user.   
   
   
       5 . The exercise device of  claim 4 , wherein said inelastic element comprises a cable including a first portion coupled between said at least one elastic and resilient element and said pair of gripping portions, said first portion of said cable configured to transmit said pulling force from said gripping portions to said elastic and resilient element to provide said predetermined level of elastic deformation; and
 wherein said blocking element comprises a second portion of said cable connected to said support structure, said second portion of said cable having a slackened state to permit said predetermined level of elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element, said second portion of said cable being pulled to a taut state to prevent further elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element beyond said predetermined level.   
   
   
       6 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said support structure includes multiple points of attachment offset from one another along a length of said support structure, said at least one elastic and resilient element releasably connected to a select one of said multiple points of attachment. 
   
   
       7 . The exercise device of  claim 6 , wherein releasable connection of said at least one elastic and resilient element to said select one of said multiple points of attachment correspondingly positions said gripping portions at a select height above said support surface, and wherein releasable connection of said at least one elastic and resilient element to a different one of said multiple points of attachment correspondingly positions said gripping portions at a different height above said support surface. 
   
   
       8 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic and resilient element comprises a spring, and wherein said application of said pulling force onto said gripping portions expands said spring from an initial length to an elastically deformed expanded length, and wherein said reduction in said pulling force resiliently reforms said spring from said expanded length back towards said initial length. 
   
   
       9 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said elastic and resilient element comprises a flexible rod, and wherein said application of said pulling force onto said gripping portions bends said flexible rod from an initial state to an elastically deformed flexed state having an arcuate configuration, and wherein said reduction in said pulling force resiliently reforms said flexible rod from said flexed state back towards said initial state. 
   
   
       10 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said discrete lighted regions comprise discrete light bands extending across said support surface and offset from one another along an axis, said controller communicating with said plurality of light sources to sequentially activate and deactivate said discrete light bands in a direction along said axis to simulate a jump rope passing beneath a user's feet. 
   
   
       11 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said discrete lighted regions comprise at least two discrete zones of light, a first of said two discrete zones of light extending over a left half of said support surface, a second of said two discrete zones of light extending over a right half of said support surface, said controller in communication with said plurality of light sources to activate and deactivate said first and second discrete zones of light. 
   
   
       12 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , wherein said support surface is at least partially formed of a material that permits transmission of light therethrough; and
 wherein said light sources are configured and positioned to transmit light through said support surface to provide said plurality of discrete light bands extending across said support surface.   
   
   
       13 . The exercise device of  claim 1 , further comprising at least two position sensors defining sensing paths arranged along a sensing plane located above said support surface, said at least two position sensors adapted to detect a presence of the user along said sensing plane. 
   
   
       14 . An exercise device for simultaneously working out the upper and lower body of a user, comprising:
 an upper body unit configured to work out the upper body of the user, said upper body unit including a support structure and at least one load member, said load member including at least one elastic and resilient element connected to said support structure, said load member including a pair of gripping portions configured to be manually grasped by the user and coupled to said elastic and resilient element, wherein said elastic and resilient element is elastically transitioned from an initial state to an elastically deformed state upon application of a pulling force onto said gripping portions by the user, and wherein a reduction in said pulling force resiliently reforms said elastic and resilient element from said elastically deformed state back toward said initial state; and   a lower body base unit configured to work out the lower body of the user, said lower body base unit including a support base defining a support surface and positioned adjacent said upper body unit so that the user can manually grasp said gripping portions of said load member while standing upon said support surface, said lower body base unit including at least two position sensors having sensing paths arranged along a sensing plane relative to said support surface, said at least two position sensors adapted to detect a presence of a user along said sensing plane, and a controller in communication with said at least two position sensors to determine a position of the user relative to said sensing plane.   
   
   
       15 . The exercise device of  claim 14 , wherein said elastic and resilient element comprises a flexible band, and wherein said application of said pulling force onto said gripping portions stretches said flexible band from an initial length to an elastically deformed stretched length, and wherein said reduction in said pulling force resiliently reforms said flexible band from said stretched length back towards said initial length. 
   
   
       16 . The exercise device of  claim 14 , wherein said upper body unit further includes:
 an inelastic element coupled between said at least one elastic and resilient element and said pair of gripping portions; and   a blocking element associated with said inelastic element, said blocking element configured to permit a predetermined level of elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element in response to said application of said pulling force onto said gripping portions by the user, said blocking element configured to prevent further elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element beyond said predetermined level in response to application of an increased pulling force onto said gripping portions by the user.   
   
   
       17 . The exercise device of  claim 16 , wherein said inelastic element comprises a cable including a first portion coupled between said at least one elastic and resilient element and said pair of gripping portions, said first portion of said cable configured to transmit said pulling force from said gripping portions to said elastic and resilient element to provide said predetermined level of elastic deformation; and
 wherein said blocking element comprises a second portion of said cable connected to said support structure, said second portion of said cable having a slackened state to permit said predetermined level of elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element, said second portion of said cable being pulled to a taut state to prevent further elastic deformation of said elastic and resilient element beyond said predetermined level.   
   
   
       18 . The exercise device of  claim 14 , wherein said at least two position sensor are vertically adjustable relative to said support surface to correspondingly vary a height of said sensing plane above said support surface. 
   
   
       19 . The exercise device of  claim 18 , further comprising:
 a support column;   a mounting structure coupled to said support column and adapted to support said at least two position sensors; and   an adjustment mechanism coupled between said support column and said mounting structure, said adjustment mechanism adapted to vary said height of said sensing plane above said support surface.   
   
   
       20 . The exercise device of  claim 14 , wherein said sensing plane is defined by a first group of said position sensors defining sensing paths arranged generally along a first axis, and a second group of said position sensors defining sensing paths arranged generally along a second axis transverse to said first axis.