Exercise device

Abstract

An exercise device for achieving desired abdominal contractions during exercise movement includes a back support and a pair of leg blades removably attached to the back support. The device includes a back blade attached to the back support and extending upward from the lower end along a centerline of the back support, and a neck support assembly attached to the back blade.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An exercise device, comprising:
 a back support,   a chassis attached to an underside of the back support,   a pair of adjustable leg blades removably attached to the chassis,   a back blade attached to the chassis and extending upward from the chassis along a rear centerline of the back support, and   a neck support assembly attached to the back blade,   wherein the chassis includes a plurality of vertically aligned slots formed therein in spaced relation to one another for securing an end of a corresponding leg blade therein, the slots providing a plurality of differing leg blade lengths for the device.   
     
     
         2 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each end of a leg blade and the back blade has a latch member formed thereon, the latch member configured to engage a flexible tongue so as to form an interference fit upon securing one end of a leg blade or back blade to the chassis or upon securing one end of the back blade to the neck support assembly. 
     
     
         3 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the back blade is flexible to provide resistance to lateral movement of a user on the back support. 
     
     
         4 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the leg blades are adjustable in length relative to the chassis so as to extend downward between about 15 to 23 inches from a lower end of the back support. 
     
     
         5 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein each leg blade is adjustable to a length less than or equal to 23 inches. 
     
     
         6 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the back blade is adjustable relative to the chassis to vary the distance between the neck support assembly and the top of the back support. 
     
     
         7 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a foot securing means for securing a user's feet to the leg blades, the foot securing means including:
 a base, and   an adjustable foot strap removably attachable to the base.   
     
     
         8 . The device of  claim 7 , wherein the foot securing means includes a slot for securing a latch member that is formed in an end of the leg blade therein, the slot having a flexible tongue which under tension flexes so as to engage the latch member to form an interference fit therewith. 
     
     
         9 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the chassis includes a central column of vertically aligned slots between the vertically aligned slots for the leg blades in spaced relation to one another for securing an end of the back blade therein, the slots of the central column providing a plurality of differing back blade lengths for the device. 
     
     
         10 . The device of  claim 9 , wherein each of the slots include a flexible tongue which under tension flexes so as to engage a latch member formed in the end of the leg blade or back blade to form an interference fit with the latch member. 
     
     
         11 . The device of  claim 10 , wherein the tongue has an extension that is depressible by a user to enable engagement of the latch member of a leg blade or the back blade with the tongue, or to release the latch member from the tongue in a given slot of the chassis. 
     
     
         12 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the neck support assembly includes a generally curved cradle to conform to the back of a user's neck, the cradle sandwiched between and contiguous with a pair of arms formed into part of the neck support assembly. 
     
     
         13 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the neck support assembly includes:
 a base connected to the top of the back blade,   a pair of spaced arms that extend upward and rearward from the base to a first point, each arm canting forward and upward at the first point to a second point to form handle grips, each arm turning downward and inward at the second point so as to meet, forming a generally curved cradle to support the back of a user's neck.   
     
     
         14 . The device of  claim 1 , wherein the neck assembly includes a slot for securing a latch member that is formed in an end of the back blade therein, the slot having a flexible tongue which under tension flexes so as to engage the latch member to form an interference fit therewith. 
     
     
         15 . The device of  claim 1 , further comprising a clicker device attached to the back blade for imparting an audible or tactile response to indicate that a user has reached a desired exercise position or exercise orientation on the device. 
     
     
         16 . An exercise device, comprising:
 a back support,   a chassis attached to an underside of the back support,   a pair of adjustable leg blades attached to the chassis,   a back blade attached to the chassis, and   a neck support assembly attached to one end of the back blade,   wherein a user gripping surfaces of the neck support assembly to perform an exercise is limited by the device to achieving an inclined angle from horizontal of 30 degrees or less, the back blade flexible to facilitate lateral movement of the back support with respect to the longitudinal axis of the back blade as the user grips the surfaces of the neck support assembly and moves upward or downward during exercise.   
     
     
         17 . A leg assembly of an exercise device designed to exercise the core muscles of a user, the device including a chassis attached to an underside of a back support for the user, comprising:
 a pair of flexible, elongate and generally flat leg blades movable by the user up and down from a generally prone position on the back support, and   a foot securing means for securing a user's feet to the leg blades,   wherein each leg blade is removably attached to the chassis at a first end and extends downward to a second end that terminates at the foot securing means.   
     
     
         18 . The device of  claim 17 , wherein each end of a leg blade has a latch member formed thereon, the latch member configured to engage a flexible tongue that is located in each of the chassis and foot securing means so as to form an interference fit upon securing a given end of a leg blade to a given tongue in one of the chassis and foot securing means. 
     
     
         19 . A neck support assembly of an exercise device that includes a chassis attached to an underside of a back support for supporting the weight of a user thereon, comprising:
 a base attached to the back support, and   a pair of spaced arms that extend upward and rearward from the base to a first point, each arm canting forward and upward at the first point to a second point to form handle grips, each arm turning downward and inward at the second point so as to meet, forming a generally curved cradle to support the back of a user's neck.   
     
     
         20 . The assembly of  claim 19 , wherein the arms gradually widen from the second point downward so as to form the cradle.