Exercise device

Abstract

An apparatus for exercising may include a gripping assembly having a grip fixed to at least one spring member and at least one tether connected to the at least one spring member. The tether winds around the longitudinal axis of the at least one spring member. Also, an object may be connected to the tether. In some embodiments, the object may be a weight, an anchor, or a second gripping assembly. Alternatively, the apparatus may include a gripping assembly having at least one spring member connected to a tether and a grip connected to the tether. A free standing object may be connected to the tether. Methods according to the present disclosure use the apparatus by applying a force to the grip(s).

1 . An apparatus for exercising, comprising:
 a gripping assembly including:
 at least one spring member, and 
 a grip fixed to the at least one spring member; and 
   at least one tether connected to the at least one spring member, wherein the tether winds around the longitudinal axis of the at least one spring member; and   an object connected to the tether, the tether being configured to unspool out of the gripping assembly as the distance separating the object and the gripping assembly increases.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a second gripping assembly that includes at least one spring member and a grip fixed to the at least one spring member. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one spring member of the gripping assembly includes two spring members, wherein the at least one spring member of the second gripping assembly includes two spring members, and wherein the at least one tether includes at least two tethers, each of which connects at least one of the two spring members of the gripping assembly to at least one of the two spring members of the second gripping assembly. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the grip of the gripping assembly connects the two spring members of the gripping assembly, and wherein the grip of the second gripping assembly connects the two spring members of the second gripping assembly, 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the grip of the gripping assembly encloses the at least one spring member of the gripping assembly, and wherein the grip of the second gripping assembly encloses the at least one spring member of the second gripping assembly. 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the at least one spring of the gripping assembly and the second gripping assembly is a torsion spring wound around an axle. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the object is a free standing object that has a mass selected to keep the at least one spring member coiled while no impulsive force is applied to the grip and to allow the at least one spring member to uncoil when an impulsive force of a predetermined value is applied to the grip. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one sensor configured to estimate a parameter of interest representative of a response at least one of (i) the spring member to a force applied by a user, and (ii) the tether to the force applied by the user. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the at least one sensor estimates one of: (i) a linear distance, (ii) a rotational distance, (iii) linear speed, (iii) rotational speed, (iv) acceleration, (v) a number of a repeated movement. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 8 , further comprising a communication device in signal communication with the at least one sensor, the communication device configured to transmit information received from the at least one sensor to a remote unit. 
     
     
         11 . An apparatus for exercising, comprising:
 a gripping assembly including:
 a tether, 
 at least one spring member connected to the tether, and 
 a grip connected to the tether, wherein the tether winds around the longitudinal axis of the at least one spring member; and 
 an free standing object connected to the tether, wherein the free standing object that has a mass selected to keep the at least one spring member coiled while no impulsive force is applied to the grip and to allow the at least one spring member to uncoil when an impulsive force of a predetermined value is applied to the grip. 
   
     
     
         12 . An apparatus for exercising, comprising:
 a first gripping assembly including:
 a first and a second spring member, and 
 a grip connecting the first spring member to the second spring member; 
   a second gripping assembly including:
 a first and a second spring member, and 
 a grip connecting the first spring member to the second spring member; and 
   a first tether connecting the first spring member of the first gripping assembly with the first spring member of the second gripping assembly; and   a second tether connecting the second spring member of the first gripping assembly with the second spring member of the second gripping assembly.   
     
     
         13 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the spring members cooperate to apply a substantially constant resistive force to the tethers as the tethers unwind. 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus of  claim 12 , wherein the spring members are coil springs. 
     
     
         15 . A method for exercising, comprising:
 applying a force to a gripping assembly, the gripping assembly including:
 at least one spring member, and 
 a grip fixed to the at least one spring member; and 
   at least one tether connected to the at least one spring member, wherein the tether winds around the longitudinal axis of the at least one spring member; and   an object connected to the tether,   wherein the applied force unspools the tether and increases a distance separating the object and the gripping assembly.