Exercise apparatus for swimmers

Abstract

The exercise apparatus for swimmers has a ground-engaging base frame supporting a front section supporting the chest and arms, a central section supporting the torso, and a rear section supporting the legs. The base frame is made of square tubing and includes a forward portion on which the front section is slidably mounted and a rear portion on which the central and rear sections are mounted, the forward and rear portions being connected by a screw drive to adjust axial length of the apparatus. The front chest support section includes a resilient telescoping post having chest pads mounted thereon and a cross member having adjustable lateral arm posts. The central torso support section includes a resilient telescoping post having torso pads mounted thereon. The rear section includes a post on which leg supports are mounted. The apparatus may be configured for freestyle strokes or breast strokes.

1 . An exercise apparatus for swimmers, comprising:
 a main base frame having a front ground-engaging beam, a rear ground-engaging beam aligned linearly with the front ground-engaging beam, a pair of front cross members extending laterally on opposite sides of the front ground-engaging beam, and a pair of rear cross members extending laterally on opposite sides of the rear ground-engaging beam;   a front chest support section mounted on the front ground-engaging beam, the front chest support section including a T shaped chest pad mounted above the front ground-engaging beam and a pair of pivoting and resiliently mounted hand holsters disposed on opposite sides of the chest pad and configured for exercising a swimming stroke;   a central torso support section mounted on the rear ground-engaging beam between the front chest support section and the rear cross members, the central torso support section including a torso pad;   a rear leg support section mounted on the rear ground-engaging beam rearward of the rear cross members;   a first threaded rod extending between the front chest support section and the central torso support section, the first threaded rod acting as a lead screw in a linear slide mechanism for adjusting distance between the front chest support section and the central torso support section; and   a second threaded rod extending between the central torso support section and the rear leg support section, the second threaded rod acting as a lead screw in a linear slide mechanism for adjusting distance between the central torso support section and the rear leg support section, wherein:   said front chest support section further comprises:
 a telescoping center post having a lower section mounted on said front ground-engaging beam and an upper section resiliently mounted on the lower section of the center post, said chest pad being T shaped mounted transversely/ axially on a top end of the upper section of the center post; 
 a first lateral post and a second lateral post, the first lateral post being mounted on one of the front cross members and the second lateral post being mounted on the opposite front cross member, respectively, each of the lateral posts having an upper end and a lower end, an inside face opposite the center post and an outside face; 
 first and second shafts journaled through the upper ends of the first and second lateral posts, respectively, for rotation therein; 
 first and second resilient, telescoping arms having a lower end mounted on an end of the first and second shafts, respectively, on the inside face of the lateral posts and having a free end, the hand holsters being mounted on the free ends of the telescoping arms, respectively, the telescoping arms being mounted for rotation in a vertical plane 180° out of phase so that when one of the user's arms rotates upwards, the other user arm rotates downward; and 
   said rear leg support section further comprises:
 a center post having an upper end, a pivot pin extending through the upper end, and a pivot plate extending transversely through the upper end of the center post of the rear leg support section, said leg pads being mounted on the pivot plate on opposite sides of the center post of the rear leg support section so that when one of the user's legs kicks downward, the other leg kicks upward; 
   whereby the exercise apparatus is configured for practicing a freestyle swim stroke,   wherein said front chest support section further comprises:   first and second drive pulleys mounted on an end of the first and second shafts, respectively, on the outside face of the lateral posts;   an elongated shaft extending between and through the lower ends of the lateral posts, the elongated shafts having first and second ends extending beyond the outside faces of the lateral posts, respectively;   first and second driven pulleys mounted on the first and second ends of the elongated shaft, respectively; and   first and second belts connecting the first drive pulley with the first driven pulley and connecting the second drive pulley with the second driven pulley, respectively;   whereby, first and second resilient, telescoping arms are synchronized for rotation in a vertical plane 180° out of phase with each other,   wherein said front chest support section further comprises first and second channels mounted on a top face of said front cross members, respectively, the lower ends of said first and second lateral posts being slidably mounted in the first and second channels, respectively;   inner support brackets mounted on said front cross members on opposite sides of said center post and outer retainer brackets mounted on opposite ends of said front cross members; and   an elongated threaded rod extending through the inner support brackets, the retainer brackets, and threaded bores defined in the lower ends of said lateral posts;   wherein the elongated threaded rod acts as a lead screw in a linear slide mechanism to adjust distance between said lateral posts to accommodate the user's chest/ shoulder span.   
     
     
         2 - 4 . (canceled) 
     
     
         5 . The exercise apparatus for swimmers according to  claim 1 , wherein said front chest support section further comprises:
 an L-shaped bracket having a first arm extending forward from the upper section of said center post and a second arm extending upward from the first arm;   a rocker plate pivotally attached to the second arm;   a V-shaped head support plate attached to the rocker plate, the V-shaped plate having head support pads attached thereto;   a driven pulley rotatably mounted on the center post;   a linkage connected between the rocker plate and the driven pulley;   a drive pulley mounted on the elongated shaft extending between the lateral posts; and   a belt mounted on the drive and driven pulleys, whereby the head support plate pivots from side to side synchronously with the user's arm movements to mimic head rotation by the user for breathing techniques.   
     
     
         6 . The exercise apparatus for swimmers according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said front chest support section further comprises a drive pulley mounted on said elongated shaft adjacent said center post;   said rear leg support section further comprises:
 a rear center post having a lower section mounted on said rear ground-engaging beam and an upper section mounted on the lower section of the rear center post; 
 a leg support plate extending through the upper section of the rear center post, the leg support plate having a central section pivotally mounted to the upper section of the center support post and lateral sections extending on opposite side of the center support post, the lateral sections each having a leg support pad mounted thereon; 
 a driven pulley rotatably mounted on the lower section of the rear center support post below one of the lateral sections of the leg support plate; 
 a linkage extending between the leg support plate and the driven pulley; and 
 a belt mounted on the drive pulley on said elongated shaft and the driven pulley on the rear center support post, whereby the leg support plate pivots up and down synchronously with circular rotation of the user's arms. 
   
     
     
         7 . The exercise apparatus for swimmers according to  claim 6 , wherein said central torso support section comprises a telescoping torso post having a lower section mounted on said rear ground-engaging beam and an upper section resiliently mounted on the lower section of the torso post, said torso pad being mounted transversely across a top end of the upper section of the torso post. 
     
     
         8 . The exercise apparatus for swimmers according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a first bracket extending laterally from the lower section of the center post mounted on said front ground-engaging beam, the first bracket having a threaded bore defined therein; and   a second bracket extending laterally from the lower section of the torso post, the second bracket having a through bore defined therein, said first threaded rod extending through the unthreaded bore in the first bracket and the threaded bore of the second bracket so that rotation of said first threaded rod adjusts distance between said front and rear ground-engaging beams, the center post mounted on said front ground-engaging beam being temporarily fixed in position when the fasteners on opposite sides of the first bracker are fastened against the first bracket.   
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus for swimmers according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a channel mounted on said rear ground-engaging beam rearward of said rear cross members, the center post of said rear leg support section being slidably mounted in the channel, the center post of said rear leg support section having a threaded bore defined therein;   a third bracket mounted on said rear ground-engaging beam forward of said second cross members;   a fourth bracket mounted on said rear ground-engaging beam rearward of the channel mounted on said rear ground-engaging beam, said second threaded rod extending through the threaded bore defined in the center post of said rear leg support section and having opposing ends rotatably secured to the third and fourth brackets, whereby rotation of said second threaded rod slides the center post of said rear leg support section to adjust separation between said torso pad and said leg pads to accommodate length of the user's legs.   
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus for swimmers according to  claim 1 , wherein:
 said front chest support section further comprises:
 a telescoping center post having a lower section mounted on said front ground-engaging beam and an upper section resiliently mounted on the lower section of the center post, said chest T pad being mounted on a top end of the upper section of the center post axially/transversely parallel to said front ground-engaging beam; 
 a center bracket extending forward from the upper section of the center post, the center bracket having a vertically aligned cylindrical spindle assembly mounted on a free end thereof, the spindle assembly having a top end and a bottom end; 
 a pair of lateral brackets extending obliquely forward from opposite sides of the upper section of the center post, respectively, on opposite sides of the center bracket, each of the lateral brackets having a free end; 
 a vertically aligned cylindrical spindle assembly mounted on the free ends of the lateral brackets, each of the spindle assemblies having a top end and a bottom end; 
 right and left telescoping arms, each of the telescoping arms having a base end attached to the top end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of a corresponding one of the lateral brackets, respectively, and having a piston end resiliently extendable from the base end; 
 a hand holster rotatably attached to the piston ends of the right and left telescoping arms, respectively; 
 a first rod linking the top end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of the center bracket with the front end of said chest pad plate; and 
 second and third rods linking the bottom ends of the spindle assemblies mounted on the free ends of the right hand side lateral bracket with the bottom end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of the center bracket, and a third rod linking the bottom end of the spindle assembly mounted on the left hand side lateral bracket with the bottom end of the spindle assembly mounted on the center bracket through a cog to enable it to rotate in the opposite direction; and 
   said rear leg support section further comprises:
 a center post having an upper end; 
 a center bracket extending rearward from the upper end of the center post of the rear leg supporting section, the center bracket having a free end and a cylindrical spindle assembly mounted vertically at the free end of the center bracket, the spindle assembly having a top end and a bottom end; 
 left and right lateral brackets extending obliquely rearward from opposite sides of the center post of said rear leg support section on opposite sides of the center bracket of the rear leg support section, respectively, each of the lateral brackets having a free end and a cylindrical spindle assembly mounted vertically at the free end of the lateral bracket, each of the spindle assemblies having a top end and a bottom end; 
 right and left telescoping arms, each of the telescoping arms having a base end attached to the top end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of a corresponding one of the lateral brackets of said rear leg support section, respectively, and having a piston end resiliently extendable from the base end; 
 a foot holster rotatably attached to the piston ends of the right and left telescoping arms of said rear leg support section, respectively; 
 a first linkage connecting the bottom end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of the right lateral bracket with the top end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of the center bracket of said rear leg support section; and 
 a second linkage connecting the bottom end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of the left lateral bracket with the bottom end of the spindle assembly mounted on the free end of the center bracket of said rear leg support section via a cog to enable it to rotate in the opposite direction; 
 whereby the exercise apparatus is configured for practicing a breaststroke.