EXERCISE SLED |
|||||||
申请号 | US13572520 | 申请日 | 2012-08-10 | 公开(公告)号 | US20130172160A1 | 公开(公告)日 | 2013-07-04 |
申请人 | Tyrone Poole; | 发明人 | Tyrone Poole; | ||||
摘要 | Embodiments are described for an exercise sled including an upper portion detachably coupled to a lower portion through telescoping leg assemblies located at the corners of the sled. The upper portion includes a flat jumping surface to facilitate jumping or step-up type exercises, and the lower portion includes a sled rail portion to facilitate sliding across a surface, and a weight platform for the addition of plate weights. A number of attachment hooks facilitate the use of cords or handles to perform resistance exercises using the sled as an exercise platform. | ||||||
权利要求 | |||||||
说明书全文 | This application claims priority from U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 61/523,095, filed on Aug. 12, 2011, and entitled “Exercise Sled”. One or more implementations relate generally to exercise equipment, and more specifically to a modular sled and weight platform for exercise and sports training. The subject matter discussed in the background section should not be assumed to be prior art merely as a result of its mention in the background section. Similarly, a problem mentioned in the background section or associated with the subject matter of the background section should not be assumed to have been previously recognized in the prior art. The subject matter in the background section merely represents different approaches, which in and of themselves may also be inventions. Exercise equipment for home and professional use is a growing industry with many competing products. To cover all of the various exercises that may be performed often requires the use of many different items of equipment, such as free weights, weight machines, treadmills, stairclimbers, and so on. As evidenced by the many fitness centers that are becoming ever more popular, such equipment is typically very expensive, heavy, and takes up a lot of space. Professional training equipment for sports such as football are likewise very large and expensive systems that are designed for specific exercises. Multi-use equipment has been developed to allow people to use the same piece of equipment to perform different exercises. Such equipment is usually designed for indoor use and can be complicated and difficult to use in that weight and seating positions must often be changed or reconfigured to accommodate different exercises. This equipment is also often quite large and expensive, and not portable enough to facilitate field use in different environments. Present exercise devices also generally do not lend themselves to use for different types of exercises or training regimens. For example, weight training exercises often require the use of individual free weights or resistance machines, while running exercises or plyometric type exercises often require the use of other specialized equipment. This can increase the cost and complexity of equipment needed to perform a wide range of common exercises. What is needed therefore is an exercise apparatus that is modular and portable to facilitate ease of use across a wide range of different exercises. Embodiments are generally directed to an exercise or training sled that combines a jumping box and a pulling sled that is adjustable with regard to size and weight capacity. The exercise sled comprises a lower section of substantially rectangular shape having four legs at each corner of the rectangle and a pair of curved rails for sliding across a surface, an upper portion detachably coupled to the lower section through matching leg sections and including a flat surface; and a plurality of attachment hooks disposed around at least one of the lower section and upper portion for facilitating pulling or pushing the sled across the surface. The lower section includes a weight platform including a post structure to hold a weight plate. The upper portion of the weight platforms includes a flat, non-slip surface to allow use as a step-up or jump-up platform. Users can perform a variety of exercises by pulling the sled along a surface and using the platform on the upper surface to perform step ups and similar routines. The training sled features a size, shape, and configuration that allows a user to quickly switch from speed drills to weight training without requiring the use of different equipment. The training sled accommodates the attachment of straps and pulleys at different locations so that it can be used by a number of different people at any one time. Any of the embodiments described herein may be used alone or together with one another in any combination. The one or more implementations encompassed within this specification may also include embodiments that are only partially mentioned or alluded to or are not mentioned or alluded to at all in this brief summary or in the abstract. Although various embodiments may have been motivated by various deficiencies with the prior art, which may be discussed or alluded to in one or more places in the specification, the embodiments do not necessarily address any of these deficiencies. In other words, different embodiments may address different deficiencies that may be discussed in the specification. Some embodiments may only partially address some deficiencies or just one deficiency that may be discussed in the specification, and some embodiments may not address any of these deficiencies. In the following drawings like reference numbers are used to refer to like elements. Although the following figures depict various examples, the one or more implementations are not limited to the examples depicted in the figures. Embodiments are directed to an item of exercise equipment referred to as an “exercise sled” or “training sled” that combines a jumping box (an object with four legs that can be climbed or stepped onto and jumped on) and a pulling sled (an object that can be attached to a person via cords and towed while running or walking). The training sled is square or rectangular shaped and is adjustable on all four sides with respect to the height of the unit. An upper portion of the sled incorporates the jumping box, and a lower portion incorporates the pulling sled. The upper portion of the sled fits into the lower portion of the sled through four legs attached to the four corners of each of the top and lower portions and held in place by pins. The legs of the upper portion are designed to slide into the legs of the lower portion. The sled is height adjustable on all four corners by disconnecting the placement pins and raising or lowering the upper portion relative to the lower portion. Depending on the overall dimensions of the sled, the height can be adjusted from between 6 inches to 20 inches (6″ to 20″) in an embodiment. The sled can be used with a variety of different exercise regimens to increase running speed, running power, and upper and lower body strength. Running speed and power is increased by pulling or towing the sled or by doing plyometric drills using the sled. Upper body strength is increased by performing exercises with bands/cords or other attachments that attach to fixed hooks or attachment points positioned at different points around the sled. The hooks can be positioned around the front, back and sides of the sled. The sled includes a center section within the lower portion that includes a free weight mounting platform. Such a platform can include a pole or pipe section that can accommodate a standard weight plate. In an embodiment, the platform can support one or more plates from 2.5 lbs to 45 lbs for mounting a practical maximum amount (e.g., 135 lbs) of added weight. In an embodiment, the sled is made of a metal frame for both the upper and lower portions. The jumping platform on the upper portion can be made of rubber or wood, or any similar material. The lower portion incorporates a curved rail or frame section that allows the sled to slide across a surface. Virtually any surface, wet or dry and indoor or outdoor, can be used to deploy the sled. For pulling and towing exercises, grass, sand, wood or soil surfaces are generally preferable, but other surfaces, such as concrete, asphalt, etc., can also be used. The exercise sled represents a total, nonstop piece of training equipment in which a person can go from speed to weight training without needing to use different pieces of equipment or traveling to a different facility. The sled can also be used by multiple people at once, and can be used cooperatively so that their individual efforts can add or subtract from each other. The upper portion 102 includes a flat jumping surface 114 that is made of rubber, cork, wood, metal or any similar surface that allows a person to stand or jump comfortably on the top surface of the sled. The jumping surface 114 is preferably made of a non-slip material or treated with a non-slip treatment to allow a user to step or jump onto the surface without slipping. The size and shape of the jumping surface 114 can be configured to facilitate exercises such as running-in-place, squats, jumps, and so on. The lower portion 104 includes a curved section 110 at one or both ends. This curved portion allows the sled to be dragged along a surface, and provides the “sled” aspect to the unit. The lower portion 104 also includes a weight platform 108 with a pole or pipe section 116 that can hold one or more standard weight plates. The exercise sled 100 includes a number of hooks or rings 112 placed in various points around the sled to serve as attachment points for cords, ropes, straps, belts, handles and other accessories that allow a user to pull or push against the sled. Optionally, grab handles or surfaces can be incorporated directly on the sled to allow pulling or pushing directly against the sled. In a typical application, one or more straps are attached to appropriate locations of the exercise sled so that a user can pull or drag the sled along the ground. Optional weight plates can be loaded onto the weight platform 108 to increase the overall weight of the sled. Alternatively, the sled can be pushed along the ground to perform pushing exercises. For example, appropriately shaped tackle or blocking pads can be attached to the hooks to allow a user to push the sled with his upper or lower body. The upper portion 102 may include a support structure for placement or support of the non-slip jumping surface. Such a support structure may include an inner flange 202 portion along with one or more cross beams or cross members. 204. The configuration of the flange portion 202 and cross beams 204 may be configured appropriately depending on dimensions (e.g., thickness) and composition of the jumping surface material. The embodiments of As shown in As shown in Various different manufacturing methods and materials may be used to construct the exercise sled according to embodiments. In one embodiment, the upper and lower portions of the sled including the support posts are made using steel or iron tubes of square or rectangular cross-section, which are then welded to form the exercise sled portions. Tubes of different cross-sectional shapes may be used, and the construction method may utilize bolting, screwing, welding, gluing or similar means of attachment. Other materials may also be used to manufacture the sled, such as wood, carbon fiber, aluminum, or any other formable material. The exercise sled can be used to perform virtually any number of exercises using just this one piece of equipment. It can be configured in a relatively easy manner by adding plate weights and pulling accessories. Various different workout regimens may be employed. One example of an exercise sled workout regimen is as follows: a. Warm-Up Exercises
b. Upper Body Workout
c. Lower Body Workout
The above listed exercise regimen is meant only to be illustrative of an example regimen, and many different exercises can be performed using the exercise sled. The exercise sled represents a self-contained modular exercise unit that incorporates features that allow a person to perform a wide variety of exercises. The sled can be weighed down and pulled or pushed to perform power exercises. It can also be used as a stable platform for performing resistance exercises using cords and attachments. Finally, the upper portion can be used as a raised platform to perform aerobic exercises, such as jumping, step-ups and so on. The exercise sled represents an integrated piece of exercise equipment that allows a user to go from speed exercises to weight training exercises in a virtually non-stop manner using the same piece of equipment. The exercise sled can be used for lower body running, pulling, and jumping exercises immediately followed by upper body weight training exercises by pulling or lifting the sled. A number of people can use the exercise sled at one time using the multiple attachment points. The exercise sled represents a combination of a jumping box, which is raised platform box that can be stepped or jumped up onto, and a pulling sled, which is an object that can be attached to a person and towed while running or pulling. The exercise sled is adjustable with respect to height or angle on all four sides or corners of the box by disconnecting the retaining pins and raising or lowering the upper portion relative to the lower portion. Various different exercises may be performed by one or more people using the exercise sled. Such exercises can be used to increase running speed and running power through pulling/towing exercises or plyometric drills. Upper body strength can be increased by performing exercises with bands or cords that are attached to the fixed hooks positioned around the sled. Unless the context clearly requires otherwise, throughout the description and the claims, the words “comprise,” “comprising,” and the like are to be construed in an inclusive sense as opposed to an exclusive or exhaustive sense; that is to say, in a sense of “including, but not limited to.” Words using the singular or plural number also include the plural or singular number respectively. Additionally, the words “herein,” “hereunder,” “above,” “below,” and words of similar import refer to this application as a whole and not to any particular portions of this application. When the word “or” is used in reference to a list of two or more items, that word covers all of the following interpretations of the word: any of the items in the list, all of the items in the list and any combination of the items in the list. While one or more implementations have been described by way of example and in terms of the specific embodiments, it is to be understood that one or more implementations are not limited to the disclosed embodiments. To the contrary, it is intended to cover various modifications and similar arrangements as would be apparent to those skilled in the art. |