U.S. patent application number 10/190573 was filed with the patent office on 2004-01-15 for method and apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive resistance exercise.
This patent application is currently assigned to Unique Kinetech Corporation. Invention is credited to Liu, Chiang, Liu, Yu, Shiang, Tzyy Yuang, Wei, Shun Hwa.
Application Number | 20040009854 10/190573 |
Document ID | / |
Family ID | 30114074 |
Filed Date | 2004-01-15 |
United States Patent
Application |
20040009854 |
Kind Code |
A1 |
Shiang, Tzyy Yuang ; et
al. |
January 15, 2004 |
Method and apparatus for training muscle strength through
progressive resistance exercise
Abstract
An apparatus for enhancing muscle strength is designed based on
a curve of relation between joint angle and producible muscle
strength, and includes a resistance-varying device that provides
progressive resistances to give a trainee's body area being trained
the most suitable load when the joint angle at the trained area
changes. The resistance-varying device is embodied through serially
connected four-bar linkages, two-bar linkages, or tension cords
pivotally connected to one lateral side of weights of the apparatus
with pins. Strength exerted by the trainee at the trained area is
transmitted via a steel cord to pull a top weight upward and
sequentially stretch the linkages or tension cords open, so that
subsequent weights are pulled upward one by one until the last
linkage or tension cord is fully stretched. A method using the
apparatus to enhance muscle strength meets the human engineering
and avoids unwanted injury of trained muscles.
Inventors: |
Shiang, Tzyy Yuang; (Taipei,
TW) ; Liu, Chiang; (Taipei, TW) ; Wei, Shun
Hwa; (Taipei, TW) ; Liu, Yu; (Taipei,
TW) |
Correspondence
Address: |
TROXELL LAW OFFICE PLLC
SUITE 1404
5205 LEESBURG PIKE
FALLS CHURCH
VA
22041
US
|
Assignee: |
Unique Kinetech Corporation
|
Family ID: |
30114074 |
Appl. No.: |
10/190573 |
Filed: |
July 9, 2002 |
Current U.S.
Class: |
482/93 ; 482/121;
482/94 |
Current CPC
Class: |
A63B 21/0632 20151001;
A63B 21/0628 20151001; A63B 21/154 20130101; A63B 21/063 20151001;
A63B 21/0609 20130101 |
Class at
Publication: |
482/93 ; 482/121;
482/94 |
International
Class: |
A63B 021/02; A63B
021/06 |
Claims
What is claimed is:
1. A method for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise, comprising the steps of preparing a resistance
transmission mechanism having a resistance-varying device adapted
to change a load of said mechanism, and designing said
resistance-varying device based on a curve of relation between
joint angle and producible muscle strength to generate resistance
variations on said resistance transmission mechanism, so that said
resistance transmission mechanism provides different magnitudes of
resistance relative to different magnitudes of strength producible
by muscles at different joint angles.
2. The method for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
resistance-varying device comprises a plurality of linkages that
are sequentially stretched open when being subjected to a pull.
3. The method for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 1, wherein said
resistance-varying device comprises a plurality of tension cords
that are sequentially stretched open when being subjected to a
pull.
4. The method for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 1, wherein said resistance
transmission mechanism includes a resistance source consisting of a
plurality of vertically stacked weights made of a metal
material.
5. The method for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 4, wherein said metal
weights are in a number that can be freely selected to provide
different resistance for training muscle strength.
6. An apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise, comprising: a resistance transmission
mechanism including a plurality of weights that constitute a source
of resistance; a steel cord that has an end connected to said
weights and transmits a resistance provided by said weights to a
trainee's body areas to be trained; a group of pulleys that are
connected to said steel cord to change directions in which the
resistance is transmitted via said steel cord; and a connecting
device that is connected to another end of said steel cord and
transfers the resistance transmitted via said steel cord to the
trainee's body areas to be trained; and a resistance-varying device
being provided at one lateral side of said resistance source of
said resistance transmission mechanism, and being designed in
accordance with a curve of relation between joint angle and
producible muscle strength in order to change a load of said
resistance transmission mechanism according to different magnitudes
of strength producible by muscles at different joint angles.
7. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 6, wherein said
resistance-varying device comprises a plurality of linkages that
are sequentially stretched open when said resistance source is
subjected to a force and moved upward.
8. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 6, wherein said
resistance-varying device comprises a plurality of tension cords
that are sequentially stretched open when said resistance source is
subjected to a force and moved upward.
9. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 6, wherein said plurality
of weights are vertically stacked, and are in a number that can be
freely selected to provide different resistance for training muscle
strength.
10. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 6, wherein said steel cord
is a rigid transmission member without elasticity.
11. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 6, wherein said resistance
transmission mechanism is provided on a main steel framework, and
includes slide rails to define a path along which said weights are
moved upward and downward.
12. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 11, wherein said resistance
transmission mechanism further includes a body supporting structure
for a trainee to sit or lie thereon.
13. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 6, wherein said connecting
device of said resistance transmission mechanism includes a grip at
where the trainee holds to exert strength, and an upper arm rest on
which the trainee's upper arms are positioned.
14. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 7, wherein said linkages of
said resistance-varying device are four-bar linkages.
15. The apparatus for training muscle strength through progressive
resistance exercise as claimed in claim 7, wherein said linkages of
said resistance-varying device are two-bar linkages.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
[0001] The present invention relates to method and apparatus for
enhancing muscle strength through progressive resistance, and more
particularly to a muscle training apparatus that provides
progressively increased resistance to a trainee's body area being
trained to meet a curve of relation between joint angle and
producible strength thereof.
[0002] Muscle contraction is a source of strength needed by humans
in their motions. When muscles contract, bones connected to the
muscles are brought to turn about joints as a result of leverage,
allowing the torso and limbs to translate, turn, etc. When multiple
joints cooperatively work at the same time, a person can do various
motions, such as running, jumping, throwing, etc. Movement of
joints involves leverage between muscles and bones, as well as the
muscular contractible length. The strength producible by muscles
has relation to the lengths of muscles, and muscles are connected
at outer ends to bones to provide points of application. When the
muscles contract to produce strength, the produced strength acts on
the bones at these points of application to cause turning of
joints, and therefore changes the direction of applied force as
well as the angle contained between arms of force (that is, the
bones that turn about the joints). Thus, the strength producible at
a joint has absolute relation to the joint angle. Similarly, the
strength producible by a person's torso and limbs has relation to
joint angles. And, the relation between the joint angle and the
producible strength thereof varies with joint motions. Taking the
flexion of an elbow joint as an example, a Curve of Relation
Between Elbow Angle and Torque (Ping-chan Lai, (1999) Master's
thesis from the Graduate Institute of Coaching Science National
College of Physical Education & Sports) shown in FIG. 5
indicates when the elbow flexes from a horizontal position
(stretched to 180 degrees) toward the torso, the producible
strength increases with the increased degree of flexion (or
decreased elbow angle), and the producible strength reaches a peak
value when the elbow angle is about 110 degrees, and then the
producible strength decreases with the gradually decreased elbow
angle.
[0003] According to muscular physiology, by "muscle contraction",
it means a group of muscle fibers become shortened when they slide
relative to one another. Generally speaking, muscle contraction can
be divided into isometric contraction, isotonic contraction,
isokinetic contraction, etc. according to the form of contraction.
Wherein, the isotonic contraction can be further divided into
concentric contraction and eccentric contraction according to the
consistence in the directions of the applied force and the muscle
contraction. Muscles can be trained in different ways based on the
characteristics of muscle contraction as follows:
[0004] 1. Isoload training--In this way of training, muscles
contract at a speed and in a tension that vary with time.
[0005] 2. Isometric training--In this way of training, muscles
contract with the lengths thereof keeping unchanged.
[0006] 3. Isotonic training--In this way of training, muscles
contract with the tensions thereof keeping unchanged.
[0007] 4. Isokinetic training--In this way of training, muscles
contract at a constant speed.
[0008] 5. Functional isometric training--In this way of training,
muscles first contract isometrically and then contract
isotonically.
[0009] 6. Plyometrics training--In this way of training, muscles
are first passively stretched (that is, to contract eccentrically)
and then quickly contract concentrically. This type of training is
characterized in a stretch shortening cycle (SSC).
[0010] 7. Train muscles by giving electrical stimulation to cause
passive contraction of muscles.
[0011] Among the above-described muscle training ways, the
isometric, the isotonic, and the isokinetic trainings are widely
acceptable by the general public. As to other muscle training ways,
they are adopted by specific groups of people, such as athletes,
patients requiring rehabilitation, etc.
[0012] The isometric training has the advantages of (a) not
requiring any special instrument, (b) performable at any place and
at any time, and (c) easy to perform; and the disadvantages of (a)
having lower training effect, (b) tending to cause fatigued
muscles, and (c) failing to provide concentrated training of
particular muscle groups.
[0013] The isotonic training has the advantages of (a) providing
pretty good training effect, (b) enabling concentrated training of
particular muscle groups, and (c) easy to perform; and the
disadvantages of (a) having theoretical limitations, (b) requiring
training instruments, and (c) tending to cause fatigued and injured
muscles.
[0014] The isokinetic training has the advantages of (a) providing
very good training effect, (b) enabling concentrated training of
particular muscle groups, and (c) meeting related theories, and the
disadvantages of (a) requiring special training instruments, (b)
requiring high cost for the special instruments, and (c) not easy
to operate the special instruments.
[0015] Currently, the isometric training is normally adopted only
at an initial stage of rehabilitation and not widely utilized among
the general public because it does not provide good effect in
enhancing the muscle strength and fails to provide training of
specific muscle groups, though it can be performed without using
any special instrument.
[0016] Generally, the isotonic training must be performed with some
instruments, such as free-weight and training machines. Training
machines are widely employed in muscle training and formed from
rather simple link mechanisms. In a machine for isotonic training,
the heaviness of weights serves as a resistance and is transmitted
via a steel cord and many direction-control pulleys to a trainee's
torso and limbs to be trained. The training machine can be designed
to train specific muscle groups and manufactured at rather low
cost. It occupies only a very small space, and can be conveniently
operated for a user to use it independently, and is therefore
widely accepted among the general public. A disadvantage of the
isotonic training is it tends to cause delayed muscle soreness
(DOMS) after performing the training. Moreover, the isotonic
training does not provide so good training effect as compared with
the isokinetic training.
[0017] The isokinetic training uses an isokinetic training machine
to control the trainee's motion speed, so that the muscle groups to
be trained always exert the maximal strength at any joint angle and
contract dynamically at a fixed speed to adapt to contraction
speeds of different types of motions. Therefore, the isokinetic
training is a currently recognized most effective way of muscle
training that does not easily cause any sequelae, such as fatigue
or soreness of muscles. However, a full set of isokinetic training
machine typically includes many instruments, such as a computer for
recording purpose, a monitor for displaying data, a strength
measuring system, a multipurpose chair for taking measurements, and
auxiliary brackets adaptable to different joints. These instruments
occupy an area of at least 10 square meters, and require
well-trained personnel to watch and operate, not to mention the
extremely high cost thereof.
[0018] In conclusion, the isotonic training machine has combined
advantages of economical cost, convenient operation, safe for use,
and good training effect, and is currently the most common means
for training muscles. Although the isokinetic training machine is
recognized as the most effective way for training muscles, general
training organizations and users do not afford it due to the
expensive price and high costs for management and maintenance
thereof. As a result, the isokinetic training machine is not so
popular as the isotonic training machine.
[0019] As having been mentioned above, the strength producible by
torso and limbs being trained varies with joint angle. The isotonic
training does not provide as good training effect as the isokinetic
training mainly because a general isotonic training machine
provides a fixed resistance and muscles being trained do not
encounter a largest possible resistance when the joint is at an
angle to produce the largest strength. It is therefore very natural
only a reduced training effect can be obtained on an isotonic
training machine.
[0020] Another problem with the isotonic training machine is the
existence of the so-called stick point. More specifically, when the
resistance is fixed, the stick point means a joint angle at which
the producible muscle strength is smaller than the fixed resistance
and not sufficient to lift the load. However, when the joint angle
increases and exceeds the stick point, the producible muscle
strength is large enough to lift the load. The stick point prevents
the trainee from continuing the training motions and reduces the
training effect. What is worse is the stick point would very
possibly result in eccentric contraction of muscles and
consequential injury, such as pulled tendon, due to the action of a
suddenly generated reverse force.
[0021] An ideal training way is one that could always best respond
to the strength that is producible by the muscles within the
complete range of motion (ROM) of joint, and therefore allows the
muscles to work at the largest tension. In this manner, the load to
muscles could be effectively increased to achieve the best training
effect.
[0022] Cams have been utilized in an attempt to change the
resistance in the complete range of motion of joint, in order to
eliminate or reduce the phenomenon of stick point that frequently
occurs on general isotonic muscle training machines. Scientific
researches have proven the effect of using cams to change the
resistance. The following summarizes results of researches on the
effects of different training ways.
[0023] In 1982, Silvester et al employed Nautilus and Universal
variable-resistance training machines as well as the free weight
training manner to train lower limb muscle groups for enhanced knee
stretching and pushing strength. The trainings continued for 13
weeks, 3 days each week. Isometric muscle strength producible at
the 135-degree stretched knee joint and at the 135-degree coxa as
well as changes in vertical leap were measured and compared. The
isometric muscle strength and the vertical leap increased by 6.41
kg and 0.69 cm, respectively, on the average when trained with
Nautilus machine, 6.46 kg and 2.91 cm when trained with Universal
machine, and 8.49 kg and 8.49 cm when trained in the manner of free
weight. Only the vertical leap indicated statistical difference
between trainings with the variable-resistance training machines
and the free weight manner. Another experiment was designed to
compare the difference in elbow joint flexions separately trained
with dumbbells and Nautilus variable-resistance machine. The
trainings continued 8 weeks, 3 days per week. Both trainings
indicated statistical difference in the achieved enhancements, but
there was not significant difference in the enhancements between
the two types of trainings.
[0024] In 1989, Braith et al employed the Nautilus
variable-resistance machines to train 4 groups of trainees for
their knee stretching strengths. There was a control group that did
not do any training. The first group was trained for 10 weeks, 2
days per week; the second group for 18 weeks, 2 days per week; the
third group for 10 weeks, 3 days per week; and the fourth group for
18 weeks, 3 days per week. All the four groups showed considerable
improvements in muscle strength, no matter they were trained for 10
or 18 weeks. However, the groups trained for 3 days per week showed
muscle strengths higher than that of the groups trained for 2 days
per week. The fourth group that was trained for total 18 weeks, 3
days per week, showed the isometric muscle strength increased by
28.4%, while the first group that was trained for 10 weeks, 2 days
per week, showed the isometric muscle strength increased by 13.5%.
The control group did not show any change in the muscle
strength.
[0025] From the above data, it is found the variable-resistance
training machines provide training effects that are somewhat better
than or similar to that obtainable with general fixed-resistance
training machines or free-weight training, but lower than that
obtainable with the isokinetic training machine. What is to be
noted is whether the variable-resistance training machine has been
designed to meet the human engineering or not. Since there is not
supporting material in the relevant literature, and the training
items vary from machine to machine, it is still controvertible
whether the comparison results are sufficient to represent the
training effects. On the other hand, the use of cams to change the
action of resistance has the drawbacks of involving complicate
manufacturing process, requiring high manufacturing cost,
inconvenient for use, etc. Therefore, it is tried by the inventor
to develop an improved method of training muscles that meets the
human engineering, and a simple, economical, easily erectable, and
conveniently operable apparatus for implementing the method, so
that the muscles being trained are always under the largest
possible and the most optimal stimulus in the whole training
process to obtain enhanced strength and avoid unwanted injury.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
[0026] It is a primary object of the present invention to provide a
method for enhancing muscle strength through progressive
resistance.
[0027] Another object of the present invention is to provide an
apparatus for implementing the method of enhancing muscle strength
through progressive resistance. The apparatus is simple,
economical, easily erectable, and conveniently operable, and may be
used with all brands of weight training instruments.
[0028] The method of the present invention is established on the
basis of a proven relation between the joint angle and the
producible muscle strength thereof. In a preferred embodiment of
the apparatus of the present invention, a resistance-varying device
is included to convert a fixed-resistance training structure into a
variable-resistance training structure to meet the human
engineering and the relation between the joint angle and the
producible muscle strength, so that the joints being trained are
best trained in the optimal manner to increase the training effect
and minimize injury possibly occurred during training.
[0029] To achieve the above and other objects, the apparatus of the
present invention uses the above-mentioned relation between the
elbow joint flexion angle and the producible strength as its basis
and includes a resistance transmitting mechanism to transmit
progressive resistances provided through a resistance-varying
device, so that a trainee's body area being trained is always given
the most suitable load when the joint angle at the trained area
changes. That is, the original load in the form of a fixed
resistance is changed to a load of variable resistance, and the
value of the variable resistance corresponds to the relation
between the joint angle and the producible muscle strength. Taking
the elbow flexion as an example, since the elbow joint produces a
relative smaller strength when it is at an initial angle of flexion
of 180 degrees, the apparatus of the present invention applies a
relative smaller resistance to the trainee; and when the elbow
joint is flexed to an angle of 110 degrees, at which a largest
possible muscle strength is producible, the apparatus of the
present invention applies a largest possible resistance to the
trainee. The resistance applied to the trainee by the apparatus of
the present invention gradually decreases when the elbow joint
angle becomes smaller and produces less muscle strength.
[0030] The resistance-varying device of the present invention is
embodied through a plurality of serially connected four-bar
linkages, two-bar linkages, or tension cords being pivotally
connected to one lateral side of weights of the apparatus with
pins. Strength exerted by the trainee at the trained body area is
transmitted via a steel cord and many pulleys to pull a top weight
upward and sequentially stretch the linkages or tension cords open,
so that subsequent weights are pulled upward one by one until the
last linkage or tension cord is fully stretched.
[0031] The method and the apparatus of the present invention for
enhancing muscle strength use progressively increased resistance
force that meets the theoretical requirement established on the
curve of relation between the joint angle and the producible
strength as well as the human engineering, allowing the trained
joint to always have the optimal load.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
[0032] The structure and the technical means adopted by the present
invention to achieve the above and other objects can be best
understood by referring to the following detailed description of
the preferred embodiments and the accompanying drawings,
wherein
[0033] FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a
progressive-resistance type muscle-strength training machine
according to a preferred embodiment of the present invention;
[0034] FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of a
resistance-varying device adopted in the muscle-strength training
machine of FIG. 1;
[0035] FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the resistance-varying
device included in the muscle-strength training machine of the
present invention;
[0036] FIG. 4 shows a further embodiment of the resistance-varying
device included in the muscle-strength training machine of the
present invention; and
[0037] FIG. 5 shows a curve of relation between elbow angle and
torque, based on which the method and the apparatus of present
invention are developed.
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
[0038] Please refer to FIG. 1 that is a schematic perspective view
of an apparatus according to a preferred embodiment of the present
invention for enhancing muscle strength through progressive
resistance. As shown, the apparatus mainly includes a steel cord 1
preferred made of a rigid transmission member without elasticity
which sequentially passing through a first pulley 8, an
intermediate pulley 2, a second pulley 9, and a third pulley 10; a
grip 3 connected to a first end of the steel cord 1; an upper arm
rest 5 provided on a body supporting structure of the apparatus to
locate above the grip 3 and be adjustable with a movable pin 4; a
group of weights 7 vertically movably stacked on and between two
slide rails 11, 12 with a top one of the weights 7 connected to a
second end of the steel cord 1; and a main steel framework 15, to
which related components, such as the second and the third pulleys
9, 10, of the apparatus of the present invention are fixed.
[0039] The group of vertically stacked weights 7 is provided at one
lateral side with a resistance-varying device. A first embodiment
of the resistance-varying device 14 is shown in FIG. 2 that is an
enlarged perspective view of the group of vertically stacked
weights 7 of FIG. 1. In this embodiment, the resistance-varying
device 14 includes three sets of four-bar linkages. FIG. 3 shows a
second embodiment of the resistance-varying device 14A that
includes three sets of two-bar linkages, and FIG. 4 shows a third
embodiment of the resistance-varying device 14B that includes a
plurality of tension cords.
[0040] A trainee (not shown) may sit or lie on the body supporting
structure of the apparatus in a suitable position and hold the grip
3 to pull the steel cord 1. The first pulley 8, the intermediate
pulley 2, and the second and the third pulleys 9, 10 enable the
force exerted by the trainee to transmit via the steel cord 1 to
pull the weights 7. The four-bar or two-bar linkages or the tension
cords of the resistance-varying device 14, 14A or 14B provided at
the lateral side of the stacked weights 7 are sequentially
stretched open to generate progressively increased resistance to
the force exerted by the trainee. The trainee's muscle strength is
therefore enhanced through the progressive resistance provided by
the resistance-varying device 14, 14A or 14B.
[0041] In the apparatus of the present invention, the steel cord 1
that transmits the resistance from the weights 7 and the
resistance-varying device 14, 14A or 14B to the trainee's body
areas to be strengthened; the weights 7 that constitute a source of
resistance; the first, the second, and the third pulleys 8, 9, 10,
and the intermediate pulley 2 that change directions in which the
resistance is transmitted via the steel cord 1; and a connecting
device that is connected to the steel cord 1 to transfer the
resistance to the trainee's torso and limbs to be trained together
constitute a resistance transmission mechanism. The
resistance-varying device 14, 14A or 14B connected to the weights 7
of the resistance transmission mechanism of the apparatus of the
present invention is embodied based on the above-mentioned curve of
relation Between joint angle and producible muscle strength. That
is, when the trainee's joint is at an angle to exert a relatively
larger strength, the resistance-varying device enables the
apparatus of the present invention to provide a relatively larger
resistance to the trainee's trained limbs. Similarly, when the
trainee's joint is at an angle to exert only a relatively smaller
strength, the resistance-varying device enables the apparatus of
the present invention to provide a relatively smaller resistance to
the trainee's trained limbs.
[0042] The training apparatus of the present invention is
particularly different from the general isotonic training machine
in the provision of the resistance-varying device. The
resistance-varying device 14, 14A, or 14B is formed from a
plurality of mutually connected four-bar linkages, two-bar
linkages, or tension cords. The four-bar linkages, the two-bar
linkages, or the tension cords are connected to the weights 7 by
means of pins. When the steel cord 1 is pulled to lift the top one
of the group of the stacked weights 7, the first four-bar linkage,
the first two-bar linkage, or the first tension cord in the
resistance-varying device 14, 14A, or 14B, respectively, connecting
the top weight 7 to the second weight 7 is stretched open and
finally pulls the second weight 7 upward. In the course of pulling
the steel cord 1 to sequentially stretch open the four-bar
linkages, the two-bar linkages, or the tension cords until a
corresponding lower weight 7 is finally pulled upward, the
resistance provided by the weights 7 to the trainee is
progressively increased. As mentioned above, the resistance-varying
device 14, 14A, or 14B is embodied based on the previously
described curve of relation between joint angle and producible
muscle strength. It is known from theoretical deduction and
physical experiments that the strength that is producible at a
joint has absolute relation with the angle of the joint at that
time. Thus, the resistance-varying device 14, 14A, or 14B should be
designed in consistence with the curve of relation between joint
angle and producible muscle strength for the four-bar or two-bar
linkages or the tension cords to increase and convert the fixed
resistance provided by the group of stacked weights 7 and
transmitted via the steel cord 1 into a variable resistance meeting
the human engineering. As a result, the resistance-varying device
meeting the human engineering may always convert any load of
resistance to be borne by the trainee into a resistance compatible
with a strength that can be exerted by the trainee's muscles, and
may also train the muscles to exert the largest possible strength
against the resistance to obtain doubled effect in the
training.
[0043] According to the above-described training method and
apparatus for enhancing muscles through progressive resistance, the
weights 7, which are usually made of a metal material, play the
role of transmitting the resistance source of the muscle training
apparatus. The weights 7 are caused to smoothly move up and down
along the two slide rails 11, 12 by pulling and releasing the steel
cord 1, respectively. The provision of pulleys 2, 8, 9, and 10
enables change of directions in which the steel cord 1 extends.
[0044] To use the apparatus for enhancing muscle strength through
progressive resistance shown in FIG. 1, a user, that is, the
trainee, may first adjust the upper arm rest 5 to a vertical
position suitable for his or her height and then lay his or her
upper arm or arms on the rest 5. The grip 3 is then adjusted to a
position corresponding to a length of the trainee's forearm. At the
beginning of training, combinations of different numbers of weights
7 may be properly selected according to the training plan to
achieve an intended training effect. To obtain an enhanced training
effect, an increased number of packaged trainings, an increased
number of repetitions of trainings, and an increased duration of
trainings may be performed on the apparatus of the present
invention. Since the resistance-varying device 14, 14A, or 14B in
the resistance transmission mechanism of the apparatus of the
present invention meets the human engineering, the trainee's
muscles would not encounter an overlarge resistance when they are
exerting force and can therefore avoid unwanted injury of the
muscles.
[0045] The present invention has been described with some preferred
embodiments thereof and it is understood that many changes and
modifications in the described embodiments can be carried out
without departing from the scope and the spirit of the invention as
defined by the appended claims.
* * * * *