An exercise device (10) has foot supports (30, 32) on which a user stands for performing a stair stepping exercise alone, or a cross country skiing exercise alone, or simultaneously a stair stepping exercise and a cross country skiing exercise. Linkage support frames (26, 28) each have a first linkage (44) and a second linkage (36) pivotally connected to each other for maintaining foot supports (30, 32) in a horizontal plane. A fluid cylinder (52) provides a mechanism for resisting the vertical movement of the foot supports (30, 32). Manually gripped poles (60) are mounted to move in coordination with generally horizontal movement of foot supports (30, 32). Separate embodiments of the invention are shown in FIGS. 5-13 for performing simultaneously a stair stepping exercise and a cross country skiing or walking exercise. An alternative preferred embodiment of the invention which may be folded downwardly for low vertical profile storage is illustrated in FIG. 14.
A walking exerciser which includes two pedal frames respectively supported on two cranks at two opposite sides of a driving wheel and adapted for turning the driving wheel by legs, two rockers, and two curved coupling rods having a respective front end respectively pivoted to the rockers and a respective rear end respectively pivoted to the cranks and moved with the cranks along a respective longitudinal sliding slot on each pedal frame.
A striding exerciser includes two foot supports movably supported in a base and two foot pedals slidably engaged on the foot supports. The base has two posts for pivotally supporting the front and the rear portions of the foot supports. A pair of link members pivotally couple the foot pedals to the rear portion of the base for allowing the link members to move the foot pedals along the foot supports when the foot supports move forward and rearward. A pair of handles are pivotally coupled to the foot supports for allowing the handles to be rotated by the foot supports.
An exercise apparatus having a collapsible frame that simulates running and climbing depending upon where the foot is positioned along the elongate pedal. The user is able to maintain a standing posture while elongate pedals supporting each foot move through an exercise cycle having a different mode for each foot position that includes translating and non-parallel angular motion generated by a linkage mechanism. Arm exercise is provided by rocker extensions which are phased with the crank to use arm force for moving the crank through dead center positions.
An apparatus permitting a user to perform a simulated stair climbing exercise includes left and right foot platforms pivotally connected to a frame by respective unequal-length four-bar linkages. The linkages maintain the foot platforms generally perpendicular to the user's lower leg during the exercise as the foot platforms are alternately depressed by the user. An eddy current brake provides the desired resistance to the user's simulated stair climbing. A display with a touch-sensitive screen is mounted on the frame and allows the user to input information to a processor which controls the resistance of the eddy current brake and other functions. The display also includes an integral television tuner that allows the user to view either a simulated image of the user performing the stair climbing exercise or a standard television program on the display during the exercise.
A standup exercise apparatus simulates running, jogging and climbing with arm exercise. Foot pedals move with smooth elliptical motion resulting from an orbital drive mechanism. An orbital link drives the foot support member with smooth orbital motion without the characteristic turnaround jerk associated with reciprocating member elliptical drives. Leg joint impact is controlled to be very low as to allow extended exercise without joint soreness. Adjustment is provided to change the pedal motion during operation. Arm exercise is coordinated with motion of the feet.
