Exercising of the different body limbs and other parts of the body have, in recent years, enjoyed a surge in popularity which has resulted in a plethora of exercise machines to accomplish exercises for different areas of the body. For example, many exercise machines are known which exercise primarily the arms such as the exercise machines shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,316,609 to Silberman, and for leg exercises as shown in the patent of Pridgen, U.S. Pat. No. 3,834,496. Various other patents, such as U.S. Pat. to Lloyd, No. 3,664,666; Dudley, No. 4,344,618; and Ceppo, No. 4,252,314, show various exercise devices for combination exercises where both exercising of the arms and the legs may be accomplished. However, no devices presently exist for accomplishing sit-up exercises where the exerciser is working against a restraint other than body weight or body position in doing the exercise. The patents above to Lloyd and Silberman, however show sit-up benches for accomplishing sit-up exercises without the use of a restraint or other means whereby weight is added to the shoulders to effect an increased effort to do the exercise. In exercising through sit-up exercises, it is possible to strengthen the lower back muscles through continued practice.
It is to the desire of the Inventor to provide a device whereby sit-up exercises may be accomplished and to which variable restraints may be applied to enable the exerciser to build up the body muscles which are utilized when doing the exercises.