1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to physical fitness and exercise. More specifically, the present invention provides an improved exercise device for enabling a user to obtain a full body workout.
2. Description of the Related Art
In recent years, the public has grown increasingly aware of the benefits of certain types of exercises in improving overall health and fitness. It has become popular to engage in exercises that provide a full body workout, where a person performs a set of coordinated movements aimed at utilizing different muscle groups throughout the body simultaneously. Full body workouts are thought to be more efficient and beneficial than those exercises that focus solely on one body part or group.
An example of a full body workout would be Tae Kwon Do, a form of martial arts in which a person performs movements that stretch and strengthen the muscles in the arms, legs, and upper and lower torso, including the back, buttocks, and abdomen, all at once. Using certain types of specialized equipment of the type available at certain gyms or health clubs and designed to provide resistance to movement can enhance the benefits to a person performing Tae Kwon Do or other full body workouts. However, many persons find it difficult to make time in their busy schedules to visit gyms or health clubs that have these types of specialized equipment.
As a result, there have been proposed in the prior art various small, portable exercise devices that are convenient for use at home or while away from home and traveling. For example, certain patents disclosed tubular exercise devices that utilized pressurized air to create resistance to a user's movement. These types of devices had handgrips or handles at each end, so that a user could develop or tone the muscles of the arms and upper torso. These devices were not, as far as is known, adapted or suitable for developing or exercising muscles in the buttocks, legs, or other parts of the body other than the arms and upper torso. These devices also were not suitable for use in exercises to obtain the benefits of full body training and strengthening similar to those obtained through Tae Kwon Do or other forms of martial arts training.
Certain other patents disclosed tubular exercise devices that utilized oil, springs, or resilient bonds instead of pressurized air to provide resistance to movement. These additional elements were problematic in that they were subject to fluid leaking or breakage. Again, these devices were not, as far as is known, adapted or suitable for allowing a user to exercise a variety of muscle groups all at once by simulating the movements made during Tae Kwon Do or other forms of martial arts training. Other patents allowed a user to simulate the movements made during specific outdoor sports, such as cross-country skiing. These devices, while useful for obtaining a full body workout, were cumbersome and not designed to be portable.