Electronically controlled exercise system

An exercise apparatus for providing an exercise program having paced exercise repetitions, comprising:

• at least one movement arm providing a body engaging member adapted to be contacted by a portion of a user's body, and to be moved therewith and means mounting the movement arm for movement in both first and second directions;
• a brake coupled to the movement arm so as to apply resistance to the movement of said arm by the user;
• a first light stack providing an illuminated portion which visually characterizes movement of the movement arm;
• a second light stack providing an illuminated portion and positioned adjacent the first light stack to provide a visual pacing signal for pacing the illuminated portion of the first light stack, and thereby continuously pacing movement of said movement arm throughout each repetition of an exercise cycle;
• means for changing the illuminated portion of the second light stack to provide a visual pacing signal defining at least a first rate of movement for the movement arm in said first direction, and at least a second rate of movement for the movement arm in said second direction;
• and
• means responsive to the relative positions of the illuminated portion of the visual pacing signal and the illuminated portion of the first light stack for advising the user of the difference in said relative positions and for communicating to said user coaching instructions relating to said difference in relative positions.

An exercise system comprising:

• at least one exercise station having a movement arm adapted to be contacted by a portion of a user's body and to be moved therewith;
• at least one magnetic brake connected to the movement arm to provide resistance against movement of said arm;
• at least one central processing unit associated with each exercise station and electrically connected to the magnetic brake to control the resistance provided by said brake;
• at least one sensor for monitoring position of the movement arm;
• at least one visual display for indicating position of the movement arm;
• at least one visual pacer signal positioned adjacent the visual display to pace movement of the movement arm throughout each repetition of an exercise;
• and
• a central controller electrically connected to a plurality of exercise stations for modifying a user's exercise program based on demographics and prior performance of the user and on user performance information received from one of said plurality of exercise stations, and for communicating the modified exercise program to another of said plurality of said exercise stations.

An exercise apparatus comprising:

• means for storing an exercise program assigned to a selected user;
• means for storing personal information of the selected user;
• resistance means mounted for movement for providing in each of two opposite directions resistance movable in response to user applied force in an amount based on the exercise program;
• means for monitoring user exercise rate of movement of the resistance means and comparing this against a selected rate throughout a repetition of an exercise in the exercise program;
• means responsive to the monitoring means for adjusting, during execution of the exercise program, the amount of resistance provided by the resistance means in one of said two opposite directions, wherein said resistance is adjusted by an amount based upon user performance rate in a repetition of the exercise;
• means for advising the user of the change in resistance;
• and
• means for providing to the user coaching instructions relating to the user's performance in connection with the change in resistance.

An exercise system, comprising:

• a resistance means;
• means for enabling a user to perform work against the resistance means;
• means for monitoring selected user parameters to define user performance during use of the exercise system in an exercise program;
• means for storing user prior performance information and selected user demographic information;
• and
• means responsive to the monitored user parameters, to prior user performance information and to selected user demographics for providing a rating of the user performance of an exercise session.

An exercise system comprising:

• a plurality of exercise stations, each station including:
• a resistance means;
• means for enabling a user to perform work against the resistance means;
• means for monitoring selected parameters to define user performance during use of the exercise system in an exercise program;
• a central controller which is connectable to any of said plurality of exercise stations;
• means in the central controller for storing user exercise information;
• means in the central controller for receiving user performance information from an exercise station;
• means for updating user exercise information for a selected user in the central controller based on user performance information for said selected user, received from a local station;
• and
• means for communicating the updated user exercise information from the central controller to any of said plurality of exercise stations.

An exercise apparatus for use in an exercise system having a central controller which communicates with said exercise apparatus, said exercise apparatus comprising:

• a resistance means for providing a source of resistance in the exercise apparatus;
• means for enabling a user to perform work against said resistance as part of an exercise program;
• means for monitoring selected parameters during user performance of exercises on the exercise apparatus;
• means for evaluating the monitored parameters and for developing user performance information in response to the evaluation of the monitored parameters and independent of the central controller;
• means for receiving signals from the central controller;
• means coupled to the receiving means for sensing whether communication with the central controller can occur;
• and
• means for storing the monitored parameters and the user performance information during times when communication with the central controller cannot occur.

An exercise apparatus comprising:

• a movement arm adapted to be connected by a portion of a user's body and to be moved therewith;
• a resistance means coupled to the movement arm so as to apply resistance to the movement arm by the user;
• means for defining user limb extension levels representing amount of extension of the user's limbs, as a function of position of the movement arm;
• means for monitoring position of the movement arm;
• and
• means responsive to the monitoring means for providing information representing difference between the defined limb extension levels and actual limb extension levels existing during performance of an exercise by the user.

An exercise apparatus comprising:

• a movement arm adapted to be contacted by a portion of a user's body and to be moved in response to extension of a portion of the user's body;
• means for defining an extension range comprising an acceptable range of movement arm positions during a selected portion of a cycle of a given exercise;
• means for determining whether movement arm position is within the extension range during the selected portion of the exercise cycle;
• and
• means for advising the user when the movement arm position is not within the extension range during said selected portion of the exercise cycle.

An exercise system comprising:

• at least one exercise station, each station including:
• a movable exercise arm to be engaged by a user;
• a resistance means connected to said movable arm;
• and
• means for determining position of said movable arm at any time and producing a signal indicative thereof;
• means for determining actual position of said movable arm as a function of time;
• means for defining a desired position of said movable arm at any time;
• means for comparing the actual position of said movable arm as a function of time with a desired position as a function of time;
• means for producing an output indicating a measure of any difference between the actual and desired positions as a function of time;
• and
• means for explaining a basis for the difference between the actual and desired arm positions as a function of time with respect to the user's movement of the movable arm.

An exercise system comprising:

• at least one exercise station, each station including:
• a movable exercise arm to be engaged by the user;
• a resistance means connected to said movable arm;
• and
• means for defining a desired position of said movable arm at any time and producing a desired position signal indicative thereof;
• means for monitoring the desired position signal and the movement of the exercise arm and for determining any difference;
• and
• means for instructing the user on the proper technique for moving said movable arm based upon any such differences.

An exercise system comprising:

• at least one exercise station on which a user performs an exercise program having means to communicate program results of the user for a completed exercise session;
• means for measuring the user's weight and communicating said weight;
• means for storing said communicated program results for each station and said user weight;
• means for obtaining and storing the user's physical information and work activity;
• means for analyzing the user's program to determine energy expended by the user during the exercise session;
• means for determining the energy expended by the user during future exercise sessions;
• means for determining energy expended by the user during activities other than exercise sessions;
• and
• means for analyzing the user's energy consumption and weight information to determine if the user is within acceptable range of a desired weight control plan and informing the user of deviations from said desired weight control plan.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user against a resistance means, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pacing signal for guiding the user throughout a cycle of an exercise at a desired rate;
• sensing performance of the user throughout at least one cycle of an exercise;
• providing a feedback signal indicating the user's current performance rate, said feedback signal being substantially similiar to form to the pacing signal so that said feedback signal and said pacing signal are readily comparable by the user, allowing the user to conform his exercise rate throughout the cycles of the exercise to the rate of the pacing signal
• establishing selected performance criteria;
• automatically adjusting, during the user's performance of the exercise program, resistance applied by the resistance means, said adjustment being made in response to the sensed performance of the user as compared to the selected performance criteria;
• advising the user of the change in resistance;
• and
• providing the user coaching instructions relating to the user's performance in connection with the change in resistance.

A method of determining a future user resistance level for an exercise apparatus having a resistance means, comprising:

• providing a record of selected demographic information of the user;
• selecting a first resistance level based upon the selected demographic information;
• monitoring performance of the user through at least one repetition of an exercise applied against the resistance means set at the first resistance level;
• incrementing the resistance level if the user completes a repetition of the exercise;
• monitoring performance of the user through at least one repetition of an exercise applied against the incremented resistance level;
• and
• determining the incremental resistance level at which the user is unable to perform a repetition of the exercise.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user against a resistance means, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a pacing signal for guiding the user throughout a cycle of an exercise at a desired rate;
• sensing performance of the user throughout at least one cycle of an exercise;
• providing a feedback signal indicating the user's current performance rate, said feedback signal being substantially similiar to form to the pacing signal so that said feedback signal and said pacing signal are readily comparable by the user, allowing the user to conform his exercise rate throughout the cycles of the exercise to the rate of the pacing signal;
• providing a record of prior user performance of the exercise program;
• developing proposed changes to the program based upon the prior performance record, the current performance information and selected demographics of the user;
• and
• communicating the proposed changes to the user.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user against a resistance means, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a record of selected demographic information of the user;
• establishing an initial level of resistance to be applied by the resistance means;
• sensing performance of the user throughout at least one repetition of an exercise;
• and
• automatically adjusting the level of resistance applied by the resistance means based upon the sensed performance of the user and upon the selected demographic information.

A method of automatically defining and controlling an exercise program in an electronically controlled exercise system having a central controller and a plurality of exercise stations which are in communication with the central controller, the method comprising the steps of:

• maintaining in the central controller a record of which of the plurality of exercise stations were used by a user in performing an exercise program;
• comparing in said central controller said record with exercise program information indicating which exercise stations the user should use in his exercise program;
• and
• sending a signal from the central controller to the user advising said user of those exercise stations identified in the exercise program information which were skipped in the user's performance of the exercise program.

A method of automatically defining and controlling an exercise program comprising the steps of:

• enabling a user to perform work against a resistance means;
• monitoring selected user parameters to define user performance of the exercise program;
• storing user prior performance information and selected user demographic information;
• and
• providing a rating of user performance of the exercise program based upon said monitored selected user parameters, user prior performance information, and selected user demographics.

An exercise apparatus, comprising:

• resistance developing means for providing a resistance against which a user applies force;
• means for setting a first resistance of said resistance development means at a defined resistance level and means for thereafter incrementing said resistance;
• and
• means for determining the incremental resistance at which the user is unable to continue to overcome the incremental resistance developed by said resistance developing means.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user against a resistance means of an exercise apparatus in an exercise system having a central controller which communicates with said exercise apparatus, the method comprising the steps:

• enabling a user to perform work against the resistance means;
• monitoring selected paramaters during user performance of exercises;
• evaluating the monitored parameters and developing user performance information in response to the evaluation of the monitored parameters and independent of the central controller;
• receiving signals from the central controller;
• sensing whether communication with the central controller can occur;
• and
• storing the monitored parameters and the user performance information during times when communication with the central controller cannot occur.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user against a resistance means, the method comprising the steps of:

• providing a movement arm adapted to be contacted by a portion of a user's body and to be moved therewith against the resistance means;
• defining user limb extension levels representing amount of extension of the user's limbs, as a function of position of the movement arm;
• monitoring position of the movement arm;
• and
• providing information representing difference between the defined limb extension levels and actual limb extension levels existing during performance of an exercise by the user.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user in conjunction with a movement arm which is adapted to be contacted by a portion of a user's body and to be moved in response to extension of a portion of the user's body, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining an extension range comprising an acceptable range of movement arm positions during a selected portion of a cycle of a given exercise;
• determining whether movement arm position is within the extension range during the selected portion of the exercise cycle;
• and
• advising the user when the movement arm position is not within the extension range during said selected portion of the exercise cycle.

A method of defining extension values for a user of an exercise program in an exercise station having a movement arm adapted to be contacted by a portion of the user's body and to be moved in response to extension of a portion of the user's body, the method comprising steps of:

• positioning the movement arm at a desired starting location;
• instructing the user to move the movement arm as far away from the user's body as possible;
• monitoring movement of the movement arm;
• storing values representative of movement arm position at selected portion of the exercise cycle;
• and
• selecting the stored value corresponding to the movement arm position most distant from the user's body.

A method of defining and controlling an exercise program performed by a user on at least one exercise station having means to communicate program results of the user following a completed exercise session, the method comprising the steps of:

• measuring the user's weight;
• storing the communicated program results for each exercise station, and said user weight;
• obtaining and storing the user's physical information and work activity;
• analyzing the user's exercise program to determine energy expended by the user during an exercise session;
• determining the amount of energy expended by the user during future exercise sessions;
• determining energy expended by the user during activities other than exercise sessions;
• analyzing the user's energy consumption and weight information to determine if the user is within acceptable range of a desired weight control plan;
• and
• informing the user of deviations from said desired weight control plan.

An exercise apparatus, comprising:

• a movement arm adapted to be contacted by a portion of a user's body and to be moved therewith;
• a resistance means coupled to the movement arm so as to apply resistance to the movement arm by the user;
• and
• means for determining user limb full extension limits and representing the limit of full extension of the user's limbs as a function of position of the movement arm.