Hydraulic exercise apparatus

A hydraulic exercise apparatus comprising:

• a support member having a longitudinal support member axis;
• a carrier mounted upon said support member and having a carrier axis parallel to said support member axis;
• first and second lever members pivotally attached to said carrier at a first and second hinge point, respectively, said first and second hinge points separated by a distance along said carrier axis, said first and second lever members extending outwardly away from said carrier to a first and second free distal end, respectively, and having a first and second longitudinal lever member axis, respectively, such that said first and second lever member axes are pivotable in a common plane;
• first and second stop members rigidly attached to said carrier and extending outwardly away from said carrier to confine said first and second lever members therebetween and limit pivotal movement of said first and second lever member, respectively, away from the other lever member;
• a hydraulic resistance member having a first end portion and a second end portion defining a longitudinal resistance member axis, said first and second end portions movable toward one another along said axis when so urged by a force greater than a pre-selected force, said first end portion pivotally attached to said first lever member at a point lying between said first hinge point and said first free distal end, and said second end portion pivotally attached to said second lever member at a point lying between said second hinge point and said second free distal end;
• and,
• a biasing member having a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion attached to said first lever member and said second end portion attached to said second lever member to resiliently bias said first and second lever members away from one another.