Plate-loaded shoulder press exercise machine and method of exercise

An apparatus for exercising the muscles of the upper torso of a user comprising:

• a frame;
• a primary hinge mounted to the frame;
• a left secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge at a first selected orientation;
• a left arm mounted to the left secondary hinge;
• a left weight means mounted to the left arm;
• a right secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge at a second selected orientation, said second selected orientation being differently oriented from said first selected orientation;
• a right arm mounted to the right secondary hinge;
• and
• a right weight means mounted to the right arm.

An apparatus for exercising the muscles of the torso of a user by resisting displacement of the user's limb comprising:

• a frame;
• means for engaging the user's limb such that displacement of the user's limb causes displacement of the engagement means;
• means for mounting the engagement means to the frame for rotation about at least two axes, said at least two axes being skew in relation to one another so as to provide a lateral resistance component to the displacement of the engagement means;
• and
• a weight mounted to the engagement means.

An apparatus for exercising muscles of a user comprising:

• a frame;
• a primary hinge mounted to the frame;
• a secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge in a skew orientation;
• an arm mounted to the secondary hinge;
• a handle mounted to the arm distal to the secondary hinge;
• and
• means for resisting the displacement of the handle, said resisting means being mounted to the arm.

An apparatus for exercising the muscles of the upper torso of a user comprising:

• a frame having a front end and a rear end;
• a seat mounted to the frame at the front end;
• a backrest mounted to the front end of the frame and disposed above and in back of the seat;
• a primary hinge mounted to the frame and disposed above the seat which primary hinge has a primary axis of rotation;
• a secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge which secondary hinge has a secondary axis of rotation, said secondary axis of rotation being skew to said primary axis of rotation;
• an arm mounted to the secondary hinge wherein the arm is displaceable from an initial position;
• a handle mounted to the arm distal to the secondary hinge such that the handle is disposed in front of the backrest when the arm is in the initial position;
• and
• means mounted to the arm for resisting the displacement of the arm.

An apparatus for performing a shoulder press comprising:

• a frame having a front end and a rear end;
• a seat mounted to the front end of the frame;
• a backrest mounted to the frame and disposed above the seat;
• a primary bearing tube rotatably mounted to the frame which primary bearing tube is rotatable about a primary axis and disposed above the seat;
• a bracket rigidly mounted to the primary bearing tube;
• a secondary bearing tube rotatably mounted to the bracket which secondary bearing tube is rotatable about a secondary axis wherein the primary axis and the secondary axis are skew;
• an arm rigidly mounted to the secondary bearing tube;
• a handle mounted to the arm distal to the secondary bearing tube and positioned in front of the backrest and directly above the seat;
• and
• a post mounted to the arm proximal to the handle for mounting weight plates.

An apparatus for exercising the muscles of the upper torso of a user comprising:

• a frame;
• a primary hinge mounted to the frame;
• a left secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge in a skew orientation;
• a left arm mounted to the left secondary hinge;
• a left weight means mounted to the left arm;
• a right secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge in a skew orientation;
• a right arm mounted to the right secondary hinge;
• and
• a right weight means mounted to the right arm.

A method of exercising a user's muscles with a machine in which resistance is provided to the lateral movement and the longitudinal movement of an input mechanism, the method comprising the steps of:

• mounting a weight on the input mechanism to resist displacement;
• engaging a body part of the user to the input mechanism;
• displacing the input mechanism including selecting the lateral movement and the longitudinal movement of the input mechanism so as to rotate said input mechanism about at least two axes, wherein said at least two axes are skew in relation to one another, and overcoming the weight;
• and
• displacing the input mechanism while succumbing to the weight.

A method for exercising muscles of the upper torso of a user with an apparatus having a primary hinge mounted to a frame, a secondary hinge mounted to the primary hinge in a skew orientation, an arm mounted to the secondary hinge, and a handle mounted to the arm distal to the secondary hinge, the method comprising:

• mounting a selected amount of weight to the arm;
• grasping the handle;
• pressing the handle upward;
• selecting a path of handle motion having a lateral motion component and a longitudinal motion component;
• rotating the primary hinge;
• and
• overcoming the selected amount of weight over the path of the handle motion.