Upper body exercise machine

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame, said user support being located along a centrally located line of the exercise machine;
• a pair of handles supported by said frame;
• guide means for permitting each of said handles to move in an exercise direction and constraining movement of each of said handles to within a non-circular arcuate path lying in a plane, said arcuate path having a first position laterally displaced from said central line of the exercise machine and curving inwardly toward said central line as said handle is moved in said exercise direction, to a second position substantially away from said first position and inward of said first position toward said central line;
• and
• means for resisting movement of said handles in said exercise direction.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame, said user support being located along a centrally located line of the exercise machine;
• a pair of first arms, each said first arm including a handle portion;
• a pair of second arms, each said second arm being pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said first arms and to said frame;
• a pair of guides, each of said guides engaging a corresponding one of said first arms to permit pivotal movement of said corresponding first arm relative to said second arm to which coupled as said handle portion of said corresponding first arm moves in an exercise direction and to limit movement of said corresponding first arm and thereby constrain movement of said handle portion thereof to within a non-circular arcuate path lying in a plane, said arcuate path having a first position laterally displaced from said central line of the exercise machine and curving inwardly toward said central line as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, to a second position substantially away from said first position and inward of said first position toward said central line;
• and
• a resistance member coupled to resist movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame, said user support being located along a midportion of the exercise machine;
• a pair of arms, each said arm including a handle portion;
• a pair of guides coupled to said frame, each said guide engaging a corresponding one of said arms to guide movement of said corresponding arm relative to said frame as said handle portion thereof moves in an exercise direction, each said guide limiting movement of said corresponding arm such that said handle portion thereof is constrained to move within a non-circular arcuate path as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, with said arcuate path having a first position laterally displaced from said midportion of the exercise machine and curving inwardly toward said midportion as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, to a second position substantially away from said first position and inward of said first position toward said midportion;
• and
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame, said user support being located along a midportion of the exercise machine;
• a pair of arms, each said arm including a handle portion;
• a pair of guides coupled to said frame, each said guide engaging a corresponding one of said arms to guide movement of said corresponding arm relative to said frame as said handle portion thereof moves in an exercise direction, each said guide limiting movement of said corresponding arm such that said handle portion thereof is constrained to move within a non-circular arcuate path as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, with said arcuate path having a first position laterally displaced from said midportion of the exercise machine and curving inwardly toward said midportion as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, to a second position substantially away from said first position and inward of said first position toward said midportion;
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction;
• and
• wherein said arcuate paths of movement of said handle portions are symmetrical about said midportion of the exercise machine.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame and located along a midportion of the exercise machine;
• a pair of first arms, each of said first arm including a handle portion to be grasped by a hand of the user;
• a pair of second arms, each said second arm being pivotally coupled to a corresponding one of said first arms and to said frame for pivotal movement of said second arm and said corresponding first arm through parallel planes of movement, each said second arm and said corresponding first arm being coupled to said frame and each other to permit movement by the user of said handle portion thereof within a non-circular arcuate path lying in a plane as said handle portion is moved by the user in an exercise direction, with said arcuate path having positions therealong with differing lateral displacement from said midportion of the exercise machine;
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction;
• and
• wherein each of said second arms and said corresponding first arm are independently movable relative to the other of said second arms and said corresponding first arm.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame;
• left and right outboard arms, each said outboard arm including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said left outboard arm including a left handle portion and said first end portion of said right outboard arm including a right handle portion;
• left and right transverse arms, each said transverse arm including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said left transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said second end portion of said left outboard arm by a left side first pivot members and said first end portion of said right transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said second end portion of said right outboard arm by a right side first pivot member, said second end portion of said left transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said frame by a left side second pivot member and said second end portion of said right transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said frame by a right side second pivot member, said left side first and second pivot members being oriented to pivot said left transverse arm relative to said frame and said left outboard arm relative to said left transverse arm through laterally extending non-vertical parallel planes, and said right side first and second pivot members being oriented to pivot said right transverse arm relative to said frame and said right outboard arm relative to said right transverse arm through laterally extending non-vertical parallel planes, to permit movement of said left handle portion by the user within a left handle portion non-circular arcuate path lying in a laterally extending plane as said left handle portion is moved in an exercise direction by the user, and to permit movement of said right handle portion by the user within a right handle portion non-circular arcuate path lying in a laterally extending plane as said right handle portion is moved in said exercise direction by the user;
• and
• a resistance membert operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame,
• left and right outboard arms, each said outboard arm including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said left outboard arm including a left handle portion and said first end portion of said right outboard arm including a right handle portion;
• left and right transverse arms, each said transverse arm including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said left transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said second end portion of said left outboard arm by a left side first pivot member and said first end portion of said right transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said second end portion of said right outboard arm by a right side first pivot member, said second end portion of said left transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said frame by a left side second pivot member and said second end portion of said right transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said frame by a right side second pivot member, said left side first and second pivot members being oriented to pivot said left transverse arm relative to said frame and said left outboard arm relative to said left transverse arm through laterally extending parallel planes, and said right side first and second pivot members being oriented to pivot said right transverse arm relative to said frame and said right outboard arm relative to said right transverse arm through laterally extending parallel planes, to permit movement of said left handle portion by the user within a left handle portion non-circular arcuate path lying in a laterally extending plane as said left handle portion is moved in an exercise direction by the user, and to permit movement of said right handle portion by the user within a right handle portion non-circular arcuate path lying in a laterally extending plane as said right handle portion is moved in said exercise direction by the user;
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction;
• and
• wherein said left outboard and transverse arms and said right outboard and transverse arms are independently pivotable relative to the other.

An exercise machine for use by an operator comprising:

• a frame;
• a pair of operable members, each of said operable members including a grip portion oriented to each side of an operator position, the grip portions adapted to be grasped by a respective hand of the operator for movement by the operator in an exercise direction, said operable members being movably coupled to said frame such that said grip portions thereof are constrained to move within respective ones of a pair of arcuate paths having a first end limit laterally spaced apart from the operator position and a second end limit substantially less laterally spaced apart and more distant from the operator position with respect to the first end limit, each of said arcuate paths extending between said first and second end limits and curving, concave with respect to the operator position, and each of said arcuate paths further having a path shape such that movement of a respective one of said grip portions along said arcuate path from said first end limit to said second end limit results in said grip portion moving a larger distance in said exercise direction than in a laterally inward distance;
• and
• a resistance member arranged to resist movement of the operable members in said exercise direction.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame with a position for the user along a midportion of the exercise machine;
• a pair of arms, each said arm including a handle portion;
• a pair of guides coupled to said frame, each said guide engaging a corresponding one of said arms to guide movement of said corresponding arm relative to said frame as said handle portion thereof moves in an exercise direction, each said guide limiting movement of said corresponding arm such that said handle portion thereof is constrained to move within a non-circular arcuate path having a first end limit laterally displaced from said midportion of the exercise machine and a second end limit laterally inward of said first end limit toward said midportion of the exercise machine as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, each of said arcuate paths extending between said first and second end limits and curving, concave with respect to said midportion of the exercise machine, and each of said arcuate paths further having a path shape such that movement of said handle portion along said arcuate path from said first end limit to said second end limit results in said handle portion moving a larger distance in said exercise direction than in a laterally inward distance toward said midportion of the exercise machine;
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame with a position for the user along a midportion of the exercise machine;
• a pair of arms, each said arm including a handle portion,
• a pair of guides coupled to said frame, each said guide engaging a corresponding one of said arms to guide movement of said corresponding arm relative to said frame as said handle portion thereof moves in an exercise direction, each said guide limiting movement of said corresponding arm such that said handle portion thereof is constrained to move within a non-circular arcuate path having a first end limit laterally displaced from said midportion of the exercise machine and a second end limit laterally inward of said first end limit toward said midportion of the exercise machine as said handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, each of said arcuate paths extending between said first and second end limits and curving, concave with respect to said midportion of the exercise machine, and each of said arcuate paths further having a path shape such that movement of said handle portion along said arcuate path from said first end limit to said second end limit results in said handle portion moving a larger distance in said exercise direction than in a laterally inward distance toward said midportion of the exercise machine;
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction;
• and
• wherein said arcuate paths of movement of said handle portions are symmetrical about said midportion of the exercise machine.

An exercise machine for a user, comprising:

• a frame;
• a user support mounted to the frame;
• left and right outboard arms, each said outboard arm including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said left outboard arm including a left handle portion and said first end portion of said right outboard arm including a right handle portion;
• left and right transverse arms, each said transverse arm including a first end portion and a second end portion, said first end portion of said left transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said second end portion of said left outboard arm by a left side first pivot member and said first end portion of said right transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said second end portion of said right outboard arm by a right side first pivot member, said second end portion of said left transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said frame by a left side second pivot member and said second end portion of said right transverse arm being pivotally coupled to said frame by a right side second pivot member, said left side first and second pivot members being oriented to pivot said left transverse arm relative to said frame and said left outboard arm relative to said left transverse arm through laterally extending parallel planes, and said right side first and second pivot members being oriented to pivot said right transverse arm relative to said frame and said right outboard arm relative to said right transverse arm through laterally extending parallel planes, to permit movement of said left handle portion by the user within a left handle portion non-circular arcuate path lying in a laterally extending plane as said left handle portion is moved in an exercise direction by the user, and to permit movement of said right handle portion by the user within a right handle portion non-circular arcuate path lying in a laterally extending plane as said right handle portion is moved in said exercise direction by the user;
• a resistance member operatively coupled to and resisting movement of said handle portions in said exercise direction;
• and
• further including left and right guide members, said left guide member engaging said left outboard arm to limit movement of said left outboard arm such that said left handle portion is constrained to move along said left handle portion path from a left side first position laterally displaced from a centrally located line of the exercise machine and curving inwardly toward said central line as said left handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, to a left side second position substantially away from said left side first position and inward of said left side first position toward said central line, and said right guide member engaging said right outboard arm to limit movement of said right outboard arm such that said right handle portion is constrained to move along said right handle portion path from a right side first position laterally displaced from said central line and curving inwardly toward said central line as said right handle portion is moved in said exercise direction, to a right side second position substantially away from said right side first position and inward of said right side first position toward said central line.