Ergonomic pull handle and associated exercise methods
A pull handle that is ergonomically designed to avoid unnatural stresses on the user's body and joints through the range of motion. The invention enables a user to perform exercises that cannot be accomplished with existing handles or may be more difficult to do so. These objects are achieved by providing one or more axes of rotation or flexibility in the pull handle so that the user's hand, write and/or arm, or foot, ankle and/or leg, may bend and/or rotate more naturally through the user's range of motion.
1. A pull handle for performing exercise, comprising:
a curved member including a groove;
a hand grip rotatably coupled to the curved member; and
a bracket that is separate from the hand grip and that is moveably coupled to the curved member so that the bracket travels along the groove.
2. The pull handle of claim 1 , wherein the hand grip includes a bore through which a rod having first and second ends extends, and the first and second ends are coupled to the curved member.
3. A pull handle for performing exercise, comprising:
a curved member including a groove;
a hand grip rotatably coupled to the curved member; and
a bracket moveably coupled to the curved member so that the bracket travels along the groove, wherein the bracket includes a wheel that travels along the groove.
4. The pull handle of claim 3 , wherein the groove is C-shaped.
5. The pull handle of claim 3 , wherein the wheel travels the length of the groove.
6. The pull handle of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a block of smooth material that travels along the groove.
7. The pull handle of claim 1 , wherein the bracket includes a device to attach to a cable.
8. The pull handle of claim 1 , wherein the bracket is rotatable about an axis.
9. The pull handle of claim 8 , wherein the pull handle provides three degrees of movement.
10. The pull handle of claim 1 , wherein the curved member includes two removable potions that each include a bore, and wherein the hand grip includes a rod having ends that protrude beyond the ends of the hand grip and that engage the bores.
11. A pull handle for performing exercise, comprising:
a curved member;
a hand grip rotatably coupled to the curved member thereby providing a first degree of movement; and
a bracket slidably mounted to the curved member thereby providing a second degree of movement, wherein the bracket is configured to rotate about its axis thereby providing a third degree of movement.
12. The pull handle of claim 11 , wherein the hand grip includes a rod coupled to the curved member and the hand grip rotates about the rod.
13. The pull handle of claim 11 , wherein the curved member includes a groove, and the bracket includes a wheel that travels along the groove.
14. The pull handle of claim 11 , wherein the groove is C-shaped.
15. The pull handle of claim 11 , wherein the bracket includes a device to attach to a cable.
16. The pull handle of claim 15 , where the device is located along the axis of the curved member.
17. The pull handle of claim 13 , wherein the wheel travels the length of the groove.
18. A pull handle comprising:
a curved member including a groove;
a hand grip rotatably coupled to the curved member; and
a bracket including a wheel that travels along the groove and a device to connect a cable or resistance, and wherein the bracket is rotatable about an axis.
19. The pull handle of claim 18 , wherein the pull handle is connected to an exercise apparatus.
20. The pull handle of claim 18 , wherein the pull handle is connected to a lawn mower.