Strengthening and rehabilitation exercise apparatus

1. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a stationary frame having left (L) and right (R) sides;

separate L and R rotary shafts separately supported by the L and R sides of the stationary frame, respectively,

wherein the rotary shafts jointly define a first collinear, horizontal axis between the L and R sides of the stationary frame;

an exercise frame including an upper frame and a lower frame,

wherein the upper frame is configured to support an upper body portion and is supported at its L and R sides by the L and R rotary shafts at the first axis and is configured for independent rotation about the rotary shafts,

wherein the lower frame is configured to support a lower body portion and is supported at its L and R sides by the L and R rotary shafts at the first axis and is configured for independent rotation about the rotary shafts, one of the upper and lower frames being fixable at a specified position as the other of the upper and lower frames is movable from the specified position, and

wherein the lower frame comprises a calf rest configured for independent back-and-forth swinging motion, the calf rest defining lower body support regions being conformable to portions of the lower body of a user and extending to a terminal portion of the lower frame, and

an exercise resistance controller including,

a resistance controller lever configured for rotary motion about the rotary shafts and rotationally linked to the upper frame, and

a weight mechanism comprising a weight configured for radial back-and-forth motion along the resistance controller lever in order to provide a greater or lesser degree of gravitational offset to rotation of the upper frame about the rotary shafts.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the weight is positioned along the resistance controller lever for substantially effortless movement of said upper frame.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the exercise resistance controller further comprises:

a brake wheel rotating about at least one of the rotary shafts and coupled to at least one of the upper frame or the lower frame; and

an electromagnetic brake coupled to the brake wheel for providing exercise torque to at least one of the upper and lower frames.

4. The apparatus of claim 3 wherein the exercise resistance controller further comprises:

a rotary roller; and

a belt engaging the rotary roller, wherein the belt links the upper frame to the resistance controller lever so that the upper frame and the resistance controller lever rotate in opposite directions.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus further comprises:

a pin; and

a pin recess in at least one of the upper or lower frames such that when the pin is positioned in the pin recess, that frame having the pin recess is prevented from rotation about the first axis.

6. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper frame comprises a chest rest, a neck rest, arm rests and a head rest.

7. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the lower frame further comprises an inguinal region rest and a pelvic region rest.

8. The apparatus of claim 7 , wherein the calf rest is supported by a four-axis link for the back-and-forth swinging motion.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the upper and lower frames have upper and lower portions, wherein the upper frame is supported along its lower portion by the rotary shafts and wherein the lower frame is supported along its upper portion by the rotary shafts.

10. An exercise apparatus comprising:

a stationary frame having left (L) and right (R) sides;

separate L and R rotary shafts separately supported by the L and R sides of the stationary frame, respectively,

wherein the rotary shafts jointly define a first collinear, horizontal axis between the L and R sides of the stationary frame;

an exercise frame including an upper frame and a lower frame,

wherein the upper frame is configured to support an upper body portion and is supported at its L and R sides by the L and R rotary shafts at the first axis and is configured for independent rotation about the rotary shafts,

wherein the lower frame is configured to support a lower body portion and is supported at its L and R sides by the L and R rotary shafts at the first axis and is configured for independent rotation about the rotary shafts, one of the upper and lower frames being fixable at a specified position as the other of the upper and lower frames is movable from the specified position, and

wherein the lower frame comprises a calf rest configured for independent back-and-forth swinging motion, the calf rest defining lower body support regions being conformable to portions of the lower body of a user and extending to a terminal portion of the lower frame, the calf rest being supported by a four-axis link for the back-and-forth swinging motion, and

wherein the four-axis link comprises:

L and R inguinal exercise levers, wherein the L and R inguinal exercise levers rotate in parallel about the L and R rotary shafts, and about L and R first hinge shafts which directly support the lower portion of the calf rest;

L and R rear levers, wherein the L and R rear levers rotate in parallel about L and R third hinge shafts which are supported by the stationary frame, and about L and R second hinge shafts which directly support the upper portion of the calf rest;

the L and R rotary shafts; and

the L and R first, second and third hinge shafts.

11. The apparatus of claim 10 wherein each pair of L and R first, second and third hinge shafts respectively and jointly define a separate, collinear and horizontal axis between the L and R sides of the stationary frame.

12. The apparatus of claim 11 wherein at least one inguinal exercise lever further comprises:

a plurality of connection members linking the inguinal exercise lever to the upper portion of the calf rest; and

at least one motor for adjusting the position of the connection members,

wherein the position of the calf rest is adjusted so as to set the length of support for an inguinal body portion.