Weight-balanced exercise apparatuses and methods of using same
A weight-balanced apparatus, comprising: a main body shaped substantially like a hollow sphere with spherical caps removed in a same central axis of the body to create two opposing openings sized to account for the natural motion of a user's arm during exercise and where the main body is balanced in each of at least three dimensions from a center point of the sphere, wherein each of the two opposing openings have a continuous, rotationally symmetric beveled edge around the opening; and, a hand hold traversing centrally through the hollow of the spherical main body through the center point and transverse to the central axis.
1. A weight-balanced apparatus, comprising:
a main body shaped substantially like a hollow sphere with spherical caps removed in a same central axis of the body to create two opposing openings sized to account for a natural motion of a user's arm during exercise and where the main body is balanced in each of at least three dimensions from a center point of the sphere,
wherein each of the two opposing openings have a continuous, rotationally symmetric, beveled, upper edge around the opening; and
a hand hold traversing centrally through the hollow of the spherical main body through the center point and transverse to the central axis
wherein a ratio of the outer diameter squared to the height of the apparatus is under 21 and wherein a ratio of the weight to the square of the outer diameter times the height is under 0.08.
2. The apparatus according to claim 1 , having a height between 5 inches and 10 inches, an outer diameter of 7 inches to 11 inches, and a weight of 5 lbs to 200 lbs.
3. The apparatus according to claim 2 , having a height of 5.786 inches, an outer diameter of 7.5 inches and a weight of 201b.
4. The apparatus according to claim 2 , having a height of 7.006 inches, an outer diameter of 8.5 inches and a weight of 351b.
5. The apparatus according to claim 2 , having a height of 8.198 inches, an outer diameter of 9.5 inches and a weight of 501b.
6. The apparatus according to claim 2 , having a height of 9.365 inches, an outer diameter of 10.5 inches and a weight of 701b.
7. The apparatus according to claim 2 , where the hand hold is 1.0 to 2.5 inches in maximum diameter.
8. The apparatus according to claim 7 , where the hand hold is 1.2 to 1.5 inches in maximum diameter.
9. The apparatus according to claim 1 , where the openings have a diameter of 4 inches to 5 inches.
10. The apparatus according to claim 1 , where the hand hold has a circular cross-section.
11. The apparatus according to claim 1 , where the hand hold has an oblong cross-section.
12. The apparatus according to claim 1 , where the hand hold has an ovoid cross-section.
13. The apparatus according to claim 1 , where the weight-balanced apparatus is of unitary construction.
14. The apparatus according to claim 13 , manufactured by casting or injection moulding.
15. The apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising a strap interface disposed on the apparatus for enabling pulley exercise with the apparatus.
16. A method of using a weight-balanced apparatus, comprising:
inserting at least one hand into a main body shaped substantially like a hollow sphere with spherical caps removed in a same central axis of the body to create two opposing openings sized to account for a natural motion of a user's arm during exercise and where the main body is balanced in each of at least three dimensions from a center point of the sphere, wherein each of the two opposing openings have a continuous, rotationally symmetric, beveled, upper edge around the opening, wherein a ratio of the outer diameter squared to the height of the apparatus is under 21, and wherein a ratio of the weight to the square of the outer diameter times the height is under 0.08;
grabbing a hand hold traversing centrally through the hollow of the spherical main body through the center point and transverse to the central axis; and
exercising by maneuvering the apparatus using the hand hold as a contact point between a user and the apparatus.
17. The method according to claim 16 , wherein inserting includes inserting a first hand into a first opening and inserting a second hand into a second opening such that exercising is performed with the first hand and the second hand holding the hand hold.
18. The method according to claim 16 , further comprising stacking a plurality of apparatuses and exercising using the plurality of apparatuses simultaneously.