EXERCISE BLOCKS

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

N/A

BACKGROUND

Exercise blocks may be used while performing certain exercises. For example, yoga blocks are props that may be used while performing yoga. Exercise blocks, such as yoga blocks, may facilitate certain poses, provide support, or add difficulty to an exercise.

BRIEF SUMMARY

The present invention extends to exercise blocks that may be used as props while performing exercises such as yoga. An exercise block can include a stepped configuration formed by a number of steps that extend from a front and bottom of the exercise block to a top and back of the exercise block. The stepped configuration can facilitate performing a variety of exercises and/or varying a difficulty of an exercise. An exercise block may also include ribs across a back of the exercise block.

In some embodiments, an exercise block configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention may include a top, a bottom, a front, a back, and a plurality of steps that extend from the front to the top.

In some embodiments, each step may have an upward-facing surface and a frontward-facing surface.

In some embodiments, the top may form the upward-facing surface of a top step of the plurality of steps.

In some embodiments, the front may form a frontward-facing surface of a bottom step of the plurality of steps.

In some embodiments, each of the upward-facing surfaces may be parallel.

In some embodiments, each of the frontward-facing surfaces may be parallel.

In some embodiments, the upward-facing surface of at least one of the steps may be a different depth.

In some embodiments, the upward-facing surface of a top step of the plurality of steps may have a depth that is greater than the upward-facing surfaces of the other steps.

In some embodiments, a frontward-facing surface of at least one of the steps may have a different height.

In some embodiments, the frontward-facing surface of a bottom step of the plurality of steps may have a height that is greater than the frontward-facing surfaces of the other steps.

In some embodiments, the plurality of steps may include a top step, a bottom step, and one or more intermediate steps between the top step and the bottom step.

In some embodiments, the top step may have a greater depth than the bottom step and the one or more intermediate steps.

In some embodiments, the bottom step may have a greater height than the top step and the one or more intermediate steps.

In some embodiments, the exercise block may also include ribs on the back.

In some embodiments, the ribs may extend across a width of the back.

In some embodiments, the exercise block may include a second plurality of steps that extend from the back to the top.

In some embodiments, an exercise block configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention may include a bottom step formed at a front and bottom of the exercise block, a top stop formed at a top and back of the exercise block, and one or more intermediate steps between the bottom step and the top step.

In some embodiments, each of the bottom step, the top step, and the one or more intermediate steps may include a frontward-facing surface and an upward-facing surface.

In some embodiments, the exercise block may include ribs formed on the back of the exercise block.

In some embodiments, an exercise block configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention may include a plurality of steps extending from a front and bottom of the exercise block to a top and back of the exercise block and ribs formed on the back of the exercise block.

This summary is provided to introduce a selection of concepts in a simplified form that are further described below in the Detailed Description. This Summary is not intended to identify key features or essential features of the claimed subject matter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front perspective view of an exercise block that is configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a side perspective view of the exercise block of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side and front views of the exercise block of FIG. 1;

FIGS. 4A-4C are perspective, side and front views respectively of another exercise block that is configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention; and

FIG. 5 is a side view of another exercise block that is configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the context of this specification, the term “exercise block” is intended to encompass any prop that is used to perform exercises. A yoga block is one example of an exercise block. However, exercise blocks configured in accordance with embodiments of the present invention could be used during a wide variety of exercises. In the specification and the claims, the term “approximately” should be construed as encompassing a range within 10% of the stated value.

FIGS. 1 and 2, which are front perspective and side perspective views respectively, provide an example of an exercise block 100 that is configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention. Exercise block 100 has a top 101, a bottom 102, opposing sides 103, a front 104, and a back 105. In the depicted embodiment, bottom 102, sides 103, and back 105 are generally flat, however, other shapes or configurations could be used.

Front 104 is configured to have a number of steps 110. For example, in the depicted embodiment, exercise block 100 include seven steps 110 where top 101 also forms a step 110. Each step 110 includes an upward-facing surface 111 and a frontward-facing surface 112. In the depicted embodiments, upward-facing surfaces 111 are perpendicular to frontward-facing surfaces 112. However, in other embodiments, some or all of upward-facing surfaces 111 and frontward-facing surfaces 112 could be oriented at non-perpendicular angles relative to one another. For example, upward-facing surfaces 111 could be sloped frontward or rearward and/or frontward-facing surfaces 112 could be angled upwardly or downwardly. In some embodiments, edges 113 of steps 110 may be chamfered.

In the depicted embodiments, the five middle steps 110 have the same size, whereas the top step 110, which corresponds with top 101, has a greater depth (where the depth is the distance between the front and rear of the step) and the bottom step, which corresponds with front 104, has a lesser height. However, steps 110 could be configured in any reasonable size. For example, each of steps 110 could have a different depth and/or height. As another example, steps 110 could have alternating depths and/or heights. In some embodiments, steps 110 could also be formed on back 105 (e.g., exercise block 100 could have a symmetrical arrangement of steps 110).

FIGS. 3A and 3B are side and front views of exercise block 100 as depicted in FIGS. 1 and 2 and provide an example of possible dimensions that may be used in one or more embodiments. As shown, the height of exercise block 100 (where the height is the distance between top 101 and bottom 102) may be approximately 5.9 inches, the depth of exercise block (where the depth is the distance between front 104 and back 105) may be approximately 9.0 inches, and the width of exercise block (where the width is the distance between opposing sides 103) may be approximately 28 inches. Each of the middle steps 110 may have a height of approximately 0.75 inches (where the height is the distance between the respective upward-facing surfaces 111) and may have a depth of approximately 1.0 inches (where the depth is the distance between the respective frontward-facing surfaces 112). The top step 110 may have a height of approximately 0.75 inches and a depth of approximately 3.0 inches. The bottom step 110 may have a height of approximately 1.25 inches and a depth of approximately 1.0 inches. In other words, in the depicted embodiments, the bottom step 110 may be taller than the other steps 110 and the top step 110 may be deeper than the other steps 110.

FIGS. 4A-4C are front perspective, side and front views respectively of another exercise block 100. In this example, exercise block 100 is configured in the same manner as previously described but has a width of approximately 9.8 inches. Accordingly, these figures represent that exercise block 100 can have a variety of width.

FIG. 5 is a side view of another exercise block 100. In this example, exercise block 100 is configured in the same manner as previously described but also includes ribs 500 on back 105. In the depicted embodiments, ribs 500 generally correspond with steps 110 (e.g., there are seven ribs 500 that generally align with steps 110). However, any number of ribs 500 could be formed on back 500. In some embodiments, ribs 500 may extend along the full width of back 500 and may run parallel to one another. In other embodiments, at least some of ribs 500 may extend along less than the full width of back 500. In some embodiments, ribs 500 may have the same size and shape. In other embodiments, ribs 500 could have different sizes and/or shapes and/or may be spaced at different distances from one another. In some embodiments, multiple sets of ribs 500 may be formed on back 105. For example, a first set of ribs 500 may extend across half of the width of back 105 and a second set of ribs 500 may extend across the other half of the width of back 105. In such embodiments, the first set of ribs 500 could have different shapes, sizes, spacing, etc. from the second set of ribs 500. Also, in such embodiments, the number of ribs 500 in the first and second sets could be different (e.g., seven ribs 500 extending across half of back 105 and five ribs 500 extending across the other half). In some embodiments, ribs 500 could also be formed on one or both of sides 103 and could have any of the described configurations.

Exercise blocks configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention may be used for any type of exercise such as for fitness, yoga, rehabilitation, etc. The stepped configured of the exercise blocks can enhance the ability to perform exercises for injury prevention and management, posture alignment, or any other purpose. For example, the stepped configuration provides a number of height options within the same exercise block. Exercise blocks configured in accordance with one or more embodiments of the present invention may be formed of foam, cork, wood, plastic, rubber, or any other suitable material.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description.