Proform Fitness Products, Inc.

Michael Burk

William T Dalebout

Scott R Watterson

George B Bersonnet

Kelly Boren

A stepping exercise apparatus with a motivational display is disclosed. The apparatus has a computer linked with the display and programmed to generate a pair of icons. One icon (the pace icon) represents a fictitious competitor exercising at a target pace, and the other icon (the user icon) represents the user. When the user exercises more slowly or more quickly than the target pace, the user icon moves behind or ahead of the pace icon, respectively. The computer is programmed to accept a user-selected target pace. Thus the user is motivated to improve his performance by competing against the pace icon. The display also contains a progress display indicating to the user his progress toward a target distance.

Exercise machine with motivational display

A computerized exercise cycle is disclosed. The exercise cycle presents an exercise structure having a pair of pedals operable by a user against resistance provided by an adjustable resistance means. The resistance means is controlled by a computer which can be programmed by a user in a user-selected program of intensities to thus vary the resistance intensity over a programmed time duration. The exercise cycle is programmed to display an imaginary speed, a relative resistance level, a time counter or a countdown from a set time, a distance traveled, or a countdown from a set distance, and revolutions per minute. The computer also allows the user to select a target pulse value. The computer automatically adjusts the resistance to cause the user's pulse to approach the selected target pulse. The computerized cycle also allows the user to input background information such as weight, age and sex and to provide Caloric use information based on this background information, resistance values, and RPM's pedaled.

Computerized exercise machine

An exercise apparatus with a control mechanism is disclosed. The control mechanism is linked to a bank of horizontally arranged slide potentiometers, which act as user-movable indicators. The user can move these indicators up and down to indicate an ordered set of relative difficulty values. The exercise apparatus, such as a treadmill, is provided with a control mechanism to control the difficulty of the exercise engaged by the user on the exercise apparatus in relative difficulties corresponding to the ordered set of relative values selected. The exercise apparatus is adapted to engage in this ordered set during a chronological set of program steps.

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Logan, UT, United States of America

Michael Burk