An exercise device featuring a pair of knee joints, each pivotally coupled to a pair of calf linkages having foot pedals at their opposite lower end that support low impact user-defined natural exercise gait patterns. The knee pivots joints are supported and directed to travel by linkage and/or carriage systems that operate substantially below the user hip area, and direct the knee pivot joints in a variety of travel paths, ranging from having a constant arc, linear pathway, to having a variety of irregular arc shaped paths, as well as, pathways that may change during use. A secondary system coupled to the knee pivot support system, provides lift and dampening forces to influence the responsiveness of the foot pedals via the bending and straightening of the calf linkage about the knee pivot joint, yet do not restrict the back and forth travel of the knee joint.

An exercise device with a pair of upper links coupled to the frame and a pair of lower links pivotally coupled to the upper links is provided. A pair of pedals is received on a distal end of each of the lower links. A transfer system between the pair of upper links may include a first and a second pushrod, each with a first end pivotally coupled to each upper link and a second end opposite to the first end. A first and a second pivot arm, each pivotally coupled to the frame, may be included, each pivot arm receiving a respective pushrod. A pliable connector may be coupled to the first pivot arm and the second pivot arm, thus providing compliant reciprocating movement of the upper links.

An apparatus for converting a cycle-type exercise machine into another type of exercise machine includes a stationary frame structure that attaches to a frame of the cycle-type exercise machine, a pair of swing arms pivotally coupled with the stationary frame structure, and a pair of coupler bars pivotally coupled with the pair of swing arms on one end and rotationally attached to a crank bar of the cycle-type exercise machine on an opposite end.

A hand-foot composite motion exercise machine generally includes a supportive frame, a transmission unit, a crank means, and a pair of linkage units. The exercise machine allows a user to change the configuration of each linkage unit through a raising/lowering device and a displacing device, so as to adjust the motion path of a pedal provided at each linkage unit, and the force required for treading the pedal. In use, while a user steps on the pedals to exercise, each pedal can perform a substantially elliptical closed path, which is ergonomical so that the user can be protected from exercise injury.

A vertical stepping machine includes a frame, a crank wheel connected to the frame, a crank wheel connected to the frame, a pedal beam having a first end and a second end, wherein the first end is in mechanical communication with the crank wheel, a pedal connected to the second end of the pedal beam, a linkage assembly connected to the frame and to the pedal beam, an arm support rotatably connected to the frame, an arm linkage connecting the arm support to the linkage assembly, and a rotary resistance mechanism positioned above the crank wheel when the vertical stepping machine is in an upright orientation. The pedal beam moves in an elliptical path when the crank wheel rotates and the elliptical path has a vertical major axis and a horizontal minor axis when the vertical stepping machine is in an upright position.

An exercise device featuring a pair of knee joints, each pivotally and respectively coupled to a pair of calf linkages, each of the pair of calf linkages having a foot pedal at an opposite lower end that supports low impact user-defined natural exercise gait patterns. The knee joints are supported and directed to travel by linkage and/or carriage systems that operate substantially below a user hip area, and direct the knee joints in a variety of travel paths, ranging from a constant arc, to a linear pathway, to a variety of irregular arc shaped paths, to pathways that may change during use. A secondary system coupled to the linkage and/or carriage systems provides lift and dampening forces to influence a responsiveness of the foot pedals via bending and straightening of the calf linkages about the respective knee joint, yet does not restrict back and forth travel of the respective knee joint.

An exercise device for performing a variety of movement patterns. The exercise device has a pair of linkages, each including an upper link pivotally mounted to a frame and a lower link pivotally coupled to an upper link. A foot support is provided on a distal end of each lower link. A compression link interconnects the lower link to the frame. The compression link includes a shaft coupled to the lower link, a sleeve coupled to the frame and a spring captured between the shaft and the sleeve, whereby the spring provides a resistance to movement of the lower link relative to the frame.

An apparatus for converting a cycle-type exercise machine into another type of exercise machine includes a stationary frame structure that attaches to a frame of the cycle-type exercise machine, a pair of swing arms pivotally coupled with the stationary frame structure, and a pair of coupler bars pivotally coupled with the pair of swing arms on one end and rotationally attached to a crank bar of the cycle-type exercise machine on an opposite end.

A body exerciser includes two linking units each including a pedal rod which is suspended by a handle rod and a linking rod to be moved in a forward-and-rearward direction and in an upward-and-downward direction, and which is subjected to a resistance by a first resisting unit. The handle rod is swingable and subjected to a resistance by a second resisting unit, so that a variety of exercising modes selected by a user can be performed.

An elliptical exercise machine includes a resisting unit disposed at a front of a frame unit and having two cranks and a resisting member rotatable synchronously, two linking units each having a handle rod, an adjusting rod, a pedal rod, a swing rod, a first linking rod, a second linking rod and a third linking rod such that the pedal rod is suspended by the handle rod and the third linking rod to move along an elliptical route, and an adjusting unit having an adjusting tube which is pivotably connected to the adjusting rod and which is shiftable to adjust the position of the adjusting rod so as to adjust the elliptical route and the span between foot pedals on the pedal rods.