Copyright © Françoise Herrmann
To sculpt your body, Tonal offers intelligent resistance training, also called weight lifting, right in your living room. Using a smart wall mirror, equipped with all the weight lifting apparatus of a gym in two mobile arms and legs that tuck away when idle, Tonal will provide customized resistance training programs. Programs that adjust to the user’s goals, as well as respond on the spot to the user’s performance, while also supplying the user with maximum control. The Tonal system is smarter than a gym, because it offers the precision of digital control on the resistance/tension applied to muscles during workouts.
The Youtube video below introduces the Tonal Smart Home Gym, in use for resistance training.
Beyond the amount of tension/resistance applied to muscles, as well as the path and direction of movement, strength training also depends on such variables as the number of repetitions, the tempo/speed of the repetitions and the amount of time between each repetition. Finally, tension/resistance placed on muscles in strength training is further described in terms concentric, eccentric and isometric loading. Concentric loading is when muscles contract under load. Isometric loading is when muscles hold, remaining stationary, under load. Eccentric loading is when muscles lengthen under load.
The selection of the right combination of tension/resistance and movement variables applied to muscles (e.g., weight, path, direction, tempo, number of repetitions, concentric, eccentric or isometric loading) is the art and science of creating strength resistance protocols. Protocols, that also require customization, to meet individual needs and specifics. Most importantly, protocols that cause no injury to muscles, while building strength.
The Tonal system invention is recited in a series of patents that precisely respond to the problematic situation of designing optimal strength training protocols, using the flexibility and precision of digital means, together with the electromechanical apparatus to carry out the protocols. In other words, the Tonal patents disclose the various components that enable electromechanical performance and control of strength training protocols. In particular, the Tonal system is recited in the US utility patent US10661112, titled Digital Strength training.
The Abstract of this invention is included below, together with the patent Figures 8 and 10, showing the asymmetrical plotting of concentric and eccentric loading on a range of motion that changes direction, for example in an arm curl. The loading asymmetry is only possible via digital control, since it would be impossible to physically change the loading of weights on a machine, in the middle of an arm curl movement, for example. Plotting also shows the degree of control for loading, relative to each phase of a range of motion.
In particular, Figure 8 shows concentric loading at 100 lbs on the full concentric range of motion from 0% to 100% and abrupt decrease in eccentric loading to 80 lbs on the full eccentric range of motion from 100% to 0%, when the movement changes direction, from contraction to extension (e.g.; in an arm curl). Figure 10 shows the reverse loading, from concentric loading at 80lbs on the full concentric range of movement from 0% to 100%, with an abrupt increase in eccentric loading to 100 lbs on the full eccentric range of movement from 100% to 0%, for the same movement from contraction to extension, (e.g., an arm curl).
An information related to the position of an actuator coupled to a cable which is coupled to a motor is received. A filter is used to provide an input to a motor controller coupled to the motor, to adjust torque on the motor such that a strength curve is implemented relative to the position of the actuator. [Abstract US10661112]
References
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