High row exercise machine

DETAILED DESCRIPTION This invention contemplates a high row exercise machine which includes a frame, a seat connected to the frame to support an exerciser facing a forward direction and a pair of spaced levers pivotally connected to opposite sides of the frame above and behind the seat.
Rearward ends of the levers provide selectable weight resistances for exercising against.
The forward ends of the levers include inwardly angled handles adapted to be grasped above the head of the seated exerciser, with the palms directed forwardly and the thumbs pointed inwardly.
With the handles grasped, the levers may be pulled downwardly and slightly forwardly to a position in front of the chest in a high row motion, thereby to pivotally raise the respective weighted rearward ends and move the levers through vertical planes which converge with respect to the forward direction.
Because it has two independently pivotal levers, this high row exercise machine enables the performance of either simultaneous or alternate exercise of both arms.
This feature is particularly advantageous in monitoring rehabilitation progress after an injury, where it is often necessary to compare the relative strengths of the arms.
In a related aspect of this feature, the levers are substantially balanced, with the weight of the rearward ends being only slightly greater than the forward ends.
As a result, for each lever, the total moment about the pivot axis is very low, and the minimum weight that must be exercised against, i.
e.
, with no weight plates supported, is very low.
Therefore, and also because the pivotal lever has substantially no friction, the weights supported on the rearward ends of the levers closely approximate the actual weight resistance that is exercised against.
This feature becomes important during the initial stages of rehabilitation, when it may be required to exercise against very low weight resistance and keep highly accurate records of actual weight lifted.
In short, this machine facilitates the monitoring and measuring of rehabilitation progress through very low weight resistances