Exercise enhancing device

Claim 1

An exercise enhancing device for use in an individual's physical workout in an aquatic environment, including: a substantially rectangular paddle member having an outer periphery spaced from and surrounding a central opening with a hand gripping member disposed in said opening and mounted substantially in the center of said rectangular paddle member for grasping by a person desiring to exercise using said paddle member, said paddle member having a pair of substantially parallel outer surfaces within said periphery for providing the exercise enhancing water pressure resistance to movement of said paddle member in either direction perpendicular to the plane of said substantially parallel surfaces, movement of said paddle member parallel to said outer surfaces providing a minimum of water pressure resistance to enable selective muscle exercise enhancement; said central opening extending to a portion of said periphery to provide clearance for the arm of the user hand grasping said gripping member while; an arm brace secured to said paddle member bridging said opening for engaging the arm of the and grasping said gripping member to rigidly fix said paddle member relative to the gripping hand of the user in an exercise enhancing position; and said paddle member having a thicker portion adjacent said periphery and extending continuously about said periphery from adjacent one of said parallel outer surfaces to adjacent the other of said parallel outer surfaces to form a substantially U-shaped thicker portion of said paddle outwardly of and substantially surrounding said central opening for forming scoops on said outer surfaces for increasing the water resistance to movement of said paddle member through said water.