Back and gluteus maximus exerciser and method of using same

Claim 1

A portable collapsible exercise device for suspending the human body above a support surface to decompress the spinal column while exercising the back extensor and abdominal muscles and for strengthening and toning the gluteus maximus muscles, said exercise device comprising: a pair of support members each having two side sections and a middle section, each side section having a free end and a ground end; means for pivotably connecting said support members to each other so that said support members can be moved between a divergent supporting position and a substantially parallel collapsed position; a pelvic brace for underpropping and supporting the body extending between said free ends of each of said support members; a U-shaped leg restraining member having two side sections and a middle leg contact section, each side section having a free end, rotatable about an axis defined by the points of connection of the pair of support members between an in-use position in which it extends away from said support members and a storage position alongside said support members, said pelvic brace being attached adjacent the two free ends of the U-shaped leg restraining member, said middle leg contact section of said leg restraining member being parallel to said pelvic brace for applying a downwardly directed force to the backs of the user's legs; and a locking means for securing said leg restraining member in a selected one of a plurality of positions to facilitate mounting, use and collapsibility of said device.