There is a weightless, equipmentless exercise technique, that has a name which is unmemorable, that involves exercising one muscle group by flexing it against the resistance provided by the opposing muscle group. It was probably popularized by that Charles Atlas guy, and it was probably called Dynamic Tension.
For instance, using this system the bicept is exercised against the tricept. The quadricept is exercised against the hamstring etc. This type of exercise can have limited benefits and often promotes injury such as strains.
The Resistance Suit will utilize the same concept but instead of flexing against one's own muscles, one will be flexing against the resistance of some sort of simple machine.
Take for instance, the example of the arm. For the becept to be exercised, resistance has to be placed against the elbow from bending. Therefore a simple machine like a hydraulic pump would be placed in opposition to the bicept on the suit. The same would be done for all of the major muscle groups. These pumps would be placed in opposition to the tricept, the shoulders, the pectoralis, etc. A lower body suit can also be purchased.
It would appear to be a complex exoskeleton to the untrained eye. However to the trained eye it would appear to be a simple exoskeleton. Nevertheless we are talking about an exoskeleton that provides mechincal resistance. However, I wouldn't wear it, as I think that exercise is vain.-- cuckoointherye, Jan 24 2005 Hydraulic cylinder to control a screen door http://doityourself.com/store/6397236.htmThis kind of hydraulics? [robinism, Jan 24 2005] Isometric Exercise http://www.courier-...3-bod1202-6136.htmlAnother name for the "Dynamic Tension" fad, with a brief discussion of its shortcomings. [jutta, Jan 24 2005] resistance is useless-- benfrost, Jan 24 2005 exercise is in vain-- FarmerJohn, Jan 24 2005 Is this to be worn all day, or just during a workout period?-- robinism, Jan 24 2005 //a name which is unmemorable// - isometric. Your resistance suit - isokinetic.-- Shz, Jan 24 2005 So it would be sort of like wearing a thick neoprene wetsuit?-- contracts, Jan 24 2005 Getting in and out of a thick neoprene wetsuit is certainly quite an exercise.
[This could give rise to the "Shells" chain of gyms that promote exercise by spraying you with something that hardens around you and then forcing you to struggle out of it. Patrons describe their progress to each other in terms of shell thickness.]-- jutta, Jan 24 2005 Heh. Yet another use for protein foam.-- Shz, Jan 24 2005 Uselessness is futile!-- cuckoointherye, Jan 24 2005 Protein foam! Protein foam! Resistance not commonly measured in Ohm!
[Goodness, what was *in* that coffee?]-- jutta, Jan 24 2005 It would fit well with other home-fitness products.
It's expensive, unnecessary, no-fun, and takes up room around the house.
The only thing half-baked is that you forgot to mention the infomercials that will sell it.-- sophocles, Jan 25 2005 Sort of, like, swimming in treacle...-- Ling, Jan 25 2005 "Yeah, I started at Shells about 4 months ago and now I'm doing 12cm"-- zen_tom, Jan 25 2005 How could you make the stiff-suit cool enough so that the exerciser doesn't sweat to death? Make it out of toweling and stiffen it with ice?-- robinism, Jan 26 2005 A suit made of small, linked chambers filled with thermal compound? It would probably cost about as much as a swimming pool...-- tiromancer, Jan 26 2005 Thermal compound, you mean the grease they put between the cpu and the heat sink? That works on skin? Cool!-- robinism, Jan 26 2005 I saw swimming pools at Target last summer for $90. That seems a little light for this highly engineered suit.-- bristolz, Jan 26 2005 An olympic swimming pool?-- tiromancer, Jan 26 2005 you didn't say an olympic swimming pool, did you? She got you on the old "define swimming pool" angle.-- cuckoointherye, Jan 26 2005 random, halfbakery