1st leaper 1974

The development of our Leaper for basketball teams had its share of success to revolutionize the conditioning of high school and college basketball players. The 1974 prevailing attitude was resistive exercise would make basketball players muscle bound and bulky which would slow down their reflexes. This was also perceived with baseball players as well. This all changed after the University of Indiana junior, Kent Benson, began to work on our 1st Leaper to improve his vertical jump. He was an All-American player but needed to jump higher and quicker. After a summer's work on our 1st leaper, he returned for his senior year, jumping 4-6 inches higher. Articles were written in newspapers and sports illustrated about his improvement in jumping and quickens on the floor. No doubt he developed his white quick twitch muscle fibers. University of Indiana won the NCAA championship in that year. This success created a new approach of fast speeded resistance exercise and the word was out to high school coaches. Many schools purchased the Leaper and got such improvement with their players that the opposing coaches would call us and ask how soon they could get one of those "things". Some would say "just played a team and got our tail beat. I can't believe the difference between last years and their team this year. Last year we beat them badly, but some of their players improved so much, we'll never beat them again... They tell me they got a Leaper...how soon can I get one?" Virtually every High School and University purchased our leaper in 70's & 80's and we could not manufacture them fast enough. Fast speeded resistive exercise had made inroads for the first time with basketball teams and since has spread to most athletic sports. Many basketball coaches give the Leaper credit for revolutionizing the quickness of player's reflexes and the dunking that exist today. The Leaper provided the way for basketball and volleyball teams to work fast and safely (which can't be done with weights as weights always come back at you). The Leaper changed basketball/volleyball coaches attitude of fast speed resistive exercise which was not possible prior to the advent of isokinetic resistance. But, as effective as weight rooms have become, they do not train athletes in specific ways. Super Mini-Gyms do, as does leapers. There is no substitute for the fast speeded isokinetic exercise that develops white quick twitch muscle fibers that can be done on Leapers and Super II.

Another advantage with Isokinetic exercise for leg exercises, athletes are much stronger in their extended range than in the pull squat position because of skeletal leverage. With weights, we're always limited to our weakest range and thus, the extended range gets little resistance and most important, with the Leaper or Super II one can move through this range of motion fast and safely...and additionally, as one fatigues, the Super II exerciser unit or Leaper is always adjusting to the user since they are making their own exact proportionate resistance with every rep. With isokinetic exercise one can safely work the extended range and do so with each succeeding rep as one fatigues.

The big improvements in our Super Mini Gym #190 and Super II came 20 years ago when we designed a clock spring (in a cartridge) that returns the handle for the next rep. Thus, one can do 15-20 reps in 15 seconds or less when setting our governor at fast speed. But, setting the governor at slow speed, you may only be able to do 5 or 8 reps in the same 15 second time. In both exercises speeds, the exerciser adjust to you. You do not adjust to the resistance (as with weights).

Back in the 70's we were unhappy with our measuring (force dial) but our centrifugal breaking was no less than excellent. In last year we designed a LCD readout for new model's #190, Super II, and Leaper. Thus, we developed something new in Isokinetic conditioning that measures one's full range of motion, and safe and effective like none other on the market to day. Now almost 40 years later, and some 50,000 Mini Gyms and 10,000 Leapers world wide, our new LCD models measures power as each rep exercised, counts reps, provides time reading for exercise time, measures work in foot pounds of all reps, and provides an average work number for all reps done.

Recently, we have installed a strain gauge in our Achiever exerciser to do very accurate measurements of the range of motion for therapy evaluation. This Isokinetic diagnostic can also be used for rehabilitation exercise. Our strain gauge provides very accurate measuring, and yet our cost to a therapist is only 5-10% of any other unit that provides similar graphs of range of motion. This documentation helps with insurance claims and justifying rehab exercises. With our Achiever model we provide more versatility by measuring multiple motions of specific joints, and measuring any range of motion. Our Achiever can be attached to a counter balanced wall bracket, Model 48, or to our self standing frame work, Model 48s. We also have a counter balanced, Model 49 for Isokinetic exercise which houses either Model 101 or our Model 190; with LCD read outs, but no graphing.

Glen Henson, President