Equipment

Ergodesigns Training Bench

With emphasis on functionality, quality and design, the Mk–One™ exerciser has taken considerable time for development, testing and refinement. The Mk–One™ is a unique design, developed by a physiotherapist with over 30 years experience and particular expertise in back injuries and their management. Through regular use the Mk–One™ exerciser strengthens back and abdominal muscle groups in the safest most effective way.

The Mk–One™ is a highly effective aid for sit-ups and back extensions whilst at the same time protecting and supporting the lower back. It provides for correct training of the abdominal muscles which play a vital role in supporting the back and maintaining correct posture. The Mk-One™ trainer is manufactured using the finest European Beech sourced from Germany and France and is the perfect addition to any home. Thoroughly tested for strength and durability it comes with a three year guarantee and is produced in three main finishes though it can be finished in almost any colour or wood to suit your taste.

Ergonomics: Making life easier…
Ergonomics is essentially the study of efficiency. Making products easier and more efficient to use reduces strain on the body and produces better results in a safer manner than ever before. You can be sure that most products you buy today have been deconstructed, analysed and rebuilt around ergonomic principles governing their impact on our bodies. The ErgoDesignSystems Mk-One™ trainer is no exception. The Mk–One is a highly effective training aid for sit-ups and back extensions whilst at the same time protecting and supporting the lower back. It provides for correct training of the abdominal muscles which play a vital role in supporting the back and maintaining correct posture.

The Mk-One™ trainer has been specifically designed to give the best overall resistance in training and so increasing the efficiency of the exercise. It is also designed to support the relevant parts of the torso during exercise thus providing the safest method of strengthening the back and abdominal muscle groups.
Key to the design of the ErgoDesignSystems Mk-One™ trainer is the curvature of the front plane. This is the crucial feature which ensures maximum stretching of the abdominals and extension of the spine during exercise. This curve over which the exercise is carried out enables mobilisation of each vertebral segment individually, and also simultaneously provides the necessary support and protection for the lower back.

Design: A Contemporary Classic…
This unique design has been developed, tested and refined over many years drawing on a lifetime of experience in Physiotherapy, sports science, strength training, back injury treatment and rehabilitation. Throughout the development process the emphasis has been on protecting and supporting the lower back and providing the correct position for exercising the back and abdominals.

Two thirds of the population suffers with back problems at any given time so it is vital to strengthen and mobilise the back in such a way as to minimise the possibility of exaggerating any problem through an incorrect training position.

Tested to FIRA certified standard…

Unique also in its versatility, not only is the Mk-One perfect for exercising the back and abdominals, it mobilises and stretches the back, stretches the abdominals and also provides a good basis for arm and leg exercising.

The Mk–One trainer has undergone extensive strength and durability testing at FIRA’s testing facility in Hertfordshire. This comprises the equivalent of three years of heavy use (40,000 repetitions) by a person weighing over 16 stone on all parts of the bench to ensure it is strong enough to withstand quite heavy use.

Safe and controlled support in training…

The purpose of the ergodesignsystems™ Mk-One exercise bench is to facilitate the safest and most effective way of training and managing the back and abdominal muscles.

To achieve this the bench has been designed with a curve at the front plain which is of the optimum radius for both these activities. To train the abdominals and mobilise the middle and lower part of the back one sits on the bench facing the narrow end performing sit-ups in the normal way.

To strengthen the back one lies face down on the bench and extends the head and back upwards straightening the body.

The essential part of these exercises is to utilise the curve to protect the lower part of the back by moving the point of stress during exercise.

Key to the design of the trainer is the curvature of the front plane. This is the crucial feature which ensures maximum stretching of the abdominals and extension of the spine during exercise. This curve, over which the exercise is carried out, enables mobilisation of each vertebral segment individually, and also simultaneously provides the necessary support and protection for the lower back.

Mobilising the spine in this way, one vertebral segment at a time is the safest and most effective way of exercising and strengthening. Research carried out at the Medical College of Georgia in America has shown that this traditional sit-up method, as opposed to ‘crunching’ and other techniques is the most effective.