US Patent 7601109 Abdominal exercise device

An abdominal exercise device incorporating a generally horizontal bench surface. A cable system includes a hand grip handle at one end and an abdominal strap connected with the other. A pulley system causes the cable to be routed from one end of the exercise bench underneath the bench to the opposite end. The user fastens the abdominal strap around their upper torso and grasps the hand grip handle. Tension applied to the cable by the handgrip handle causes a resistance force acting on the upper torso of the user which provides a desired resistance for abdominal muscle conditioning.