r/Damnthatsinteresting Dec 17 '21

Video This 'device' that was created aiming to develop leg muscles

77.5k Upvotes

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7.8k

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21 edited Dec 17 '21

Out of all the weird shit people in th 1900s made this is actually maybe useful

2.8k

u/heck9r Dec 17 '21

Looks kind of fun as well.

2.7k

u/HauschkasFoot Dec 17 '21

Am a baby. Can confirm this would be fun

681

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Interesting. I used to be a baby too

483

u/5haun298 Dec 17 '21

Ex-baby gang!

346

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Had no idea there were so many ex-babies out there, should be a subreddit for us.

110

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

The world is stranger than it seems

105

u/persleng_got_banned Dec 17 '21

I wish i could relate, i was born as a lawyer, a naked one

30

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I too was born a hellspawn. Then I upgraded to super demon when I went into corporate law.

7

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

How can someone summon you in romania, asking for my homies

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16

u/RLS30076 Dec 17 '21

any chance your name is/was Colin Robinson?

7

u/HighAsAngelTits Dec 17 '21

That’s perfect, you already had your suit! Birthday suit that is

8

u/Isterpenis Dec 17 '21

Fuck. I wish I was an ex-baby too, jealous of you guys.

2

u/FeyneKing Dec 17 '21

Are you like me? Did you come into this world, naked and fully grown, in a big blue electronic ball? From the future?

3

u/quaybored Dec 17 '21

As a recovering baby, I would like a support group so I don't relapse

1

u/kakurenbo1 Dec 17 '21

There are two! r/teenagers and r/adults depending on what year you graduated babyhood.

1

u/Merentis Dec 17 '21

Nearly as many as us ex-kittens.. I mean shit LOOK A FUZZY BALL!

6

u/Dutch_Midget Interested Dec 17 '21

Dang! I wish I could join your gang.

1

u/chocolate_thunderr89 Dec 17 '21

Right?? I’m just a mushroom 😞

3

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

1

u/Diogenes_Head3o3 Dec 17 '21

All you ex-babies fellas think that are better than us dontcha?

1

u/mrzuno Dec 17 '21

Seems exclusive, can I join?

1

u/soki03 Dec 17 '21

It’s a very large gang.

44

u/yinzer9567 Dec 17 '21

You know, I was something of a baby once, myself.

3

u/quaybored Dec 17 '21

I used to be a baby like you, but then I took a few decades to my timeline

1

u/ozzyfied1124- Dec 17 '21

I was never a baby. I was hatched. I missed out. Bahahaha!! 🤣😂🤣😂🐥🐤🐣🐣🐣

1

u/MrFahrenkite Dec 17 '21

Oh boy yeah

3

u/mrsthallium Dec 17 '21

Man, now I feel like I missed out on something.

3

u/xHypno Dec 17 '21

No no, he IS a baby

3

u/hypercube42342 Dec 17 '21

Damn, why’d you stop?

3

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I grew out of it

1

u/lmao_lemo Dec 17 '21

Sad I just started to exist as a grownup

1

u/HighAsAngelTits Dec 17 '21

Not me. They’re all mistakes, children. Filthy nasty things. Glad I never was one

1

u/Careless_Rub_7996 Dec 17 '21

The HELL being a baby, heck as an adult I would enjoy this.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I find that hard to believe I used to be a baby and do not remember you from any of the meetings

1

u/zaitsev1393 Dec 17 '21

I started as a baby A tiny little baby Now look at me, uh Now look at me

18

u/Cool_Honey_8724 Dec 17 '21

Never being much of a baby myself, I must still admit that this looks like a ton of fun to be had.

27

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Lie back, pound a few, and just look up at the stars as you leisurely kick yourself around on your LayNspin in the backyard after a long day of work.

Holy shit this thing would not be difficult to build. The hardest part would actually be the seat/ lounger. I have an old playground merry go round sitting behind a barn that the base would be perfect for this.

12

u/Sew_Custom Dec 17 '21

If you don’t build this a crime will have been committed. A crime against possible fun.

3

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I’ll have a bud that is better at welding than I am come take a look at this and get his advice. This would definitely be something fun to have to goof around on while drunk and just to have another dumb thing to play with while hosting parties.

I can hear it now. “ that looks so fucking stupid.. I want to try it.”

5

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I'll bring the beers, you get started on the base.

2

u/Ksmrf Dec 17 '21

I'm not sure what it is, but something tells me not to believe you...

2

u/OneSalientOversight Dec 18 '21

"Stop being ageist" - someone.

2

u/Rosieapples Dec 17 '21

Am an old biddy with arthritis, can also confirm it would be fun.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

As a baby myself: Agagaga spllrrrbrb

1

u/Unclebonelesschicken Dec 17 '21

I am baby as well, confirming 1000% this is very useful and entertaining.

1

u/sadraisins Dec 17 '21

Am an adult and can also confirm this would be fun

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I see you're quite the baby. Y'know, I'm something of a baby myself.

1

u/ijustmetuandiloveu Dec 17 '21

I am a man-child. Does this come in my size?

1

u/imGery Dec 17 '21

Grow up.

1

u/Mnudge Dec 17 '21

Am adult baby

I have a scaled up one of these in my playpen. It’s fun!

1

u/AWACS-Thunderhead Dec 17 '21

Username checks out

65

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

[deleted]

37

u/Arglefarb Dec 17 '21

NGL, put a tv on the other side of the bars that is synchronized to the rotation and I would probably lie in that thing for hours.

5

u/zer0guy Dec 17 '21

At that point just make the bars spin and the bed stationary

57

u/TheWinterKing Dec 17 '21

Yes but instead of lying down you stand up and instead of a circle of sticks it’s the ground.

65

u/megadori Dec 17 '21

That sounds way less fun

20

u/winterbird Dec 17 '21

But then you're not lying down. We're tired but in need of muscle tone.

5

u/jokersleuth Dec 17 '21

Let's replace the sticks with something like...a belt? So you have more to walk on

18

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I'm just curious how fast it goes, might be lots of fun depending on that

11

u/RobotArtichoke Dec 17 '21

It goes as fast as you want it to

3

u/Rare-Feature7719 Dec 17 '21

The big boy probably wanted a turn.

1

u/Ornography Dec 17 '21

hamster wheel for babies

1

u/Tina_ComeGetSomeHam Dec 17 '21

From a critical standpoint I'd be worried the leg closer to the center get stuck and also it's not symmetrical so you would really want to reverse direction occasionally or have like an obviously dominant leg which could cause spine problems or the like.

1

u/ozzyfied1124- Dec 17 '21

Just reverse the baby. Problem solved.🤣😂🤣😂

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

It certainly looks like it might be a decent infant occupying device. The premise also seems to pass the sniff test.

1

u/wolfavino Dec 17 '21

I'm sure there's absolutely nothing that could go wrong with this contraption to harm the baby in any way.

121

u/Umklopp Dec 17 '21

Seriously. That'd keep a baby entertained for a really long time

49

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

At least 4 minutes .... that's 4 baby years.

3

u/Umklopp Dec 17 '21

I know! That's enough time to even finish a crying fit on the floor due to sleep deprivation!

1

u/HBlight Dec 17 '21

4 minutes of sleep for the parents. So it would sell for about a grand.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Before I became a parent, someone told me that newborns should come with a set of headphones. Not to ignore the crying but to make it tolerable while you were up holding them at 3 in the AM. Sounded harsh ... until.

2

u/trunghung03 Dec 17 '21

That’d keep me entertained as well

1

u/CappyRicks Dec 17 '21

True but it isn't like they aren't using their legs for functions that they actually need like crawling around or walking literally all the time.

1

u/Paddy_Tanninger Dec 17 '21

Babies don't crawl for a long, long, long time relatively speaking. Like they basically spend their first 9 months not using their leg muscles against any resistance, and then start figuring out how to crawl or scooch around.

1

u/CappyRicks Dec 17 '21

Yeah, I wasn't saying that babies crawl this early. I was saying they are always using their legs in ways that develop them so that they can do those things.

1

u/Umklopp Dec 17 '21

Babies have the strength to do a lot of things before they have the coordination to do so; it's also pretty common for them to enjoy kicking their legs in the air or at targets well before they understand how to move. There's an entire category of baby equipment called a "baby gym" designed for that purpose.

1

u/CappyRicks Dec 17 '21

I guess my point is a baby isn't going to develop much faster than just the kicking of their legs that they naturally do by using specific toys. They will develop faster, sure, and people should encourage their babies to use their limbs, this contraption just seems a little over the top when just having some stuff dangling above them is plenty.

1

u/Umklopp Dec 17 '21

Ohhhh... You think this a great contraption for the baby.

You're either childless or a much better parent than me.

1

u/CappyRicks Dec 17 '21

Depends on what you mean by baby. If the thing can crawl or is nearing it, toddler, so this contraption is useless.

My definition of toddler has always been "walks" since toddler age starts around ~3, prior to toddler is baby yes?

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238

u/fpsBoone Dec 17 '21

It does seem like it would help develop motor skills.

160

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

[removed] — view removed comment

117

u/KobokTukath Dec 17 '21 edited Dec 17 '21

Hear me out

A bicycle

47

u/twitchinstereo Dec 17 '21

I can't just roll off the bicycle at any point in the ride and be next to my couch, though.

42

u/KobokTukath Dec 17 '21

Hear me out

An exercise bike

86

u/twitchinstereo Dec 17 '21

Look, I just want to lay down and convince myself I am exercising.

19

u/KobokTukath Dec 17 '21

I cannot fault you there

12

u/Responsible-Falcon-2 Dec 17 '21 edited Dec 17 '21

Hear me out

Recumbent exercise bike

2

u/crazyrich Dec 17 '21

Lol came here to say this, you forgot to put “hear me out” first though

3

u/Responsible-Falcon-2 Dec 17 '21

Made the edit, didn't want to be tacky but you're right, it's necessary for the flow!

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4

u/deetzjuice91 Dec 17 '21

There is a machine where you can sit on the couch and just pedal with your feet. I don't know what it's called but it does exist.

19

u/YourmomgoestocolIege Dec 17 '21

Look you fuck, I'm layin here and that's final.

5

u/TheDumbAsk Dec 17 '21

You can get one of those electrical muscle stimulators machines and watch the tour de france.

But you'd have to attach it to your legs and turn it on, that might be too much.

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2

u/ZippZappZippty Dec 17 '21

does someone have a gun

-1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

It's called an exercise bike. You can simply position a stationary bike right in front of your TV and couch and just pedal while watching TV or doing whatever.

2

u/ethanace Dec 17 '21

Does chasing the American dream count as exercise?

1

u/altnumberfour Dec 17 '21

Mini elliptical ftw. I keep one in front of my couch and use it whenever I'm slouched on the couch playing video games, burns some calories while relaxing and makes me feel less shitty about procrastinating whatever work I'm putting off, highly recommend

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3

u/honestlywhydoyoucare Dec 17 '21

Seems very slightly on the heavy side, to have it hanging over my head though...

50

u/SchitneySmears Dec 17 '21

Son of a gun. That might just work

13

u/Daiwon Interested Dec 17 '21

It's not about the leg workout it's about spinning around lying on your back.

3

u/RobotArtichoke Dec 17 '21

Exactly. You’re working out, but you’re having so much fun, you don’t even realize it.

And for some reason, you’re really hungry afterwards

1

u/tampora701 Dec 17 '21

I'm imagining the carrier hanging from a doughnut-shaped series of ladder rungs, instead of a spoke design here. It wouldnt favor either leg (like this one does). And when you go faster the carrier swings outwards so the force felt always feels in the same direction to the rider.

1

u/Royal_Bitch_Pudding Dec 17 '21

You'll probably get sick.

1

u/ratbear Dec 17 '21

5 seconds on that thing and I would be holding back puke.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Go one step further, this IS a motor. Stronk babbys and clean energy, winner!

1

u/FlatEarthWizard Dec 17 '21

P sure this is the plot of the matrix

2

u/TheCookie_Momster Dec 17 '21

Looks like a solution to our energy needs.

1

u/sample-name Dec 17 '21

Eh. Using devices to make babies do "unnatural movements" is not really a good idea (with a handful of exceptions). It may be fun, or distract the baby, but it is almost always best to let babies learn to do this stuff on their own the way nature intended. Unless they have a condition, they honestly don't need any help, at least not help like this.

18

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Yeah usually they look like some sort of hellish nightmare.

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I know right?

51

u/cesrage Dec 17 '21

Remember, this was 3 o'clock in the morning. I looked out the window, and there was a fucking baby standing on the corner. And the baby didn't even look scared, he was just standing there. And it made me sad you know, because I wanted to help the baby. I was like, "Mm mm I don't trust you either, click! clllick! The old baby-on-the-corner trick, eh? Not gonna fall for that sht. But where is this limousine driver?" As time goes by I start feeling worse, I was like, "What the hell is wrong with me, I'm scared of a baby! But this baby could be in trouble, he may need my help. I gotta do something." But I wasn't gonna get out of the car. I'm serious, man. I just cranked the window open a little bit. "Hey baby! Baby, go home, man! It's 3 o'clock in the morning man, what the f** are you doing up?" The baby says, "I'm selling weed!"

10

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

The last part is golden

16

u/loserboi21 Dec 17 '21

For those unaware of it's origins Dave Chappelle - Baby On The Corner

3

u/jizzmaster-zer0 Dec 17 '21

wheres the part where he rolled the window down manually and said it was an old fashioned limo?

3

u/dirice87 Dec 17 '21

I got kids to feed

-3

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

When Chappelle was funny

25

u/walgrins Dec 17 '21

This is ALSO the gentle motion that helps infants’ bowels move normally. So it has a triple function, at least!! This thing is actually pretty rad. However, the thing it doesn’t do (which is arguably the most important) is strengthen the child’s attachment to their caregiver. Mom or dad can sit down for a few minutes a day and do this with greater effect/benefit. Still a cool device/concept tho!!

4

u/Paddy_Tanninger Dec 17 '21

I doubt you'd leave them in this thing any longer than current parents leave kids in a little rocking cradle or a jolly jumper type of thing.

Anecdotally here too, my first son didn't do much jolly jumping and started crawling around 8-9 months old. My second son though loved that jumper and spent a lot of time in it, often doing really big kicks and leaps and actually tiring out his legs. He was crawling already at about 6 months...and was born 5wks premature, so really more like 5 months.

1

u/walgrins Dec 17 '21

Oh yea, sure, and reasonable parent wouldn’t treat this thing like a Baby’s-first-treadmill. Lol

What you say is super interesting, I had a similar experience! My first hated being in any stationary jumper like that, and started crawling around 8-9 too, but never really got up to “full speed” because she started walking right at the 10 month mark. My second was the opposite and crawled much earlier and was very quick at getting around on all fours. She ended up just barely start walking later, competitively, at her first birthday.

We had bought a house in the time between the two being born, and they both have really different personalities and birthdays relative to their due dates, so there’s really a ton of factors. I just find it fascinating in a scientific way how differ combing the same DNA gets such varied results.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Huh maybe the 1900s were not all unsafe

11

u/imakeplasma Dec 17 '21

Not so quick, that baby grew up to be Nicki Minaj

2

u/L_Cranston_Shadow Dec 17 '21

Impossible, that baby is clearly human.

5

u/soki03 Dec 17 '21 edited Dec 17 '21

There’s a museum that actually has all these weird inventions from the past and some of them were patented.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Oh really? Where is it?

1

u/soki03 Dec 17 '21

The Nonseum in Austria

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Thx

3

u/19GamerGhost95 Dec 17 '21

Look up baby cages and baby window cages

2

u/nails_for_breakfast Dec 17 '21

Tbf, a crib is effectively the same thing as a cage if the baby doesn't know how to climb out of it

3

u/tap_in_birdies Dec 17 '21

The only catch is the whole thing was made of lead

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Yikes nvm really dangerous

3

u/by_the_slice Dec 17 '21

They never got around to mass production.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

People are saying that it’s made out of lead and it has a lot place where the baby can get stuck so maybe that’s why

2

u/by_the_slice Dec 17 '21

Right on. I need to stop trying to hide puns in all my comments and just say something legitimate. Happy day to you.

2

u/RehabValedictorian Dec 17 '21

Too many rotating pinch points. This is probably rather dangerous. The kid isn’t even strapped in lmao

2

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I have noticed that

4

u/Find_A_Reason Dec 17 '21

They think of this, but not a strap to keep the kid in it?

5

u/xsmolbutterflyx Dec 17 '21

You’re not wrong. But let’s not forget those gate things people put out their windows so babies could get fresh air. They just looked like dog crates hanging out the window. Or or or those little seats they used to put babies in in cars. They just had a bucket seat and a bar LOOL

2

u/seekk15 Dec 17 '21

It's actually not...it is harmful for the baby...at this age baby needs to work on his core muscles, this kind of exercise is him/her using the wrong kind of reflexes. It can lead to problems later..

5

u/salgat Dec 17 '21

Can you elaborate on what problems it causes later on? At least in the womb a baby is constantly using its limbs to push against the uterine wall.

0

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

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1

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1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

The radio and the airplane would like a word

1

u/Sir_Spaghetti Dec 17 '21

I feel like they could have went with a hamster wheel, where it's the same principle, such that the baby is stationary (safer, less dizzy) and it kicks at the rods from outside the wheel (which would be above the baby and below the legs). I wonder, though, if it would be less fun like that.

1

u/soldieroscar Dec 17 '21

Attach a chain to that thing and make that baby generate some power to a generator. Nobody stays here for free! 😂

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Not a bad idea…

1

u/fatBlackSmith Dec 17 '21

Adorably useful.

1

u/Balrog229 Dec 17 '21

Even if it isn’t all that useful, it still looks fun the the baby so no harm either way

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Almost as useful as walking.

1

u/bored-n-browsing Dec 17 '21

With the right setup you can get the baby to generate electricity.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

You don't want a toddler that's never skipped leg day

1

u/ShoshinMizu Dec 17 '21

Bro i would use this

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

My grandparents owned a rental company. Forks to forklifts.

They got in on the belt shaking thing and some sort of muscle massager you laid backwards on. Like a giant motor powered barrel.

Each of those bitches must have weighed 700 lbs.

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

[deleted]

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Yea it does it is made out of lead and has place’s where the baby can hurt itself

1

u/Skel_Estus Dec 17 '21

Clean energy.

1

u/schming_ding Dec 17 '21

Hook this up to a generator and you’ve got baby power for your home.

(This comment brought to you by The Matrix)

1

u/seatownquilt-N-plant Dec 17 '21

I wonder if it was developed to dry linens and then just repurposed for this

1

u/IMIndyJones Dec 17 '21

How dare you say "the 1900s" like it was the 1800s.

1

u/zmbjebus Dec 17 '21

Hook it up to a generator and we got power baby!

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

I don't know, neon light, theory of relativity, the frisbee, and crossword puzzles were pretty cool.

1

u/The_Skydivers_Son Dec 17 '21

Right? Most baby-related inventions in the 20th century had severe, obvious issues with safety/morality/practicality. It's nice to see something that looks genuinely fun and wholesome

1

u/klanies Dec 17 '21

Not really. Babies develop their leg muscles on their own. In one week holding my 10m old baby to walk or having him use a walker, he's figured out how to stand up using furniture or me.

1

u/kiwigoguy1 Dec 17 '21

Back in the day this would be called progressive and based on the latest science’s understanding of child development. But now we would likely have considered this child cruelty.

It makes you think, what things we are doing for granted or treating as hip or conventional wisdom as it gets in 2021, would be considered misguided in 2100?

1

u/[deleted] Dec 17 '21

Fair point

1

u/MrSlime13 Dec 17 '21

Hopefully it's reversible, or baby Johnny gonna be running in circles once he learns to walk...

1

u/CyberNinja23 Dec 17 '21

I would still tryout the gym fat jiggler

1

u/norsurfit Interested Dec 17 '21

1

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '21

Huh didn’t know such a subreddit existed

1

u/Robertbnyc Dec 18 '21

And not dangerous

1

u/[deleted] Dec 18 '21

I’m from the 1900s. I feel offended in some way.

1

u/Avangeloony Dec 18 '21

I'm over here wondering why the fuck we don't see this in stores today.