With a tongue-in-cheek name and a strange shape for a fitness prop, the Elvis, a canvas-covered bicycle-shaped seat set on top of a wooden arc, is turning heads at studios. Designed to work the stabilizing muscles and more, the moves done on this portable device concentrate on—you guessed it—the pelvis. Through exaggerated pelvic rocking, it helps strengthen core muscles and open and stabilize the pelvis. And while most of the exercises are performed seated, Elvis can also be stood on or used to support the back, legs, or chest, targeting the full body.
The rocking motion of the Elvis can heighten the challenge of almost all Pilates exercises—in addition to Elvis-specific moves—while revealing weaknesses. “If you do the exercise wrong, you fall off,” says Tom McCook of Center of Balance, a studio in Mountain View, California. There’s no room for sloppy movements, which deepens Pilates work. “You have to do the exercises correctly, which translates to better alignment on the [Pilates] mat,” he says.
The Elvis, which is produced by ArtForm, an Italian fitness company, is an excellent tool for all levels of students who wish to increase their stability, concentration and core connection.
Copyright © 2008 Michelle Wallace All Rights Reserved