Exercise apparatuses and methods for using same

Abstract

An exercise apparatus includes a knee receiving unit comprising a stationary base, a rigid platform rotatable about the stationary base about an axis, at least one compliant member on a top surface of the rigid platform, the at least one compliant member including knee receiving portions. The knee receiving portions may be located on substantially diametrically opposite sides of the axis. The exercise apparatus may further include a hand grip unit. In a method for using such an exercise apparatus, a user positions both knees on the knee receiving portions, grips the hand grip unit and rotates the rigid platform relative to the stationary base.

1 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 a stationary base having a bottom surface,   a rigid platform which rotates above the stationary base about an axis;   at least one compliant member on an upper surface of the rigid platform, the at least one compliant member including knee receiving portions located on substantially diametrically opposite sides of the axis.   
     
     
         2 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the exercise apparatus includes two compliant members, each compliant member including one of the knee receiving portions. 
     
     
         3 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the knee receiving portions of at least one compliant member includes a concavely shaped surface. 
     
     
         4 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein a knee receiving portion of at least one of the at least one compliant members includes a concavely shaped surface. 
     
     
         5 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 3  wherein the concavely shaped surface has a depth, a shorter dimension and a longer dimension and is configured such that the shorter dimension is oriented generally radially outward from the axis. 
     
     
         6 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein the bottom surface of the stationary base includes a friction enhancing element configured to grip a floor surface. 
     
     
         7 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 1 , wherein at least one knee receiving position is indicated by a contrasting graphic mark. 
     
     
         8 . An exercise apparatus comprising:
 at least one hand receiving unit including a bottom surface and a hand grip; and   a knee receiving unit separate from the at least one hand receiving unit including:
 a stationary base having a bottom surface generally parallel to the bottom surface of the at least one hand receiving unit, 
 a rigid platform rotationally coupled above the stationary base about an axis, 
 at least one compliant member on an upper surface of the rigid platform, the at least one compliant member including knee receiving portions. 
   
     
     
         9 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the knee receiving portions of the knee receiving unit are located on substantially diametrically opposite sides of the axis. 
     
     
         10 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the exercise apparatus includes at least two hand receiving units. 
     
     
         11 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein the hand grip of the at least one hand receiving unit includes a hand grip bar spaced apart from and parallel to the base surface. 
     
     
         12 . The exercise apparatus of  claim 8 , wherein at least one of the bottom surface of the hand grip unit and the bottom surface of the knee receiving unit includes a friction enhancing element configured to grip a floor surface. 
     
     
         13 . A method for exercising including the steps of:
 placing both knees on a platform of a knee receiving unit, the platform being rotatable about a vertical axis of a stationary base;   gripping at least one hand grip unit separate from the knee receiving unit and having a bottom surface generally parallel to a bottom surface of the stationary base of the knee receiving unit; and   rotating the platform of the knee receiving unit with both knees in tandem about the vertical axis of the stationary base while keeping the at least one hand grip unit stationary.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the knees are placed on the platform of the knee receiving unit at positions located on substantially diametrically opposite sides of the axis.