How to use Elvie Trainer
To use Elvie Trainer, simply follow these steps:
Ensure your Elvie Trainer is charged before use. To charge, place Elvie Trainer snugly into the carry case, then close and connect the carry case to a USB power source, such as your computer.
Download and open the Elvie Trainer app.
Push the front of the case to remove Elvie Trainer.
If preferred, place the optional cover over Elvie Trainer for extra comfort.
Stand or lie with your legs a shoulder width apart, and push the pod gently into the vaginal opening until the whole pod and about 1cm of the tail is inserted, with the rest of the tail remaining outside.
Get into a comfortable position, such as standing with your legs shoulder width apart or lying down with your knees bent.
Hold your phone in a central position.
Follow the on-screen instructions to perform your pelvic floor exercises.
Remove Elvie Trainer gently after your workout.
Wash with warm water and mild soap, then rinse and dry thoroughly before putting Elvie Trainer back in the carry case.
How often to use Elvie Trainer
As with all exercise, we encourage you to set realistic goals. We suggest that you use Elvie Trainer three times a week as a minimum. However, physiotherapists recommend that you do pelvic floor exercises at least once a day, so if you want to use Elvie Trainer more often, that’s even better! The most important thing is to fit your Elvie Trainer workouts into your daily routine.
Guide to Elvie Trainer Exercises
Here’s a quick guide to help you understand what each of the Elvie Trainer exercises mean:
Set Targets: The very first exercise in each workout sets your targets. The challenges in the apps are adjusted based on these targets, so your workouts are always personalized for you.
Lift: The Lift exercise is a standard pelvic floor exercise, as recommended by health authorities around the world. Develop core strength by squeezing and relaxing, and as you improve, you’ll be encouraged to squeeze for longer.
Pulse: Pulse challenges your fast twitch muscles with quick squeezes. The number of targets you have to hit will increase as your agility develops.
Hold: Hold takes the Lift exercise to the next level. Build endurance by keeping the gem above the line for even longer, with fewer relaxes.
Speed: Increase the pace of your Pulses to achieve the highest possible score. Skill and concentration are key.
Step: Step brings together the skills you learn in the other exercises, plus some serious coordination. Squeeze and relax at exactly the right time to hit all of the targets.
Strength: Want to know how strongly you can squeeze? This is the exercise that tells you just that!
Understanding your LV score
Your LV score simply shows you how strongly you’re squeezing. You may well find that it is higher during some workouts than others, depending on the time of the month (or even the time of day!). There is no average score; pelvic floor strength varies across individuals depending on where they are in their recovery, age, menstrual cycle, and more.
While the app offers scores and metrics, if your reason for using Elvie Trainer is to treat symptoms of incontinence, then the reduction in these symptoms will be a more helpful indicator of your improvement. Also, maintaining your pelvic floor muscles is just as important as treating issues - so if your score starts to plateau over time, that’s ok too.
If you’re using Elvie Trainer several times a week, you will start to get a feel for what a ‘normal’ LV score is for you. However, it’s important to remember that the LV score is just one aspect of the workout. The Pulse and Speed exercises that challenge your fast twitch muscles (rather than your overall strength) are just as important.
Understanding your workout levels
Every user starts at the ‘Training’ level to get used to using Elvie Trainer. Once you’re ready, you’ll move up to the ‘Beginner’ level. You’ll spend ten workouts on each level before moving up and learning new skills.
The Elvie Trainer workout levels are as follows:
Training
Exercises in this level: Lift, Pulse, Strength.
Learn to exercise correctly, lifting inwards and upwards.
Stay on this level until you can perform 4-second lifts.
Beginner
Exercises in this level: Lift, Pulse, Hold, Strength.
Complete ten workouts before moving on to Intermediate.
Intermediate
Exercises in this level: Lift, Pulse, Hold, Speed, Strength.
Complete ten workouts before moving on to Advanced.
Advanced
Exercises in this level: Lift, Pulse, Hold, Speed, Step, Strength.
Continue on this level to maintain your fitness.
To change levels, open the app and tap ‘Let’s get started’. Once you’re on the screen that tells you how many workouts you’ve completed, swipe left twice. This is the progress screen - you can tap which level you wish to try, then tap ‘Try this program’.
How to practice outside of workouts
If you’d like to practice squeezing and relaxing without impacting your workout results, first connect Elvie Trainer to your phone or tablet. Next, tap the menu icon and then ‘Trainer info’. At the bottom of this screen, you can tap ‘Check’ to access a ‘free play’ screen.
How to clean Elvie Trainer after use
To clean Elvie Trainer after each use, simply wash Elvie Trainer and the optional cover with warm water and mild soap. Remember to rinse thoroughly and make sure it is completely dry before you put it back in the carry case.
How to store Elvie Trainer
Keep Elvie Trainer clean, dry and snug inside its carry case when not in use. When placing Elvie Trainer in its carry case, make sure the tail is on top and facing towards the USB port.
To open the carry case, simply push the front end. Do not expose Elvie Trainer to extreme heat, extreme cold or sustained pressure.