Pilates Home Equipment – How a Pilates Magic Circle can Benefit Your Fitness Routine

How great does a “Magic Circle” sound? Just get hold of one, sit inside and make wishes come true! Not quite.. a Pilates Magic Circle, or otherwise known as a Pilates fitness circle or a Pilates exercise ring, was an exercise concept developed by Joseph Pilates.

A Pilates Magic Circle is used as a resistance ring, which helps target specific areas of the body to enable better targeted toning. One of the core exercises of Pilates, is resistance training. Using a Pilates Magic Circle will also aid in building muscle tone and endurance, but not muscle bulk. The exercise ring can be used to tone and strengthen your inner thighs, outer thighs, pelvic floor muscles (a must do post your pregnancy), chest and upper arms and of course pretty much any other area of the body you desire.

A Pilates Magic Circle is a ring of course, constructed of flexible material like rubber or metal. It also has two moulded pads on either side that conforms comfortably to your body. The Pilates Magic Circle can be used on its own on a Pilates mat, or along with many other Pilates equipment like the Pilates Ball or the Pilates Reformer Machine.

Pilates exercise rings are very popular at the moment as they are portable and very versatile and a number of beneficial exercises can be performed using one anywhere, anytime, without the need for extra equipment. You can easily pop one in the suitcase to take travelling. There are a currently a number of models on the market, so what exactly do you need to look for to buy a quality Pilates Magic Circle?

As discussed the exercise rings are constructed of two types of material, the rubber and metal. A ring constructed of metal is going to be more durable, however they are also generally more expensive. That is why you will see these mainly in Pilates studios, as they are used a lot. For adding to your personal Pilates home equipment collection though, a rubber ring is sufficient and much easier to take with you travelling.

Also, having pads that you can put on the inside and outside is a bonus, as it gives you a greater range of exercises to perform. Pilates Magic Circles aren’t complicated pieces of equipment, however be sure to buy a recommended brand like Stamina or Stott, to ensure a quality construction.

So that is the overview of the benefits and features of the mysteriously named Pilates Magic Circle. The exercise rings are simple in design, but so effective in your exercise workout for targeted areas of the body that need toning. Most of the exercise rings available on the market today, will come with an instructional DVD, to enable you to learn the exercises at home, for use alone or with your other Pilates home equipment. Once you know the drill, then it is easy to take the magic circle with you wherever you go.