The Pilates Ring or sometimes known as the “magic circle” is an apparatus used in Bend + Mend’s Group Physio classes. The ring can be used in various ways to challenge your body. It can be used to assist with stretching or strengthening. This blog is going to discuss four different ways in which you can use the Pilates Ring.
Bridging
Place the ring around the outside of your knees. Roll your spine up into the bridge with outwards pressure on the ring. Once at the top of the bridge, then slowly roll your spine down with continued outward pressure on the ring. Using the Pilates Ring with your bridges makes this exercise more challenging for your gluts than a standard bridge as you are engaging you glut muscles to apply the outward pressure on the ring.
Inner thigh squeezes
The ring is placed between your ankles and you are in a sidelying position. Support your head with your lower arm or a pillow. Engage your inner thighs and try to get the ring to touch. Then slowly release the ring, keeping in control of the pressure.
Crunches
Lay on your back with the ring in your hands and feet towards the ceiling. Lift your chest from the floor by shortening the distance between your ribs and hip bones. Place the ring between your ankles and slowly lower your chest back down to the ground. The chest should be lowered slowly resisting gravity which wants to drop you back towards the ground. By slowly lowering you are challenging your abdominals throughout the entire exercise.
Hamstring stretch
Laying on your back hook the ring over the arches of your feet. Hold onto the ring with an underhand grip and let your shoulders drop down towards the floor. Don’t worry if you can’t straighten your knees, your hamstrings will still be stretched. You may even feel a calf stretch here too.
If you would like some help incorporating these exercises into your routine, book in for an Initial Assessment with one of our experienced Bend + Mend Physiotherapists today.
