Pilates Ring Exercises for A Balanced Body

Have you ever wondered how a simple ring could amp up your workout game? Well, get ready to dive into the world of Pilates ring exercises with us! We’re about to throw the door open on how these magic circles can turn your fitness routine into something way cooler.

Pilates is a type of mind-body workout that can be traced back to the beginning of the 20th century. Joseph Pilates, its creator, was born with a weak body and suffered from various health conditions. Determined to overcome his physical limitations, he dedicated his life to developing a system of exercises that would strengthen the body, improve flexibility, and enhance overall well-being. (11). It’s a form of strength training exercise, as it helps improve and boost your muscular strength, flexibility, and stabilization. 

Many types of Pilates workouts, such as Pilates for runners and Pilates for beginners, can help build stamina and strength. They can also provide many health benefits and help with aches and pains (10). 

Although it’s possible to do Pilates exercises at home with just a mat and without other equipment, props can sometimes be added to increase intensity and resistance. One standard tool for Pilates exercises is the Pilates ring, which adds resistance to regular Pilates exercises.  

It’s a flexible and lightweight ring that’s usually made of rubber or metal coated with rubber. The Pilates ring has many varieties and can be incorporated in different ways and in many Pilates exercises. Now, let’s have a detailed look at the features and exercises using a Pilates ring.

Is the Pilates Ring Good for Workouts?

The Pilates ring is beneficial for workouts as it adds resistance to the exercise. As Pilates is a form of strength training, increasing weight or resistance can amplify the results. It’s an adjustable tool that can help target different body parts such as thighs, arms, ankles, and torso, making the muscles do the extra work. This can build and tone those muscles more effectively.

In addition, Pilates ring exercises primarily focus on your body’s core muscles. They can build up and improve your core strength (7), which can result in enhanced balance and stability. In addition, Pilates ring exercises help by engaging more than one muscle group in the workout simultaneously, as the muscular tension is increased due to the addition of the Pilates ring.

The Pilates ring also provides the same health benefits as regular Pilates exercises. It makes you feel more energetic and active. Heart health can be improved due to increased blood circulation allowing more oxygen and nutrient flow to vital organs and tissues. As a plus, there are many low-impact Pilates ring exercises for seniors.

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Do You Really Need a Pilates Ring?

It cannot be denied that Pilates can be done without any equipment, including the Pilates ring. However, it can still benefit your health and muscles, increasing your strength and flexibility. 

As previously mentioned, Pilates ring exercises have more resistance to work with, which makes your muscles and other body parts work harder. It is a type of resistance, but it’s lighter and more adaptable. This makes it easier to work with, increasing the efficiency and effectiveness of your Pilates workout.

The Pilates ring goes by many other names, including fitness or exercise rings. The most common name is the magic circle, which can bring incredible outcomes. As resistance increases, your muscles are required to exert more effort, which creates an increased sense of body awareness.

In short, a Pilates ring is something you should incorporate into your exercises if you’re determined to make your workout sessions more effective. However, it doesn’t mean you cannot do your Pilates workout if it is unavailable. You can still do it with just a mat and no other equipment.

What Size Pilates Ring Should I Get?

Pilates rings are available in many varieties, differing in size, material, and flexibility. When you buy one, there are several things you need to be aware of. 

You can start by deciding the material you want for your Pilates ring. The rings are usually made of rubber or metal coated with rubber. Rubber ones are more flexible and offer less resistance. Beginners can choose rubber rings. If you’re looking for a more challenging workout to build and tone your muscles, pick up a metal one, as they offer the most resistance.

These Pilates rings also vary in weight, with some being more lightweight than others. Try choosing lightweight ones, as they’re better for Pilates ring exercises. 

In addition, some have handles on two sides to make handling easier. You can take into consideration your workout routine and exercises to decide whether or not you need the handles. In some exercises, the handles make the Pilates ring more convenient. For others, they may interrupt your movements.

One of the most important things to decide is the size of your ring. Pilates rings also vary in size, more specifically in diameter. The range is generally 12 to 15 inches in diameter (4). In Pilates ring exercises, you’re supposed to hold it between your different body parts, so you need to decide on the diameter size, depending on your body type. Experts usually suggest using 14-inch or 15-inch diameter Pilates rings (13).

Read more: Stay Strong, Move Mindfully: The Art of Standing Pilates Exercises

How Do You Use a Pilates Ring for Beginners?

If you’re a beginner who is starting with your Pilates ring exercises for the first time, you should use a more flexible, lightweight ring. Start with exercises that are low-intensity and give your body enough time to adjust.

Below is an example of Pilates ring exercises for beginners.

Pilates Bridge

This exercise is particularly effective for the lower body. It is considered one of the best Pilates ring exercises for the inner thighs and glutes (14).

1. Start lying on your back on the exercise mat so your knees are bent and your feet are flat on the floor.
2. Put the Pilates ring between your thighs, slightly above the knees, squeezing inwards. Inhale to prepare.
3. Now gently lift your back as you exhale so that a bridge position is formed.
4. Maintain the position and inhale. Squeeze the ring while exhaling and activate the glutes, then slowly lower back to your original position (8).

This is an example of an easy Pilates ring exercise that can be done at home if you’re a beginner. You can also look online for more Pilates ring exercises for the legs, arms, and hamstrings.

Is a Pilates Ring Good for Your Inner Thighs?

Pilates rings help a lot in toning the inner thighs. They are considered a perfect alternative to a thigh toner. Many Pilates ring exercises target and train your inner thigh muscles. In these exercises, a Pilates ring is usually used by squeezing it between the thighs. This adds to the resistance that your inner thigh muscles must work against.

Squeezing the ring with the thighs can increase the tension and create a sense of body awareness and alignment. This may cause the inner thigh muscles to work more to maintain balance and stability. Therefore, these usually difficult-to-reach muscles may become strengthened and toned (6).

How Do You Use Pilates Ring for Glutes?

Glutes are the muscles in the buttocks that account for a great deal of the strength, stability, and balance in the lower body. They also help with movements, rotation, and locomotion (5). Therefore, building and strengthening them is important.

Many Pilates ring exercises target and train the glutes. The Pilates bridge exercise, which is described above, is also a perfect example for training glutes. The side-lying leg lift is another example of using a Pilates ring for the glutes. 

Here is the method to perform a side-lying leg lift:

1. On a flat surface, lie on your side so your legs are aligned with your body and your head is supported by your hand beneath you.
2. Place your feet through the Pilates ring so it’s a couple of inches above your ankle.
3. Inhale to prepare.
4. Straighten your top leg as you exhale and lift it slowly in a controlled manner, stretching and creating tension in the ring.
5. Slowly inhale and lower your leg back to its original position.
6. Repeat this lifting and lower movement in a balanced manner, ensuring that the ring is in place. Do it at least 10 times for each leg (1).

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How Do You Use a Pilates Ring for Abs?

As Pilates ring exercises help to improve stability and build core strength, they ultimately help to activate and strengthen the abs, so if you want to improve and build abs, you can go with a different Pilates ring exercise. An example of such an exercise is the roll-up exercise using a Pilates ring.

Here’s the technique to perform the roll-up exercise with a Pilates ring (2):

1. First, get in the position by lying on your back on the floor. Then, hold the Pilates ring with both palms, raised slightly above your head. Inhale.
2. Using your core strength and abdominal muscles, exhale as you lift your upper back, shoulders, and neck forward while squeezing the ring. Perform the exercise articulating your spine, peeling it off the floor vertebrae by vertebrae. Lift your spine so that it’s in a curved sitting position.
3. When you’ve curved forward enough so the ring is over your feet, maintain the position briefly. Pause and inhale. Lower your back downward to the original position as you exhale.
4. Repeat this movement several times.

Can You Build Muscle with a Pilates Ring?

As Pilates ring exercises help with core strength, they can help build muscles. Pilates itself is a style of strength training and using a Pilates ring simply adds to the resistance. In other words, it makes the exercise more effective for building muscles. 

Pilates ring exercises zoom in on tricky-to-reach muscles, such as the inner thighs and glutes. All these exercises do a bit of muscle building. Imagine doing wall Pilates core exercises, roll-ups, planks, leg lifts, or single leg circles – now, add a Pilates ring, and bam! 

You’ve just turned up the muscle-building dial. Easy peasy, right? 

What Are Pilates Ring Exercises for Arms?

As with other body parts, Pilates ring exercises help tone the arm muscles. These exercises let you target, train, and build your triceps, biceps, chest, and shoulders (3).

The following are some Pilates ring exercises that focus on the arms:

Arm Press with the Ring:

1. Sit or stand with the ring in front of your chest with your elbows bent.
2. Exhale and press the ring outward, straightening your arms while keeping tension against the ring.
3. Slowly return to the starting position, maintaining resistance.

Triceps Squeeze:

1. Position yourself on the floor on your hands and knees with one side of the ring on the floor and the other end in your hand.
2. Extend your elbow, exhale as you press the ring into the floor, and engage your tricep.
3. Release and return to the starting position.

Bicep Squeeze:

1. Place one side of the ring on top of your shoulder while holding the opposite side in your hand with your elbow bent.
2. Exhale as you squeeze the ring into your shoulder, engaging the bicep of the arm that is doing the pressing.
3. Release the squeeze and repeat.

Arm Circles:

1. Hold the ring with both hands in front of you.
2. Make small circles with the ring, first clockwise and then counterclockwise.
3. Focus on controlled movements to engage the arms.

Shoulder Press:

1. Hold the ring at shoulder height with both hands.
2. Exhale and press the ring overhead, extending your arms.
3. Inhale and lower the ring back to shoulder height.

Try to maintain proper form and control your movements during these exercises. Pilates can be a challenging exercise if you are a beginner. Working with a fitness trainer could help you learn how to make your movements more fluid.

Read more: Pilates Exercises for Beginners: 10 Moves To Build Your Core Strength

FAQs

• Does Pilates help you tone or lose weight?

Pilates is a strength training workout that helps tone and strengthen your body. As for weight loss, it’s not as effective as a high-intensity workout that burns a considerable number of calories in a short time. However, a study proved that Pilates helps shed some extra pounds and gets rid of body fat when combined with a healthy diet (11).

• What can you use instead of a Pilates ring?

If you’re doing Pilates ring exercises at home but the Pilates ring itself is unavailable, fret not. Some household alternatives can be used in place of the ring. You can use a pillow or a thick book if the exercises involve movements toward the body. You can use a band, belt, or even a soft pliable ball if the movement is away from the body (12).

• Why are ring exercises harder?

Ring exercises are a bit harder and more challenging than basic ones because the ring increases resistance. Incorporating it into an exercise means more work will be done by the muscles to maintain stability during the required movement.

The Bottom Line

Pilates is a series of strength training exercises that can be done quickly at home. It can increase stability, flexibility, core strength, and muscular endurance and has many health benefits. Although Pilates can be done without any props, adding a Pilates ring to your exercises is recommended. This is because it improves resistance and makes a workout session more effective.

Pilates ring exercises can help you target areas that are normally difficult to reach with other workouts. This includes Pilates ring exercises for inner thighs, glutes, and abdominal muscles. If you’re a beginner, you can start with low-intensity Pilates ring exercises to allow your body to adapt. Remember to consult your physician first if you have any underlying medical conditions.