I’ve been wanting to write about Pilates for several months, but a shoulder injury has kept me away from trying a structured class. Still, it’s important to consider that many forms of exercise can be modified so that you can participate regardless of your abilities or disabilities.
Upon realizing this, I read up on the small piece of equipment shown in the photo above, a Pilates ring or circle. This is just one piece of equipment that can be used for the type of exercise that Joseph Pilates developed to help soldiers during World War I. These exercises are known to improve flexibility, posture, balance, and muscle tone (1). The ring adds resistance to your workout and can be used for both upper and lower body exercises. But it actually isn’t necessary to have any equipment for this type of workout.
Pilates exercise has many points in its favor because it is:
- Low impact and easy on your joints
- Designed to improve mobility and flexibility
- Useful to align your posture
- Perfect for core strengthening
- A help in body awareness and fall prevention
- A good tool for reducing stress and improving cognition
There are many advantages to using a Pilates ring. They take up little space, are relatively inexpensive, often come with exercise instructions, and are available in different sizes and resistance levels. Since they are commonly used, you can find many articles that review different models. They are available for purchase through department stores like Target or Walmart, and of course there is a wide selection on Amazon.
I ended up choosing the Mantra Sport Pilates Ring Magic Fitness Circle recommended for beginners in a Cosmopolitan review of the 8 best Pilates rings (2). This ring was also recommended by Prevention as the most durable (3). I figured it was worth a try for approximately $25 (at the time of writing).
This equipment is perfect for anyone who has an injury or limitation like me because it can be used in so many ways. That said, I find that the resistance is a bit weak for lower body work. Not a problem though because you can do more repetitions, sets, or use it for more difficult exercises. Speaking of difficult, this ring comes with a wall chart showing exercises at three different levels of difficulty. There are a total of 30 different exercises, which is plenty to keep you busy. You can register your ring using a QR code or on the Mantra Sports website. A download of the wall poster is available upon registration.
While there have been few useful studies on Pilates and weight loss, I was able to find one that show’s improvement in A1C and oxidative stress (malondialdehyde). Participants in the randomized trial intervention group (mean age 61) practiced Pilates for 8 weeks (5) and achieved health improvements in those two blood tests. Since health is the focus of this blog, it’s sometimes useful to look beyond our weight and the scale.
While other exercise may have a greater relationship with weight loss, there are many reasons to include Pilates in your program. It can be done by nearly anyone and will have a positive impact on your life. It’s yet another tool we have to help us maintain our healthy weight.
(1). https://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/what-is-pilates-ring
(4). https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/pilates-benefits#benefits
Maintain Weight Loss 