Pilates

Pilates

Pilates at home needs very little equipment, and what there is works by adding either resistance or support. A pilates ring, also called a magic circle, is a flexible hoop squeezed between the hands or the thighs to add resistance to a movement you are already doing, which is what makes inner thigh, chest and arm work harder without any weight. 14 inch is the standard adult size, and a double handled version gives a grip on both the inside and outside of the ring so it can be squeezed or pulled apart. Mat thickness matters more in pilates than in most disciplines, because a great deal of the work is done lying on the spine, shoulder blades and tailbone rather than standing. 10mm NBR is a genuinely cushioned mat that protects those contact points on a hard floor, where a thin yoga mat leaves the spine bruised after a rolling sequence. The trade-off is stability: a thicker mat is less steady for standing balance work. A head block is a small support placed under the head or neck to keep the cervical spine in neutral for anyone whose head does not comfortably rest flat, which is common and worth solving rather than working through. None of this needs a studio, and the ring and mat together cover most home routines.

Fitness Mad supplies a Pilates ring at 14 inch with a double handle and a Pilates Mad head block in charcoal. Urban Fitness makes a 14 inch pilates ring and a 10mm NBR fitness yoga and pilates mat in black. For mats see Yoga Mat, for recovery Massage, and for the wider range Home Fitness.