Meet The Magic Circle

Today I was getting the magic circles out as clients were arriving for their class. As one sat down on her reformer she said, “You can put those away”. The next person arrived, saw the circle, and groaned. It makes me laugh that something so simple in design, that requires only the smallest of movement to use, can be so challenging. 

The Pilates Magic Circle

It’s said that the original magic circles made by Joseph Pilates were made of steel rings from beer barrels. This may or may not be the truth, and it’s hard to know for sure. He never did patent the magic circle design. For the other apparatuses that Pilates did patent, we can pull a lot of information from the paperwork. We know what the apparatus was made of, how it was intended to be used, etc.

Today, you can find various styles and sizes of magic circles. Most are made of strong plastic with pads on each side where you connect it to your body. I found my first magic circle for $15 at Winners, have bought others through fitness supply companies, and even seen them at the grocery store of all places. A client just told me she saw them at the dollar store recently, though she didn’t stop to look. After all, she was the one who suggested I put them away in class!

How To Use the Magic Circle

The magic circle is simple to use. You connect your body to the two pads on the circle, and either push in or push out, with the ring creating resistance. It could be between your hands, ankles, knees, or even your head and the floor. The traditional magic circle exercises include a series of upper-body exercises as well as a series of lower-body exercises. There are so many options, and while it’s simple… It’s not easy. 

Where You’ll Feel It

Many of the upper body exercises have you connect to your back and help strengthen your back, upper arms, and even neck. Yesterday I added a magic circle sequence at the end of each workout and I demonstrated most of the exercises. I am definitely feeling my back muscles today. It’s a good, slightly sore, I worked “something” kind of way. 

If you’re pressing your hands into the circle, it makes sense that you’ll feel it in your arms. But when you’re standing tall doing these exercises, you’ll notice something else happen. As your core turns on, think about rooting down into the floor through your feet while lifting up through the crown of your head. You’ll notice that your rib cage mimics the movement of the magic circle! All of your supporting postural muscles are getting a mini-workout, too. None of this is intense; it won’t have you breathing hard and dripping sweat. But it is very challenging, which is why I hear groans when I bring them out in class. 

Exercises to Try With The Magic Circle

There are lots of ways you can incorporate it into your practice. One way is to challenge your balance. While standing, place the circle between your legs. Shift your weight onto one foot and lift the other foot off the ground. Press into the circle with your lifted leg. Then switch. This will strengthen various leg muscles and your core, improving your balance. You can also do this with your legs inside of the circle, pushing out. 

Then there are all the ways that you can use the magic circle within a mat class.  You can use the circle in most of the exercises to add variety and challenge. It’s also a great way to find fuller body connection in all of the exercises. 

For instance, you may struggle to get fully up off the mat in roll-up. One reason could be because you’re solely relying on your abs to do the work, and not engaging your legs or glutes. Try placing your feet in the circle, pushing outward, or outside the circle, pushing inward. This will bring your legs into the game, and you may start to have more success rolling all the way up. Another way to use the circle in this exercise is to place it between your hands, pressing in, to help you find a connection to your back muscles. 

Try It Yourself

I’ve heard many clients say that they own a magic circle. They’re inexpensive, don’t take up much space, and are easy to pack with you on vacation to get your Pilates workouts in. It’s just a matter of learning how to use it!