These Pilates Rings Will Help Strengthen and Tone Your Muscles While Protecting Your Joints

Lots of people started taking their workouts indoors during the coronavirus pandemic, and for those who love Pilates but are looking to get sculpted from home, finding a Pilates ring you love is a must.

“Pilates is a full-body workout that focuses on improving posture through awareness, improves flexibility through full range of active motion, and increases strength by using spring tension along with a variety of props, including the Pilates ring,” says Laura Wilson, owner of Natural Pilates. “All of this together contributes to building a strong, toned body.”

The Pilates ring, also known as a magic circle or fitness circle, is a rubber or metal ring that’s about 13 to 15-inches in diameter with two, small cushioned pads on either side. “This versatile piece of equipment is used to add gentle resistance and an additional challenge to Pilates exercises on Reformer and Mat. It can be placed inside or outside of the ankles, knees, thighs, hands, and arms,” Wilson says.

Pilates rings can elevate your workout because they help users achieve proper body alignment during key Pilates exercises. They’re also extremely versatile, helping students get deeper into stretches and build strength by adding resistance. “The Pilates Ring is a great way to activate underused muscle groups,” Wilson explains. “Students are able to choose how much of an additional challenge they’d like to add by choosing how much tension they use with the ring. It can be squeezed lightly to hard depending on how their body feels that day.”

How we chose the best Pilates rings

We consulted Wilson (a Pilates expert) and combed through countless ratings, reviews, and product specs to find the best Pilates rings available online.

Our top picks