Bands
Resistance bands offer both assistance and support during your Pilates workout as well as providing constant resistance which increases muscle strength. They allow you to move freely and achieve a large range of motion, which allows you to create resistance from all directions. Bands can add challenge and variety to your Pilates class, help you to enhance body awareness and can be beneficial as a rehabilitation device.
Small Balls
The Pilates Small Ball is a great way to enhance your Pilates workout as it focuses your attention on the core muscle group and increases muscle activity. It can be used to help tone abdominals and inner thighs as well as increasing your strength, endurance and concentration. The unstable nature of the small ball offers a reduced base of support, so can help to challenge the body’s balance and control. It’s beneficial for pelvic floor exercises and suitable for relaxation and shoulder/neck massage. My favourite piece of equipment!
Foam Rollers
Foam Rollers were originally used for rehabilitation work. The unstable base means that the rollers are great for challenging your core stability and assist in developing the deep stabilising muscles by challenging the body’s balance and control. They can also be used for stretching and massage by putting your body weight on the roller and rolling the muscle or an area on the foam roller.
The Circle
The Circle provides light to moderate resistance to your Pilates workout. They can be used to engage the core muscles and increase muscle activity in the pelvic region, as well as help to strengthen the muscles in the hips, inner and outer thighs and the shoulder girdle. The circle can also be used for stretching the limbs and as a point of reference from which to move.
Toning Balls
Pilates Toning Balls are used for light weight training to add more resistance to the exercises. The balls can help to develop better balance, coordination and flexibility as well as strengthen the shoulders, arms and upper torso. The soft, hand sized balls are the perfect size to allow you to hold them comfortably. They come in various weights, allowing you to increase the resistance as you progress.
Pilates Blocks
Blocks are used in Pilates to support the head in reclining postures to achieve the correct neck alignment and for seated postures. I also get creative and use them as a balancing object to focus on pelvic stability.
