How to Do a Chest Press With Pilates Magic Circle

The Pilates magic circle chest press is an exercise that helps to strengthen and tone the muscles of the chest. It also targets the biceps and triceps muscles in the arm, as well. The Pilates magic circle is a ring that comes in various tensions. It makes standard Pilates exercise more challenging and can help improve your level of strength and tone the entire body. Since the circle is light, you can use it at home or when traveling and other times when you cannot get to the gym. The Pilates magic circle chest press can substitute for a typical chest press exercise done with free weights or bands.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

1. Lie on your back on the floor. Imprint your spine by tightening your abdominal muscles and pressing your lower back into the floor. Focus on spreading the shoulder blades apart and widening the upper back.

2. Hold the Pilates magic circle between your hands, pressing your palms into the pads. Exhale and press the circle together. Focus on pressing the circle in evenly from both sides so it becomes an oblong.

3. Inhale and slowly release the circle back to the starting position.

4. Keep the lower back pressed flat into the floor and the shoulder blades spread wide.

5. Repeat for 8 to 12 repetitions.

Tips & Warnings

• Since one side of your body naturally tends to be stronger then the other, really focus on pressing the circle in evenly with both hands. The circle should become a perfect oblong shape and the hands should both be at the same height.
• To protect the back, keep the lower back and both shoulder blades in contact with the floor. There is a tendency to round and hunch the back in order to push the circle together.

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