My Love Letter to the Pilates Magic Circle

Hello Everyone, 

I am Colleen Ferguson, owner of, and instructor at Atwill Pilates, in beautiful Santa Barbara, California.  

At Atwill, I am blessed to be surrounded by many talented Classical Pilates instructors, very engaged and curious clients, and a few Gratz Pilates team members whom I work with whenever they are in Santa Barbara. 

In celebration of the Magic Circle as Gratz’ Apparatus of the Month, the team at Gratz asked if I could share some thoughts on the Magic Circle. So, I thought I’d share a little bit about why I have BIG LOVE for this little circle.  

Why I Love the Magic Circle 

It is not an exaggeration to say, I love the Magic Circle.  

But what I love even more is how it helps my clients connect their mind and body, get organized, and focus. I love how it complements every exercise, on every apparatus. 

I had a client say to me once “Can everything in Classical Pilates be summarized by the short sentence – In & Up!?” At first, I laughed, and then I thought - well yeah, exactly.  

In & Up, a Basic Principle 

In a nutshell, In & Up seems like one of the most basic principles we’re striving for. And the Magic Circle is a key gateway to understanding the true transformative magic of the In & Up.  

Whether it’s between the ankles, the inner thighs, or the hands, regardless of apparatus you’re on, hugging the Magic Circle is one of the best ways to find how the limbs connect very deeply to working the In & Up from the powerhouse.  

The more you squeeze the more In & Up you get. That resistance is mind and body changing. It’s the first piece of Gratz Pilates equipment I think everyone should have at home since it’s so effective and takes up so little space.  

While the Magic Circle can spice up exercises on nearly every apparatus, I particularly like using it on the Reformer and Mat. These are some of my favorite ways to incorporate the Magic Circle, the ones I go to first and use most often for myself and my clients who are ready for this addition. 

Pilates Mat + Magic Circle

There are endless ways to use the Magic Circle on the Mat, but some of my favorites are Leg Circles, Open Leg Rocker, Neck Pull, and Leg Kick Series.

• Leg Circles

  Place the Magic Circle underneath the ankle of the leg on the mat (vertically – leg extended through the circle). This helps to engage the back of the standing leg and realize the important role the standing leg plays in stabilizing the hips.
  
  

• Open Leg Rocker

  On the Mat, I find the Magic Circle useful for helping improve Open Leg Rocker. Placed between the ankles, it adds feedback that helps bring awareness to the center line, as well as focus to the hug and lift at the top.
  
  

• Neck Pull

  Place hands inside the Magic Circle, palms pressing while the other pad is behind the head to align the neck. The Magic Circle can also be used between the arch of the feet for inner thigh work while rolling back.
  
  

• Leg Kick Series (variation)

  Place the Magic Circle at the hamstring/glute connection/smile line. Lift the knee off the Mat and press on the circle to find maximum work in the glute-hamstring area.

Pure Magic of the Pilates Accessory

I truly love the Magic Circle. I’m in awe of how one little circle can give such a complete full-body workout . It’s pure MAGIC!

Colleen Ferguson had her first exposure to Pilates while studying classical ballet growing up in Simsbury, CT. The change she experienced through a regular Pilates practice brought a new level of stability and strength not only to her dancing but to all her athletic endeavors. This transformation sparked her interest in Pilates as a profession. After graduating from Westmont College in Santa Barbara she spent a year traveling and living in South America where she studied ballet at Julio Bocca and earned a living teaching private clients while residing in Buenos Aires. Upon her return to Santa Barbara she completed the BASI comprehensive certification in 2009 and started working at La Playa Pilates. 

Colleen went on to get the esteemed Romana Pilates classical certification, traveling between LA and NYC for a year. Colleen is also extremely active in the international wellness community; after training a private client in France for six months she and travel blogger Georgia Hopkins co-founded the wellness pop up series, "it's healthy here," through which Colleen has trained clients in pop-up locations around the world including Berlin, Portugal, Cote Basque and numerous locations along Australia's eastern coast. Colleen has also been invited to guest teach at the Maderas Village in Nicaragua and Aro Ha wellness retreat in New Zealand. She now has a wellness retreat business called Beautiful Nomad which hosts retreats around the world. Her love for travel, surfing, hiking, dance, cooking and yoga along with her diverse Pilates background complements her integrative approach to health and well-being.  

About Atwill Pilates 

Atwill Pilates is Santa Barbara’s renowned Classical Pilates studio. We are a team of passionate teachers committed to the original work of Joseph Pilates. We offer outstanding personalized instruction and small group classes taught by our Classically certified trainers to help you heal and transform your body to its ultimate potential. Our sessions are tailored to each client's need to offer targeted results. 

Our studio is affiliated with Romana's Pilates in NYC. Romana Kryzanowska was Joseph H. Pilates protege and the “heir” to passing on the original work of Joseph Pilates. Our studio is equipped with all Gratz Pilates apparatus for the finest equipment designed to change your body the fastest.