Stories passed down about Joseph Pilates tell of him using an empty beer keg to create his first Ladder Barrel, and the metal rings from around the beer keg as as the first Magic Circles (more on those in a future post). Who knew, right?
The Ladder Barrel is the newest apparatus at Evolution Pilates. As the name implies, the Ladder Barrel has ladder-like rungs and a cushioned, rounded barrel-like surface that is perfect for stretching, strengthening and improving flexibility. The barrel has a sliding base that can adjust to accommodate different torso and leg lengths for a range of Pilates exercises.
The Pilates ladder barrel helps you isolate deep postural muscles and challenges the body in all planes of movement. Ab work on the Ladder Barrel can be highly targeted. Side sit-ups are very effective. Back extension movements are a natural fit. Lie backwards over the barrel and gently extend your spine, or lie face down and use the barrel to develop stabilization by lifting your upper body into Swan. Horseback (it looks exactly like it sounds) strengthens both the core and the legs. At the end of a session, the Ladder Barrel provides a stable place to stretch out hips and hamstrings.
Make an appointment now for private session with any of our instructors and they can show you how to develop strength, stability and flexibility on the Ladder Barrel. Then go have a beer to celebrate your hard work and make a toast to the great innovator, Joseph Pilates!
