According to MayoClinic.com, it is a common misconception that the Pilates exercise method is only suitable for serious athletes and dancers.
The German fitness expert Joseph Pilates developed the method in the early 1900s and put an emphasis on the use of various exercise tools and machines. Two of the most well-known are the Reformer and the Cadillac. However, these also happen to be some of the most difficult to use, as they have complex, moving parts. There are pieces of Pilates equipment that are suitable for children.
Floor Mat
One of the most basic pieces of Pilates equipment that a child can use to lose weight is the floor mat, which is simply a comfortable, padded section of material. As the health resource TeensHealth from Nemours notes, performing Pilates exercises on a floor mat requires that children use their own body weight to generate resistance. An example of a floor mat exercise is the roll-up. Performing one requires that you lie flat on your back with you arms above your head. You then slowly pull your arms forward and roll the top of your spine off of the ground.
Magic Circle
The Magic Circle is a ring-shaped, portable piece of equipment that children can use in conjunction with a floor mat. It consists of flexible rubber, allowing children to push against it and generate resistance. According to The Christ Hospital, the Magic Circle is most effective for working the thighs, buttocks and abdominal muscles, and can also improve the lateral movement and rotation of the spine. A Pilates exercise example using the Magic Circle is the thigh adduction, which requires that you place the Magic Circle between your thighs and squeeze inward.
The Fletcher Towel
Joseph Pilates' former student, Ron Fletcher, is the inventor of the Fletcher Towel. The towel is a long strand of braided fabric, which children can use standing up in a variety of low-impact stretching -- and breathing -- exercises. According to The Christ Hospital, exercising with the Fletcher Towel targets the chest and upper back muscles, while also improving poor posture and promoting proper spinal rotation. An example of an exercise using the towel requires that you hold the towel out taut in front of your chest, raise it over your head and then bring the towel back to the starting position.
The High Barrel
The High Barrel consists of a large rounded platform, or barrel, with a series of rungs positioned across from it. A child can exercise on the High Barrel by sitting on the barrel portion and extending his legs out on to different-level rungs. He can also lean backwards on the barrel, stretching the back.
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