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Single-Leg Circles

Pilates / Popular

Mobilize the hip while keeping the pelvis stable.

What coaches agree on

  • The real test of this exercise is keeping your pelvis, hips and torso completely still while the leg circles - a bigger circle is not the goal if it costs you that stillness.
  • If tight hamstrings or beginner strength keep you from a straight leg, bend either knee - the circling leg or the grounded one - you still get the same hip-rotation benefit with a bent knee.
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  • Start every circle by crossing the leg over the midline first, then reverse to open out to the side - starting wide skips the moment where you gather your center.

Common mistakes

  • Hiking the hip up or dragging the circling leg in too close to your body is what causes the hip clicking or popping many people feel in this exercise; smaller, more controlled circles fix it until the hip is strong enough for more.