Day 189- Rolling Like a Ball Series Rotate out and in

This exercise increases the abdominal endurance in the Rolling Like a Ball starting position, and it also encourages hip disassociation at the hip sockets.

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start sitting with your knees bent and your feet planted on the mat in front of you.  Inhale to prepare and then exhale as you curl your spine.  Allow your feet to float into the air so that they are about two inches above the floor. Maintain the C-Curve of your spine as you rotate your legs outward and then rotate them back to parallel.  Continue this movement for 10-12 repetitions.

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis you can do this exercise in a neutral spine. 

As you are rotating your legs be sure that your pelvis is still and maintaining the C-Curve.  Sometimes when a person externally rotates the legs, the pelvis will rock forward creating an arch in the back.  You can avoid this by making sure that your lower abdominals are engaged.

To add challenge to this exercise, you can roll farther back on the pelvis.  The challenge in this new position is maintaining the C-curve of the spine with gravity’s added resistance.

Day 186- Rolling Like a Ball with Hands on Ankles

This exercise is a classic Pilates Exercise.  It is intended to find the deepest abdominal muscles so that the spine can find a balanced curve.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start by sitting on the floor with your spine in a C-curve.  Your legs should be bent and your feet should be lifted off of the floor.  Grasp your ankles with your hands as you inhale into the back of the ribs, and then exhale as you roll back towards your shoulders and then return to the beginning balanced position.  Repeat 8-10 times

 

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis you should not do this exercise. But please visit The Pilates Studio’s weekly blog and visit the posts for the month of Oct 2012.  There are many osteoporosis friendly workouts that you can do.

 

A great image for this exercise is in the name.  Your body is a ball that rolls smoothly back and forth. 

 

Be sure that your head and tail maintain a connection.  The neck continues to be part of the curve as you roll back and it leads you as you roll up to the starting position.

Day 185-Rolling Like a Ball with hands behind knees

This exercise is a variation of the Classic Pilates Rolling like a Ball exercise.  It is intended to help the body find a balanced curve of the spine.

 

To do this exercise you will need a mat.  Start sitting with your knees bent and your hands holding the back of your thighs.  Inhale into the back of the ribs and then exhales as you hollow out your abdominals and rock the pelvis back so that your feet come off the ground.  Inhale in this balanced position and then exhale as you roll back so that your body weight is balanced on the shoulders.  Continue exhaling as you complete the roll and finish balanced once again on your tailbone with your feet lifted. Repeat 8-10 times

 

Things to think about

If you have osteoporosis you should not do this exercise, but please go to The Pilates Studio’s weekly blog and visit the posts for the month of Oct 2012.  There are many osteoporosis friendly exercises that you can do.

 

As you roll over each vertebra the movement should be smooth and even.  Often if the deepest abdominals aren’t found the low spine does not find the balanced curve and you might hit the ribs on the floor as you roll.