By Amanda Turner
Excel Pilates Annapolis clients Stacey & Zoë doing Rolling Stomach Massage
Happy November, the month of feasting! With Friendsgivings, Thanksgiving, and the start of holiday treats, I thought that it would be a great time to review the exercise named Colitis, or the friendlier name of Rolling Stomach Massage. This exercise is extremely difficult, as it requires accessing the glutes, inner thighs, and abs in the most perfect, balanced way. I find myself saying that line quite often ;). In saying that, once your mind figures out the choreography and your body finds the control – this exercise is absolutely delicious for the spine and It’s wonderful for massaging the internal organs.
To properly execute this exercise, it is mandatory that once your legs are over the ROLL BACK Bar (like a trapeze) and your hands are on the WALL UNIT Poles (like leg springs), that you do NOT straighten your legs. Keep your knees/thighs together and your heels reaching for your glutes. Your toes start down on the Mat and that will mark the beginning and end of each rep.
The first direction: bend your knees into your chest, lift your hips up (you are now in a position that is comparable to Rolling Like a Ball), then stretch your legs out and bring your torso and legs in line (similar to Long Spinal Massage on the Reformer). Pitch out until your toes touch down (at which point you’ll be in a Shoulder Bridge) and only then will you roll your spine back to the Mat. Repeat two more times.
The second direction: keep your toes down but lift your hips up, building a bridge. You’ll lift your toes up (finding that same LONG position from the first direction), bend your knees into your ribs and hips, staying up, and then you’ll roll down through your spine until your toes touch the Mat. Repeat two more times.
And then the fun part! Alternating directions and increasing speed for each set, for three sets – bend the knees in, lift the hips up, lengthen the body until the toes touch the Mat, come right back up, bend the knees in, and roll down through your spine until your toes touch.
Again, this takes A LOT of glutes, inner thighs, and abs so here are the exercises you want to perform really well first:
· Short Spinal Massage
· Long Spinal Massage
· Shoulder Bridge on the Mat
· Leg Springs, specifically your Six-Point Frog (throw in a Hip Lift for good measure)
· Waterwheel with the Rollback Bar
· Table on the Wunda Chair
Enjoy these scrumptious and challenging exercises alongside your pumpkin pie to prepare for Colitis aka Rolling Stomach Massage. Happy November!
ing exercises alongside your pumpkin pie to prepare for Colitis aka Rolling Stomach Massage. Happy November!