by Amanda Turner
The rolling exercise is the first one in the Mat work. It’s a beginner level exercise with many variations to make it easier or harder. It’s between Single Leg Circles and the Stomach Massage series. This exercise is great for working and developing your scoop, working on balance safely, and massaging the spine – let’s dive in! Let’s learn the exercise as if you have a healthy spine.
Set Up:
- Come to seated, hugging the knees in towards the chest. Heels are together, toes are apart and relaxed, knees shoulder width. Hands will hold the outside of the ankles, thumbs forward, with your fingers wrapping around the front of the ankles.
- You’re balancing just behind your tailbone (not on the sit bones) so that your low back is round, and it’s work to maintain the balance.
Movement:
Inhale, drop your chin to your chest, roll back to your shoulder blades. Exhale, return to your balance. Repeat 8–10 reps total.
Sounds easy enough, but we all know it’s not that easy. Our spines might be stiff and that might make rolling more challenging. My biggest tips are: keep your shoulders down, pull your chest through your arms, lift your gaze on the return, and – USE YOUR BREATH. Most students have a tendency to hold their breath during this exercise, I can assure you, that doesn’t help – use that exhale to pull the stomach muscles in and that will help your return to your balance.
The don’ts of this exercise:
~Don’t throw your head around and use its weight to roll back and up. That’s momentum, not your abs. If you want the results of a supple, youthful spine, work through it. Work through the tight spots. I promise, I won’t judge you if you can’t get back up. I promise I won’t judge you and if you really have to work to get back to the balance. That’s you building strength and flexibility; and that’s something to be proud of.
~Don’t roll onto your neck. Explanation not needed. Too much weight for the vertebrae of your neck to sustain. Don’t go there. Safety first.
What if you have osteoporosis or stuff going on with your lower spine and rolling isn’t an option?
~Place your feet flat on the Mat about a fist distance a part. Hands hold behind the thighs. Keep your feet planted on the Mat, inhale and roll your spine back to straight arms, deepen your abs and exhale as you return to the bent arms using your abs. It’s fun to experiment with how far you can bring your feet in towards your hips and keep them down on the Mat. Be mindful of your back and stay in a range of motion that is pain free.
Modifications/photographed above
- The listed description above with keeping the feet down is a great starting place.
- Hold behind the thighs to roll instead of the ankles – it gives you just a bit more space for your spine to round making the return a touch easier. If you’re feeling tight, I always recommend starting here.
- Holding the balance without rolling is a great option.
Variations/photo above on left
Pull your knees into your chest as tightly as you can and hold an opposite ankle with one hand and the other hand will hold your wrist (ex. right hand holds left ankle, left hand holds right wrist) – ohhh that’s a doozy
Teaching Tool/photo above on right
Bring your elbows on top of your knees, elbows bent, palms facing you. As you roll keep your elbows on your knees and knees on your elbows. This is a fun option reminding you to engage the upper abs.
I hope this answers questions you might have had regarding Rolling Like A Ball! Enjoy
