Pilates Exercise of the day!

The Roll Up

Objective:

To stretch and mobilize the spine. To tone the abdominal.

Key Points:

Careful not to hold your breath. Keep the hips and pelvis firmly grounded and tummy tucked in.

Starting position:

Lie on the floor with your legs straight. Let your belly drop down toward the floor and make sure your shoulders are relaxed and away from your ears. Keep your ribs down and extend your arms straight up over your head that your finger tips are facing the wall behind you.

Motion:

Inhale: Leave your scapula down as you bring your arms up over head. As your arms pass your ears let the nod your chin to your chest and lift your head neck and shoulders slightly.

Exhale: And continue to curl your body up in one smooth motion towards your toes. Pull  your abs in and deepen the curve of the your spine as you exhale. That's what gets you up (not momentum).

Finally, keeping the head tucked, the abdominal deep, and the back rounded, reach for your toes.

Inhale: and slowly curl up to a straight up position, shoulders down and relaxed.

Exhale: Curl spine and slowly curl down into the starting position lowering one vertebra at a time.

Try do up to 6 repetitions.