Mat Pilates: Rolling Like a Ball

Mat Repertoire

Spinal Mobility:

Rolling Like a Ball

Alternate Names

Rolling Back

Derived From

Classical Mat Work: Rolling Back

Primary Element

Mobility

Why for Primary?

To develop and create spinal articulation whilst maintaining a flexed shape of the spine.

Secondary Element

Stability

Why for Secondary?

To develop balance and control through abdominal muscle activation.

Tertiary Element

N/A

Why Tertiary?

N/A

Repetitions

6-8

Plane of Motion

Sagittal

Targeted Muscles

Spinal flexors and anterior stabilisers primarily:

  • Rectus abdominis
  • External and internal obliques
  • Transverse abdominis

 

Hip flexors and hip extensors, hip adductors, knee extensors as well as shoulder extensors and elbow flexors also accompany the movement in this exercise.

Warnings

This exercise may be unsuitable for clients where inversion or spinal articulation is contraindicated as this would cause pain. Also watch for clients going up too high on the neck, aim to stay as high as the back of the shoulders.

It may also be unsuitable for clients where flexion and/or abdominal activation is contraindicated or would cause pain.

Execution

Sit tall on the Mat from ischial tuberosities (sitting bones) with the legs adducted and bent and the knees drawn up towards the chest. Take the hands to the front of the shins, holding the wrist or forearm of one hand with the other. Let the head draw as close as possible to the knees. Roll back off the sitting bones and balance with the feet floating off the Mat.

Inhale or lose your breath as you roll the spine back onto the Mat – aiming to stop at the shoulder girdle (not the neck). Exhale to engage abdominal muscles to maintain flexion of the spine and roll back up to the balance position.

Observations

Do a body scan of the client taking note of the following points

  • Pelvis
    • Can the client balance at the top of the Mat on their ischial tuberosities (sitting bones)?
    • Is the client collapsing into a ball shape or can they maintain abdominal connection and control throughout the movement?
    • Does the client wobble when they reach the top and try to balance? Place the hands onto the outside of the knees and abduct to engage gluteals to assist with stability
  • Legs
    • Is there space between the heels and gluteals? And between the quadriceps and abdominals? Can the client maintain those spaces when moving?
  • Feet
    • Are the fleet softly plantarflexed with the ankles connected throughout the movement?
  • Arms
    • Are the arms actively holding the legs, with the hands gently pressing into the shins?
    • Are the elbows wide and relaxed?

Learning Style Technique Cues

Auditory – word associations that connect mind and body

  • Maintain connection from the bottom ribs to the ASIS (hip bones) in the C-curve
  • Press the shins into the hands and vice versa to help maintain the spaces between the legs and the torso
  • Say the client’s name when you’re about to interact with them

 

Visual

  • Imagine a consistently paced movement, without momentum, that doesn’t stop or start at any obvious point
  • Keep the eye line or gaze to the knees throughout, without over-dropping the chin
  • You may demonstrate a part of the movement as a visual representation for the client to see

 

Kinaesthetic

  • Avoid straightening out through the spine on the way up, maintain the rectus abdominis (upper abdominal) connection and C-Curve shape throughout
  • Feel the space between the quadriceps and abdominals, and gluteals and heels, aiming to maintain those spaces the whole time

Modifications and Variations

Regress the exercise by

  • Reducing the range of motion and only rolling a centimetre back and forward again, aiming to reduce the use of momentum
  • Putting a slightly deflated Pilates ball between the heels and gluteals to maintain the space
  • Reducing the repetitions and/or pace
  • Working on Abdominal Work: Roll Back

Progress the exercise by

Series and Transitions

This exercise is part of the Spinal Mobility series which includes a range of other exercises in the fundamental and progressive repertoire. The Spinal Mobility series can also be found in the Reformer, Wunda Chair and Cadillac repertoire.

Inspired Academy follows the below order to focus on stability, before adding mobility and strength.

Fundamental repertoire