As the quarantine extends into another week so too does our practice of the Pilates matwork! The advanced series is not recommended for those new to the method. Ensure you are proficient in the intermediate exercises and choose wisely. There is a natural progression to the Pilates series and technically these exercises should be practiced in sequence to ensure your body is appropriately prepared. We will continue to refer to Alycea Ungaro's text, Pilates, Body in Motion, as a reference.
- The Roll Over:
- After the Hundred and the Roll Up we reverse the movement with the Roll Over
- Rather than rolling from the top, we initiate from the bottom of the spine.
- Emphasize articulation and massaging the spine finding each vertebra lifting and returning sequentially to the floor
- From supine, with arms alongside the body, draw both legs up to a 90* angle. Legs can be neutral or Pilates stance. Energize them, pressing them together.
- Press your shoulders and palms flat into the mat and connect into your powerhouse firmly.
- Inhale and initiate from the powerhouse to float your hips up, bringing the legs over your head. Keep reaching the arms long. Do not press up onto your neck.
- Exhale and separate the legs just past shoulder width. Keep the back of the neck long, avoiding any tensing or crunching in the front of the neck. Your body weight should rest squarely in between your shoulder blades and on your skull.
- Begin rolling back down toward the mat, articulating through the spine until the backside reaches the mat. The legs follow the spine, pressing close to the body. Descend evenly through both sides of the body. The shoulders should remain relaxed. (Ungaro, 116-119)
Reminders: Do not roll onto your neck. Maintain space between your chin and chest when the legs are raised over the head. Avoid "swinging" or too much momentum. While rolling back to the mat, keep the legs close to the chest. Aim the tips of the toes for the floor, however if hamstrings are tight legs can remain parallel to the ground.
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