Its not unusual for a beginner student to have trouble with the Roll Up exercise on the mat, and sometimes students can spend years practicing pilates and never be able to roll up from the mat to a seated position. Why is this? And what can we do to roll up better and more smoothly?

One of the most common physical reasons for not being able to roll up, besides having weak abdominals, is lordosis. It is very hard to peel the spine up, one bone at a time, when there is an excessive curve in the low back.

Another common reason for not being able to roll up is that the upper body tries to do the work, the neck, shoulders, and arms try to hurl the body forward in order to come off the mat. If you do this, all you find is that you are stuck on the mat!

Before we get into the details on some tricks to the Roll Up, let's make sure we're on the same page as far as how the exercise is done:

Laying on your back with legs straight and parallel, arms straight up in the air. Reach the arms back by the ears, then inhale as they come forward again. Exhale, lifting the head forward, then one bone at a time peels up off the mat. At the top, round the spine forward over the legs, with arms straight forward and head dropped between arms. Inhale, then exhale as you return to the mat, one bone at a time.

Ok. So if you can't roll up, try these suggestions and see if one, or more than one, is helpful.

Press the Bunions Together
Before you roll up and your legs are straight forward, keep your legs parallel by pressing the bunions, or the "big toe knuckle" together. The feet should not be angled in, they should be parallel. Keep this position exactly as you roll up, and when you roll down again, think of scooping away from the bunions.

Pinky Toes Back, Big Toes Forward
Make sure that your pinky toes aren't craning forward, with the big toes back towards your body. In you head, say, "Pinky toes back, big toes forward". This should be your motto all the time, but its especially helpful for the roll up. This position of the feet actually activates the inner thighs- your core- instead of letting them slack off. In fact, reaching the big toes forwards should really come from reaching the inner thighs forward. You can do this at the same time you touch the bunions together, and you can also do it during the next tip, too.

Use a Magic Circle
There are two really good ways of using the Magic Circle to help you roll up. One way is to hold it between the inner arches of your feet. It shouldn't touch the floor, its just held between the feet. As you roll up, think of squeezing the circle with your inner thighs. As you scoop back, scoop away from the circle. You can also hold the circle in your hands, up to the ceiling with your palms pressing on the pads this way:

Bring the arms forward so the Magic Circle is just over the thighs. Then, lift your head forward so you can look through the circle. Inhale, then as you exhale, reach your arm pits forward into your heels. Press on the circle to help smooth it out and to get some power into the arm pits. It sounds crazy, but it works!

These are just some tricks to the Roll Up.

This posting, Secrets to the Roll Up, is posted by Elaine E. at Wellsphere.com