Is your "open leg rocker" more like "open leg dropper?" Does your "teaser" leave you tense?
If you're in class asking yourself, "Why can't I do this?' You are not alone.
Rolling exercises habitually invoke a collective sense of frustration from many pilates clients, regardless of their skill level or abdominal strength.
The inability to roll on your spine smoothly and with control can be incredibly humbling. And there are plenty of exercises in the Pilates repertoire that involve this skill: rolling like a ball, roll up, roll over, neck pull, just to name a few.
So what is it about these particular exercises that causes such difficulty? The answer lies literally in the shape of your spine. Often people with certain posture types (tendencies in position of the spine and pelvis) have a much tougher time with these types of movements. Quite simply, certain posture types curve more readily than others.
Our spines have two naturally occurring curves, one at our upper back (thoracic curve) and the other in the small of our back (lumbar curve). One of the many things these curves do is act as shock absorbers for dispersing the torque and forces that we incur throughout our everyday lives.
An exaggerated lumbar curve (lower back) is called lordosis. People with lordotic spines typically have tighter hamstrings and hip flexors. They also tend to have a lower back that is tight and short and somewhat inflexible because the pelvis biases towards an anteriorly tilted position (hipbones spilling forward to the toes, tail bone pointing to the ceiling).
The ability to create a "C curve" is essential in the success of mastering most rolling exercises. Mimicking the shape of a "C" this curve occurs when the upper back and pelvis are flexed forward (hipbones tipping backward, tail bone pulling forward to the nose, nose to the tail bone). It is can described as a scooping or hollowing sensation and the abdominals work beautifully in this position to protect the lower back, activate the core and allow the spine to roll.
People with lordosis can have a fairly difficult time placing their hips in neutral pelvis (hip bones on the same plane with the pubic bone). To then ask the pelvis to tilt into a "C curve" puts an even greater demand on the already tight lower back and hamstrings since it is the exact opposite of the naturally occurring preferred position of their pelvis. It is no wonder that for these people, "rolling like a ball" quite literally leaves them flat. Therefore, it is rare that a client's ability to roll is solely a question of their strength, experience or even effort. Posture type definitely plays a huge hand in one's ability to roll.
So if you think you have a lordotic spine or just seem to have a tough time creating an effective "C curve" try these tips.
1. Give yourself a few extra repetitions of an exercise. Sometimes your back needs a few repetitions before it fully releases / lengthens appropriately.
2. Use a prop. Balls, bands, bars, straps often will provide the right leverage in assisting your pelvis to tilt properly. Try sitting up against a rolled towel for the roll up. It works wonders.
3. Use a modified version of the exercise first to get you to the full version later. Placing your hands on the back of your thighs verses on your ankles for "rolling like a ball" is a great modification to lessen the tension and tightness of the back.
Give it a try. You'll be rockin' and rollin' in no time.
Thanks to Angelique for this article.
Angelique, PMA-Certified Pilates Teacher
Angelique is a native of Southern California and a graduate of UC Irvine with a degree in English. She began ballet at age 5 and continued to dance and teach professionally for more than 20 years. Introduced to pilates after a hip injury while still in her teens, she became fascinated with the intricacies and complexities of movement. She pursued her first Pilates certification through The PhysicalMind Institute in New York in 2003 where she trained with Master Teacher Elizabeth Gillies. Profoundly influenced by Ms. Gillies dedication to rehabilitation and innovation, Angelique strives to instill a clarity and deep understanding of the work to her diverse clientele such as those with back pain, fibromyalgia, hip replacement, osteoporosis, ACL replacement and scoliosis. Through intuitive cueing and a meticulous eye for form and proper body mechanics, she provides a unique experience for each client and their personal needs and goals. Angelique has also trained extensively in Pilates protocols for pre and post natal clients and is certified in BalleCore BARRE Mat Pilates. She earned her second Pilates certification in 2008 by completing the BASI Comprehensive Teacher Training Program. In 2011 she graduated from Long Beach Dance Conditioning's Core Intelligence Course taught by Master Teacher, Marie Jose Blom-Lawrence. Additionally, she is certified by the Pilates Method Alliance. Angelique finds inspiration from her many amazing and devoted clients at Bella Forma.
It is common practice to go to extreme ranges of motion during an exercise because it makes us "feel" like we are working harder, but are we really? The opposite is most likely true. Next time you have a moment like this ask yourself, "What am I really feeling?" Understanding where a movement comes from and what muscles should be used to initiate it is the essence of the work of pilates. And arguably, at times it can be even more important than the actual movement itself. Exercises where there is very little or even no movement incurred can literally produce a brow-full of sweat and a mountain of shaking muscles which is so much more effective than moving in an exaggerated way, just for the sake of creating motion.
Sometimes the names of exercises can be somewhat misleading / deceptive in that the mind shifts the focus to the particular body part named--leg circles, arm circles--just to name a few. The objective of these particular exercises is not to create the biggest circle possible, but instead to be exceptionally steady and solid in the trunk and core despite the circular action of the limb. Try shifting your mentality. Instead of wondering if your movement is big enough, evaluate to see if you're making a connection to your core during the exercise. And if you're not, the question should then be why and what can I do to make one. One strategy may be to limit your range of motion. Frequently moving your extremities beyond a certain point actually makes it harder to stabilize your core. For example, when your arms move behind your shoulders during an arm circle, the muscles required to stabilize your shoulder girdle and trunk are simply not accessible. And even worse, other muscles--the dreaded "traps"--are very likely to take over. You may not be feeling any core muscles because they simply can't engage due to the position you are in. So don't be afraid to be conservative and employ restraint. It is absolutely okay if you aren't moving as high, wide or far as the person next to you.
It can be difficult to employ this technique, especially if you have a tendency to hyper-extend your joints (knees, elbows, etc.) as most of us do. However, just because you can move your body to an extreme position, doesn't necessarily mean that you should. And as with any habit it takes mindful practice to create new muscle memory. Be patient. Give yourself time to work in this different way. Changes such as these won't happen overnight, but when they do will dramatically transform your posture and the way you move.
Try thinking about creating length and depth throughout your body during your movement. Imagine someone gently pulling on your limb right before you lift or move it. Visualize moving the biggest part of the extremity first. In the case of lifting the leg to your side, rather than thinking of raising your foot off the ground, focus on reaching the thigh bone away from your trunk as you raise the leg instead. These techniques will not only help you to establish the proper range of motion and form for each exercise, but also create a wonderfully deep connection to your core as well.
So remember, the next time you're in the studio taking a lesson or class, tell yourself..."Go big or go PILATES!"
Special thanks to Angelique Christensen for this guest post.
Angelique, PMA-Certified Pilates Teacher
Angelique is a native of Southern California and a graduate of UC Irvine with a degree in English. She began ballet at age 5 and continued to dance and teach professionally for more than 20 years. Introduced to pilates after a hip injury while still in her teens, she became fascinated with the intricacies and complexities of movement. She pursued her first Pilates certification through The PhysicalMind Institute in New York in 2003 where she trained with Master Teacher Elizabeth Gillies. Profoundly influenced by Ms. Gillies dedication to rehabilitation and innovation, Angelique strives to instill a clarity and deep understanding of the work to her diverse clientele such as those with back pain, fibromyalgia, hip replacement, osteoporosis, ACL replacement and scoliosis. Through intuitive cueing and a meticulous eye for form and proper body mechanics, she provides a unique experience for each client and their personal needs and goals. Angelique has also trained extensively in Pilates protocols for pre and post natal clients and is certified in BalleCore BARRE Mat Pilates. She earned her second Pilates certification in 2008 by completing the BASI Comprehensive Teacher Training Program. In 2011 she graduated from Long Beach Dance Conditioning's Core Intelligence Course taught by Master Teacher, Marie Jose Blom-Lawrence. Additionally, she is certified by the Pilates Method Alliance. Angelique finds inspiration from her many amazing and devoted clients at Bella Forma.
