Rolling Like A Ball
Plane of Motion
Sagittal
Muscle Focus
Spinal Flexors
Rectus Abdominis, Internal Oblique, External Oblique
To keep the spine in flexion during the entire exercise.
Lower abs tuck the pelvis to roll back, and the upper abs pull toward the thighs to rock up.
Anterior Spinal Stabilizer
Transversus Abdominis
To maintain the lumbo-pelvic stabilization.
Other Muscles at Play
Hip flexors assist with the maintaining the ball position.
Hip adductors keep the legs together and the heels squeezed together.
Hip extensors, knee extensors, shoulder extensors & elbow extensors create a co-contraction to keep the legs held in tight.
Objectives
Focus on stability and form to strengthen the abdominal muscles.
Offers a massage or relaxation to the lower back muscles.
Focus on the control of the movement with the proper energy flow to increase mind/body awareness.
Offer setup and guidance to ensure the body remains in the correct ball like position throughout the exercise.
Focus on breathing to synchronize the movement.