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Exercise guide
Pilates Roll Over
A controlled inversion from the mat: with the arms pressing down, the straight legs travel overhead until the toes reach towards the floor, then the spine rolls back down one segment at a time.
What this exercise works
- Muscles
- rectus abdominis · transverse abdominis · erector spinae · hip flexors
- Goals
- endurance · strength
- Equipment
- No equipment
- Category
- Strength
- Difficulty
- advanced
Demonstration
Step 1
Step 2
How to perform the movement
- Lie on your back with the legs straight and the arms pressed into the mat beside you.
- Lift both legs to vertical without letting the lower back arch.
- Press the arms down and take the legs overhead until they are parallel to the floor behind you.
- Open the legs slightly, flex the feet, and roll the spine down one vertebra at a time.
- Return the legs to vertical and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Technique cues and common mistakes
- Drive the movement with the abdominals, not by throwing the legs.
- Keep the weight off the neck: the roll stops at the shoulder blades.
- Skip this exercise if you have neck complaints, and build it up with smaller curls first.