Description: Lying supine with hips extended and knees extended keeping the pelvis in a neutral position. The arms are overhead with shoulders completely flexed. Hips are adducted and ankles in dorsi flexion.
Inhale: Extend shoulders to 90 degrees keeping scapula depressed. Exhale: Flex the spine off the mat going very slowly one vertebra at a time. Stay in this forward flexed position as the body comes off the mat. Arms reach parallel to floor. Inhale: Once the student has reached full flexion of spine and hips, have them reverse the process. Maintain a depressed scapula through out movement. Exhale: Finish extending onto the mat ending with arms flexed overhead last. Then prepare for One Leg Circles.
Purpose: To reinforce the safe articulation of spine while flexing and extending using abdominal muscles efficiently. There is an efficient movement of pelvis on femur. Pelvis starts in neutral position and moves into posterior tilt with spinal flexion.
Variations: Keep pelvis in neutral position when supine. Flex knees to assist in getting past the sticking point when hip flexor muscles contract. Start with a partial roll up for those with weak abdominals or low back issues. Just executing the roll down portion (getting up anyway they can) with control will strengthen the abdominal muscles eccentrically. Have student keep knees flexed if their hamstrings are very tight.
Progression: To increase workload, have more advanced students keep arms near ears elongating levers.