OBLIQUE ROLL-DOWN

ADVANCED

The C curve is paramount in the Oblique Roll-down. Monitor your abdominals and use your navel as a guide to ensure that those muscles are engaged and supporting the spine as you roll back and rotate.

Begin by sitting on the mat with your arms extended, parallel to the floor, knees flexed and apart.

Inhale, contracting your abdominals, drawing your navel to the spine, and lengthening the spine upward.

Exhale, and roll backward while simultaneously rotating the torso to one side.

Inhale, maintaining spinal flexion, rotating your torso back to center.

Exhale, and rotate to the other side, deepening the abdominal contraction.

Inhale, return to center, and repeat sequence four to six times on each side.

ANNOTATION KEY

Bold text indicates active muscles

Gray text indicates stabilizing muscles

* indicates deep muscles

DO IT RIGHT

LOOK FOR

• Lengthening the arms as you roll down to create opposition throughout the torso.

• Relaxing and lengthening the neck to prevent straining.

• Articulating through the spine while rolling up and down.

• Using a long, slow breath in and out to assist the movement.

AVOID

• Tensing your neck and shoulder muscles.

BEST FOR

• obliquus externus

• obliquus internus

• rectus abdominis

• transversus abdominis

QUICK GUIDE

TARGET

• Oblique muscles

BENEFITS

• Targets the oblique abdominals while challenging the ability to maintain the C curve

NOT ADVISABLE IF YOU HAVE

• A herniated disk