The Roll Up is the more difficult version of the Roll Down . Before doing this exercise, you should be able to do a Roll Down with control and mastery. Like the Roll Down, the Roll Up increases abdominal strength and articulation of the spine.

There are two reasons why the Roll Up is more difficult than the Roll Down:

• You begin with your legs straight instead of bent. This makes your abdominals work harder to get you rolling up.
• In the Roll Down, your arms stay by your sides, whereas in the Roll Up your arms are reaching upwards as you come of f the mat. This also puts more load on your abdominals.

Lie down on your back with arms extended by your ears and your legs straight on the floor in the Pilates First Position.

lnhale Breathe in deeply. Stretch your arms and legs away from each other like you do when waking up in the morning.

Exhale: Lift your arms up to the sky, palms forwards. As your arms become perpendicular to the floor, lift your head, squeezing an imaginary orange under your chin. Squeeze your butt and inner thighs together and scoop youi abdominals to initiate the rolling up movement.

Inhale: Stretch forwards over your legs as you pull your navel in, hollowing' your belly in opposition to the forward stretch.

Exhale: Initiate the Roll Down by squeezing your butt and inner thighs together and begin to roll down your spine, creating a C Curve with your back. Control the movement from the centre by pulling your navel in toward your spine. Think of pressing your spine down onto the mat 01 vertebra at a time. Roll slowly all the way down to lying flat, your arms reaching above your ears, and begin again.

Complete 6 repetitions. Finish the last one by lying flat on your back with your arms down by your sides. Bend your knees and bring them up to your chest, grabbing onto them with your hands. Roll yourself up to sitting to prepare for Rolling Like a Ball.

• Focus on using your abdominals to perform the exercise.
• Attempt to articulate through your spine on the way down and on the way up.
• Minimise the tension in your upper body; keep your neck long and relaxed.
• Don't let your feet or legs lift off the floor as you roll up.