Finding Balance with a foam roller

I took my first foam roller class two decades ago. I was instantly hooked. It is often used now as a way to release tight muscles, but I love using it to explore subtle imbalances in muscle strength. Are you pulling more to the right or left on your roll up? How low can you lower your legs and still maintain balance and core control?

This video is just a sample of the pilates exercises you can do on a foam roller. When doing these exercises focus on "cinching your abs" and maintaining a neutral pelvis. You may want to practice these first before geting on the foam roller.

Neutral Pelvis: Use your hip bones to check your neutral pelvis. Place your first two fingers on your hip bones while lying on the ground. Your fingers should be parallel to the ground. If you are tipping your pelvis the fingers will point on a diagonal either upward if pushing the spine into the mat; or downward if over arching the back.

Connecting Your Core: Imagine you have a corset on. Visually pulling the corset tighter. As you do this feel your ribs "knit together" and your abs flatten. Breathe into your lungs laterally and fill your back expand with your breath. This helps you activate your transversus abdominis. By focusing on strengthening this action you will support your back and build greater strength for all exercises.

Do 10 reps of each exercise

1) Arm Pulses

2) Roll-up

3) Roll-up w/ Upper Body Extension

4) Hip Curls

5) Single Leg Stretch

6) Double Leg Stretch

7) Double Leg Lower

8) Teaser Leg Balance