You tell me:I want killer abs
I want tighter abs
I want to get rid of the baby flab
I want to look good in a bikini
I want a smaller waist
and on and on
I tell you:
a ROLL UP is one of THE BEST ab exercises out there.
Yes you have read how coming all the way up is BAD for your back.... how a "CRUNCH" is the best....
Do you know why??? NO YOU DON'T
It is NOT bad for your back, your back is BAD. You sit at a desk all day, you hunch over picking up your kids toys all day, washing dishes, sitting down to enjoy a marathon on Netflix... Don't worry I do it too!!!
But, those things are what hurt your back... not "full sit ups"
So
Let's talk about these "sit ups" (technically, a roll up is a sit up)
Roll Ups come from Pilates... you can interchange the word roll up and sit up when we talk.
a sit up usually has bent knees and your hands are behind your head.... guess what chicken butt?????? if you are not strong enough to have straight legs and hands over head (AS IN A ROLL UP) we would modify it so that your knees where bent and your hands were behind your head!!!!
HOLY MOTHER OF COWS!
she is right!!! they are the same!!!
so let's talk about this roll up
number one thing you do wrong~ I don't even have to see you do it, I already know... you need to SLOW DOWN
go slow
take your time
there is no hoisting
there is no rushing
there is SLOW... like count to 8 slow as you go up and 8 as you go down
this means that you REACH THE NUMBER 8 as you reach the end of the resistance of the movement.... not 8 as you lie down and relax or sit fully o n your butt!!!
so #1 slow the eff down
now that you think you have slowed down.....
Start in the seated position (it's easier this way) and tuck your hips/pelvic bone under, as you drop your chest into your stomach and allow your chin to fall to your collar bone. Now slowing start your 8 count and ROLL your spine down to the floor, one vertebrae at a time....
I'll wait
yeah... did you count to 8
ummmmm.... did you get to the floor in 4?
yeah you did, don't lie.... SLOW DOWN
Now there comes a spot where this is H.A.R.D. and you kinda collapse.. I know.... this is where you can "cheat" a little.... grab your thighs and hold on to them as an assist to help you lower slowly!!!
the collapse, the fall, the quick decent is where the injury can occur..... use your arms/hands to help you... you will get stronger and very quickly (like do this every day and in 10 days you wont need your arms) you will find you are amazing!!
Going up is the exact same thing..... but backwards..... use your arms/hands to help you when you get stuck in the sweet spot...
IF you absolutely in no way shape or form can get up... like you have to hoist, do it in a 2 count or just get perpetually stuck......
here is cheat #2
pull your knee into your chest and rock yourself up....
Just focus on the down... in about 2-3 weeks you will be able to do the up!!
freaking awesome!!!!
so your next question is "how many?"
Do 10 EVERY DAY
SLOW
It is gonna take you like 3-5 min to do 10 if you do them right.... You can spare the time and your abs/core will thank you!!!
Have fun
