Spine Rolling

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit on a soft exercise mat with your knees tucked toward your chest.
2. Wrap your arms around your shins or grasp the back of your thighs.
3. Round your back into a 'C' curve by tucking your chin toward your chest and pulling your belly button toward your spine.
4. Lift your feet slightly off the floor, balancing on your sit bones.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you roll backward with control, allowing each vertebra to touch the mat sequentially until you reach your shoulder blades.
2. Avoid rolling onto your neck; stop the backward motion once your upper back makes contact.
3. Exhale and engage your deep core to roll forward, returning to the initial balanced position without letting your feet touch the floor.
4. Maintain a smooth, rhythmic tempo, focusing on a fluid motion rather than jerky movements.

Form checklist

• Keep your chin tucked toward your chest throughout the entire movement.
• Maintain the rounded 'C' shape of your spine to avoid 'thumping' or flat spots during the roll.
• Keep your knees pulled tight to your chest to maintain a compact center of gravity.
• Use your abdominal strength, not momentum or leg kicking, to return to the start.

Pro tips

• Focus on 'segmental articulation,' trying to feel every individual vertebra make contact with the mat one by one.
• To maximize core engagement, try to hover at the top of the movement for a full second before rolling back again.

Make it harder

• Hold your ankles and pull your heels closer to your glutes to create a tighter, more challenging 'ball' shape.
• Perform the roll with your legs extended in a 'V' shape (Open Leg Rocker) to increase the lever length and demand on the hip flexors and lower abs.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the spine rolling work?

The spine rolling primarily targets the abs and erector spinae, and also works the obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the spine rolling?

The spine rolling requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the spine rolling good for beginners?

Yes. The spine rolling is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• Bear PlankBeginner · abs, erector spinae, and obliques
• Butt UpsIntermediate · abs, erector spinae, and obliques
• Cat Cow StretchBeginner · abs, erector spinae, obliques, and trapezius
• Cat StretchBeginner · abs, erector spinae, and obliques