Rolling Plank 1
- To start the rolling plank ball exercise, kneel in front of the ball about 1 foot from the ball and lean on your forearms so that your shoulders are at about 90 degrees.
- Tighten your abdominal muscles.
Action
- Slowly straighten your arms to move the ball ahead.
- Breathe normally and use a slow and controlled movement. You may find it easier when you are first learning to inhale as you let the ball roll away from you, then exhale as you bring the ball back. Ultimately you need to be able to breath normally and maintain neutral position throughout any dynamic movement.
- Keep the ball under your elbows at the point of full extension.
- Stop before your hips start to sag.
- Pull yourself back to the start position.
Prime Movers
- Abdominals, hip flexors, shoulder extensors
Physio Tips
- Stop this exercise if you feel any shoulder pain or instability.
- If you have a history of shoulder dislocation, consult a physical therapist prior to trying this exercise.
- This exercise places a large demand on your neck stabilizers as well. Be sure to keep chin tucked down and tongue against the roof of your mouth.
- If you are having trouble with this, work on the static exercises - Static Pushup on Knees, Static Pushup on Toes.
Progression
- Try increasing your lever in Rolling Plank 2
- Using a smaller ball will increase the load on your shoulders
- Using a firmer ball will reduce the area of contact the ball has with the floor making it less stable.
Start this exercise ball exercise with slow and very short movements. The further the ball rolls from you, the weaker are the shoulder muscles you use to bring it back. So, in the beginning just let the ball roll out 2 or 3 inches before returning to the starting position, then you can increase the amplitude of the exercise as you feel more confident with the movement and the strength in your shoulders.
Repeat this ball exercise 6 times
Repeat this ball exercise 10 times
Repeat this ball exercise 20 times
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