I think roll over should be called flow over. This is a challenging ab and back exercise and it's getting coordinated with the breath and keeping the flow going that makes it feel really good.

Things to appreciate about the Pilates roll over -- the abdominal muscle strength and control, the stretch and strength of the back, the length in the hamstrings, the breath, the spinal articulation. Sound good? Let's do it.

Get instructions for roll over

Have the Exercise of the Week along with more great Pilates info sent directly to you each week in the Free Pilates Newsletter.

Big announcement: It's time for the About.com Readers' Choice Awards. You might remember that last year was the first year the Pilates site participated and we had a rip-roaring good time choosing our favorite brand of workout clothes, reformer, and DVD.

For this years Readers' Choice Awards we have  have 5 Pilates categories: best Pilates chair, best reformer for home workouts, best Pilates books not written by Joseph Pilates, best Pilates DVDs (beg. int. adv.), and best ab exercise. The items that get the most nominations go on to the final voting phase. Please take a moment to look through our Pilates choices and make your favorites known.

See the 2012 Reader's Choice Pilates Nominations Page

More about the About.com Readers' Choice Awards

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Taking plank up on the exercise ball is interesting because you can make the exercise harder or easier depending on how far from the center of you body you have the ball. No matter what, plank on ball or on the mat is a fabulous full-body toning exercise.

Learn Plank on the Ball

Do Plank on the Mat

Have the Exercise of the Week along with more great Pilates info sent directly to you each week in the Free Pilates Newsletter.

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Recently,  I started thinking about what a plethora of exercise balls we have available these days -- big, medium big, small and weighted, extra small not weighted, some for rolling, some not for rolling, on and on. And I thought, not everyone knows what all the different balls are and what kinds of exercises they are used for.

You know what's coming. Indeed. I have written up a glossary of exercise balls with photos and descriptions and links to exercises, ball workouts and comparison shopping. Please see: The Many Kinds of Exercise Balls, and the Exercises that Go with Them

P.S. Yes. I am balanced on that ball. No. This should not be the first thing you try on a new exercise ball.

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