B7 Rollup is an ancient and popular calisthenics style abdominal exercise. The focus of sit-ups in the context of Harmony Training Floor Exercises is spinal and pelvic harmonious movement, rather than an abdominal muscle workout exercise. This is because the neutral spine standing Harmony Training exercises like Pushups and Hovering provide a safer, more functional and more powerful abdominal training.

Therefore, there is no reason to add weights that add lumbar and cervical strain, but rather to make it easier by harmonizing the full-body movements and optimizing (not maximizing!) stability and mobility synergistic muscle function.

Starting Position

Supine lying:

• Stretch arms up and legs down (on surface) and elongate spine.

Movement

• Without moving the legs, raise the arms and articulate the spine to flexion, from top to bottom.

• Start with an exhalation and a slight chin tuck.

• Roll up the spine, one vertebra after another, from top to bottom, until the sitting position is assumed.

• In the sitting position, find the neutral position of the pelvis and spine (maintain a slight lumbar arc).

Stretch

• Lean on the outstretched arms.

• Relax in this sitting-upright position for about a second.

• Elongate the spine and get taller for the stretch.

• Look forwards towards the horizon.

Return

• Start by rotating the pelvis and flattening the lumbar curve, then roll down vertebra after vertebra and raise the arms until the Starting Position is achieved.

Relax

• Find the Starting Position stretch and relax in that position.

• Gear for the next repetition.

Notes

• It is okay to use arms and elbows to assist with the movement provided the spinal articulation is maintained.

• If the legs rise during the roll up or down, or if the harmonious sitting position cannot be found.

• This is just an indication of the challenge remaining to master this exercise.

• After a few repetitions, as the body warms up, it will become easier to keep the legs down.

• With regular practice this exercise becomes naturally easier.

For people who are naturally stiff:

• Practicing this exercise is most challenging early in the morning when the body lacks mobility and stability.

• If difficult, the best time to practice this exercise is when the body is comfortably warm, ideally, after the standing sequence and/or an aerobic workout.

Perform 3-5 stretches to each side then proceed to exercise B8 Twist and Punch.