Ever wondered what the benefits of doing Pilates roll ups every day are? You’re in the right place. Admittedly a fairly niche question – even for a Pilates disciple like me – but when I was asked to test the raved-about move, I was all in.
I’ve been practising both mat and Reformer Pilates on and off for over a decade, and I’m nothing if not a traditionalist. When it comes to finessing the OG moves, you had me at roll up. Because the truth is, while it’s amazing to see Pilates studios springing up all over the place (and that’s before we get started on the plethora of types there are to choose from these days, from wall Pilates, to vertical Pilates, to Tower Pilates), when it comes to harnessing the physical and mental benefits of Pilates, you can’t go wrong with the original moves.
If you’ve started 2025 with the intention of entering your Pilates era, there’s no better time to start. There’s no doubt that while you can happily practice Pilates all year round (and trust me, I do), but there’s something about the start of the year that makes a low-impact, mindful flow all the more appealing. And the science is compelling, too: studies (like this one, published in the journal Muscles, Ligaments and Tendons) consistently show that Pilates boosts flexibility, strength, posture and balance – all foundations of a fit and healthy body.
And mastering the humble roll up is a great place to start. “Roll ups are tough, but once you master them, you’ll be amazed at how much stronger you feel,” advises instructor Sam Deville. “They’re also a fantastic benchmark for progress in strength and control.”
Keep scrolling for your need to knows about the Pilates roll up and its benefits, plus find out how I got on when I tried them every day for a week. For more on Pilates generally, do check out our guides to how often you should do Pialtes, the best Pilates exercises to try from home and what happened when MC UK staffers tried Pilates toe taps every day and leg circles every day, here.
Pilates roll ups are arguably the most effective Pilates move of all time – so I tried them
What is a Pilates roll up?
The second move in the 34-move series that kick started the practice as a whole, a Pilates roll up perfectly encapsulates the principles of control, stability and core strength so fundamental to the practice. Its simplicity belies its efficacy – if you’re not feeling the infamous Pilates shake at some point during the move, you’re probably not doing it right. But what exactly is it?
“The Pilates roll up is a classical mat based exercise, which has been designed with the aim of strengthening the core, improving spinal mobility, and stretching the hamstrings,” explains instructor Aleksandra Warburton. “It involves a slow, controlled movement of rolling the spine up into a C curve from a fully flat lying position to sitting tall, and then (with control) slowly rolling back down again, to the start position. This exercise is a staple in the Pilates repertoire and reflects the method’s emphasis on control, precision, and flow.”
Mastering a slow, articulated roll up is key to accessing so many Pilates benefits, so taking your time and being precise will pay dividends.
@temeradoespilates
♬ fukumean – Gunna
What are the benefits of Pilates roll ups?
Speaking of benefits, as with all the original Pilates moves, the roll up confers a wide range of mind-body boosts.
1. They improve core strength
There’s a reason that the core is referred to as your “powerhouse” in Pilates: a strong and stable core is at the centre of all the original moves, and will protect and support your spine as you move. And the roll up is the perfect move for honing your core strength, as you’ll need to engage your entire mid-section as you roll both up and down in the move.
“Roll ups are an excellent way to build strength in both the superficial and deep abdominal muscles while also mobilising the spine,” notes Deville. “They require a coordinated effort from all the abdominal muscles: rectus abdominis (the “six-pack” muscles), transverse abdominis (deep core stabiliser) and obliques (internal and external waist muscles), making them one of the most effective exercises for core strengthening in the Pilates repertoire.”
2. They’re great for spinal mobility and flexibility
Joseph Pilates is credited with the quote “If your spine is stiff at 30, you are old. If it is flexible at 60, you are young,” and studies show that spinal mobility is a good indicator of quality of life in middle age (admittedly, the study was conduted on men, but it’s not too much of a stretch to apply the same logic to women).
And the roll up is an elite move for working on spinal articulation, and therefore improving mobility throughout the upper, mid and lower back. “The rolling motion central to this move encourages articulation of the spine,” agrees Warburton. “Over time, this will help to improve flexibility and reduce stiffness, as you’re essentially massaging your spine back onto the mat, one vertebra at a time.”
As you progress and gain mobility, you should be aware of your ability to articulate your spine almost bone by bone – that’s the aim, anyway.
3. They enhance hamstring flexibility
All you runners, listen up: roll ups are a great way to stretch out tight hamstrings and even calf muscles. “Rolling up and down stretches the hamstrings, helping to release tension in the back of the legs,” notes Warburton.
Want even more of a stretchy release? Slow the move down further.
4. They enhance postural alignment and body awareness
Any Pilates devotee will tell you that the practice tunes you into your body in a whole new way – not only will you be aware of muscles you didn’t know you had, but, over time, you’ll learn to move in a more fluid and intuitive way. Slow moves such as the roll up allow you to focus on your form and alignment, increasing your understanding of the way your body moves.
“By encouraging control and precision, roll ups help to improve posture and body awareness over time,” agrees Warburton.
@alyssa.millie
♬ original sound – alyssa hughes
How to perform a Pilates roll up with good form
As with all and any Pilates move, when it comes to banking the maximum benefits, you’ll need to ensure your form and technique is spot on.
“Roll ups are deceptively challenging and take time to master,” cautions Deville. “The key is to move slowly – the slower you go, the harder it is, and the more benefits you’ll get from the exercise.”
Here’s how to perform a roll up with good form:
- Start position: Sit tall on your sit bones with legs extended long in front of you, feet flexed, and your back straight. Arms should be extended forward at shoulder height. Take a deep breath in.
- Rolling down: As you exhale, roll off your sit bones, curving your spine into a C-shape. Engage your abs and focus on connecting your spine to the mat, vertebra by vertebra, starting at the base of your spine. Keep the movement slow and controlled, with your arms following the motion.
- Reaching overhead: Once you’re fully lying down, stretch your arms towards the ceiling, then gently lower them overhead, ensuring your ribs stay connected to the mat.
- Rolling up: Inhale, and on your exhale, bring your arms back over your head. Begin to roll up slowly, leading with your head, neck, and shoulders. Engage your pelvic floor and peel your spine off the mat one vertebra at a time.
- Finish position: Reach forward towards your toes for a hamstring stretch, then reset by sitting tall with your arms extended in front of you.
I tried Pilates roll ups every day for a week – and have some thoughts
Days one to three
Having refreshed my memory as to the benefits of a Pilates roll up and confident that I know the move well, I start the week with a (literal) spring in my step. If nothing else, the challenge is an excuse to leave my desk every few hours. Fortunately, my work wardrobe (a rotation of sports leggings and a hoodie) allows for me to hop onto my mat at any time and after a desk-bound morning, I can’t wait to get some movement in.
I’ve said this before – but it’s amazing how researching the benefits of a move brings more awareness and intention to my movement. As I lower down into my first roll up, I’m struck by how “sticky” (and I’m not going to lie, a little achy, too) my lower back feels. That said, I know that I’m generally pretty in tune with my body, so maybe I’m overanalysing.
Either way, once I’ve done the first few roll ups, I can feel myself easing into it, and the move starts to feel more fluid. Doing them cold is tough though, let me tell you – my hamstrings are screaming and my core isn’t as engaged as I know it needs to be, so I feel like I’m forcing my head forward to bring my body back up to a seated position. But it turns out, I’m not alone in this.
“It’s so easy to “cheat” with this exercise,” coach Stacy Weeks reassures me. “Persistence and patience are needed to do this well, don’t use momentum, because when you are able to do it well it’s brilliant. The trick is to break it down and start at the top, rolling back only as far as you can keep your form and not fall backwards.”
Tips ringing in my ears, on days two and three I go right back to basics and slow the movement down as much as I can. I even start my practice off with some pelvic tilts to make sure I’m nicely warm and moving well and it definitely helps. I can feel my sacrum tilting under more easily, allowing my lower back to stay in contact with the mat for longer, which I take as a win.
I can happily manage the recommended ten reps by day three. I’m getting into the swing of it.
Anna during her Pilates roll ups challenge
(Image credit: Anna Barrter)
Days four to seven
By the second half of the week, I’m keen to progress the move. I turn to one of my experts for some advice on whether I can and should up the ante.
“In Pilates, we love to make exercises as challenging as they can be by making people properly connect to their muscles,” says physiotherapist, Pilates instructor and founder of Core LDN, Claire Mills. “To really feel the roll up, think of pushing your heels away from you and drawing your ribs back in the opposite direction. This opposition will really connect you to your abs.”
As always in Pilates, these small tweaks are all that’s needed to take the move from just about manageable to I-can’t-wait-to-stop levels of hard. The shake is real – and, being totally honest, I’m getting a bit stuck at the midpoint at times.
I’m conscious not to compromise my form by yanking myself up (yanking and Pilates really don’t mix), so Deville suggests trying to engage with my (frankly sub-standard) pelvic floor as I roll up, to make the move smoother and more manageable. This also appeals to my multi-tasking tendencies, as I’m essentially getting a pelvic floor workout in, too.
By the end of the week, I feel like I’m a pro, easing up and down with (more!) fluidity and control. Do I feel that it’s strengthened my core? In all honesty, while I’ve felt the move in my abs, I can’t say I’ve noticed any strength gains in the week – but that’s not especially surprising, as I’ll wager it would take a few weeks of consistent practice to clock any significant benefits.
What I have noticed, though, is more mobility through my back as a whole – in my weekly reformer class, I’m able to rotate my torso further and more easily than before, which is a win, and means my spine is moving better.
Full disclosure: when I first started practising Pilates, I thought that spinal mobility was something of a myth. I was so incredibly tight it was almost as if my vertebrae were fused together, and I’m amazed at how much I’ve progressed since then – and while the practice never really gets any easier (sorry about that) it’s so rewarding to know that my body is responding and adapting to the practice.
In the words of Joseph Pilates himself, “in ten sessions you will feel the difference, in 20 you will see the difference, and in 30 you’ll have a whole new body,” and I have to concur. While the aesthetics haven’t changed (and nor was this ever my aim), my mechanics sure have.
Anna on her workout mat during her roll up challenge
(Image credit: Anna Barrter)
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Adanola Ultimate Tank Bra
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I’m a beginner, can I modify the Pilates roll up?
The beauty of the roll up is that it’s suitable for all levels of ability, from beginner to advanced. With a few tweaks, you can modify the roll up to make it easier, or more intense.
“If you’re a beginner, try modifying the move with props to make it more accessible,” advises Mills. “One way to do this is to wrap a band around your feet and hold onto either end of the band – the band acts as an extra abdominal muscle! Another prop you can use is ankle weights to give you a bit more support in anchoring your lower body to the mat. I also like to teach modified versions of the roll up without props – for example, I will get clients to practice both halves of the roll up separately (the forward flexion and then rolling down) until they are able to smoothly lift their body with no momentum.”