Ditch the planks — this exercise improves your balance and spine mobility, all while strengthening your core

You’ve heard about the benefits of Pilates when it comes to strengthening your core, but what about an exercise that helps improve your balance and increase flexibility in your spine at the same time? Enter "rolling like a ball."

Forget your sit-ups, crunches and planks; this exercise helps you really engage those deep core muscles, the transverse abdominis, all while rolling like a toddler on your yoga mat.

If you find yourself sitting down a lot or often experience stiffness in your lower back, rolling like a ball can help stretch out your spine and relieve tension. Read on to discover how to do it and explore the progressions to try as you refine your technique.

If you’re pregnant, postpartum, or you’ve suffered from a back injury, it’s a good idea to check with your doctor or personal trainer before adding this exercise to your routine.

Remember to always listen to your body and seek help from a professional if you’re unsure about your form.

How to "roll like a ball"

This classical Pilates exercise doesn’t require any extra equipment, although you’ll probably want to do it on a yoga mat to make things more comfortable.

• Sit on your exercise mat with your legs bent and your heels on the floor.
• Raise your toes off the floor and hinge your torso back to feel your core engage — this is what your Pilates instructor might call the c-curve
• Place your hands behind your knees.
• Keeping your knees bent, rock backward and lie down on the mat, but keep your legs lifted and your core engaged.
• Rock forward into a seated position, without letting your feet drop down to the floor.
• To progress the exercise, hold your ankles rather than behind the knees, or bend your elbows and place your elbows on both knees, keeping them engaged as you rock.
• You can also roll your arms behind you as you roll back and extend them next to your legs as you roll up, or add a lift to the roll by raising your hips off the floor at the top of the movement to increase core engagement.

As with all Pilates exercises, the key here is to move with control. You shouldn’t be rolling from side to side — if you are, you’re not engaging your core correctly.

Think about scooping your belly button toward your spine and keeping that c-shape as you roll. Avoid rolling onto the neck, as this can cause injuries.

What are the benefits?

Like all Pilates exercises, rolling like a ball is a great way to strengthen your abdominal muscles, which will work hard to keep you balanced as you rock back and forth. You’ll also be working on your deep abdominal muscles, as well as the muscles in your back.

If you spend a lot of time sitting down, you might suffer from a stiff lower back. This exercise massages the spine, helping to improve circulation and relieve any tension you might be holding. Think about feeling each vertebra as you roll.

Finally, you’ll be working on your balance and coordination in this exercise. It might look pretty simple, but it requires concentration to roll to a seated position. Remember to keep that core engaged — avoid thudding down to the mat, instead, lower your torso down slowly and with control.

Joseph Pilates believed that rolling helped maintain a flexible spine and maximize your breathing capacity. Try exhaling deeply on the roll down, and inhaling as you roll up.

Enjoy the movement and have some fun — it might not leave you sweating, but this exercise works your core while letting you embrace your inner-toddler!

More from Tom's Guide

• 9 best Pilates exercises for strengthening your core and boosting posture
• 8 minutes, no equipment — this 8-move Pilates abs workout works your deep core muscles
• Forget weights — I tried this Pilates roll-up exercise that strengthens your core and boosts your posture