How To: Do the beginner pilates move the Swan Neck Roll

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If you are looking a for a quick pilates reference, take a look at this pilates animation. This a quick & easy, clearly explained diagram of the pilates mat exercise: Classical Pilates for Beginners:
The Swan-Neck Roll. Pilates exercises focus on breathing, alignments of the spine & build strong torso muscles.

Setup for Swan-Neck Roll:

* Lie on your stomach and lift your abs off the mat.
* Place your hands under your shoulders and bring your elbows close into the sides of your body (like duck wings).
* Shoulder blades down your back.
* Slide your jaw forward so that your front teeth are gently touching.
* Scoop deep, and inhale as you roll a marble away with your nose, and roll up (head, neck, upper back, mid back, lower back) to the ships figure head position.
* Breathe normally. Gently lengthen your chin and your breast toward the horizon.
* Look to your left and stretch, roll your chin down to your chest, and then roll up to look to your right and stretch.
* Return to lengthening your chin and breast bone out to the horizon, and pause.
* Stay scooped & exhale as you roll back down.

Purposes:

* Stretches the muscles of the throat and abs.
* Works the shoulder stabilizer muscles.
* "Releases" and counterstretches the spine after all the flexing you've done. As such, it is the Pilates alternative to the "Mckenzie Extension exercise" that is famous for relieving sore backs.

Precision Points:

* Keep your thumb close to your fingers, and distribute the weight or your body equally through your whole hand and fingers.
* Review pointers under Setup, Action, & Cueing.