Rock and Roll to squat

Hello, 

In the movement series I am finding the rock and roll to squat really hard and looking at the course library there are not regressions for this movement. 

 

I feel my problem is

*tight ankles - working this in front split series and doing some half kneeling stretches throughout the week

* trouble getting my heels in close to my butt in order to roll up into squat

 

In your opinions is this either 

*tight quads and hip flexor causing both restricted spinal flexion and knee flexion

* tight spinal extensor stopping spinal flexion (find the feet overhead stretch in thoracic Bridge series hard and feet are way off the ground) 

* both 

* something else 

* unskilled movement and not enough momentum 

 

Any help would be appreciated 

 

Hello Glen,

Our muscles work together, so if you bend forward for example you spinal extensors muscles have to receive a message from the spinal cord in order to lengthen, same thing for the quadriceps and hamstrings and so on; as quads lengthen hamstrings receive a message from the spinal cord to contract

 

Lengthening takes time, it doesn’t happen overnight, it depends also on your body, on how long you’ve been training, any training background ? If no, then you need to give it time, especially if you’re sitting at your desk for example 

Can you bend forward and touch the ground with your hands with your lower limbs completely straight, no bent knees, if you’re very close, then it’s more about tightness in your quads, your lower ankle muscles (gastrocnemius..) are tight also, that’s what more blocking your from doing this move

Can you lay on your back(supine) and then flex one leg  and try to hug it, knee touching your abdomen? If no quad tightness; if your dorsiflexion is very close to 90 degrees (neutral position for the ankle), then your Achilles tendon needs more stretching 

Give your body time, and it will give back beautiful results 

That’s what I suggest, good luck!

And as for stretching exercises, gymnasticbodies offer enough

As your flexiblity increases, your body will be able to do the movement series much better 

Charbel Ammar

 

 

Hello Charbel, 

 

I can get my thighs to my chest when hugging the knees on my back and when warm can almost palm the ground with knees straight. 

 

As such from your description it's potentially quads and ankles. Will keep working these. 

 

Thanks

The low ability to compress femur to the upper body is a combination of factor, the most dominant is the anterior capsule tightness. something that can be fixed with a lot of o patience with the front split. depending on the level of tissue restrictions it can take months...