Hi Carrie Russo:
Each time the Lady was doing a Rolling Exercise, you cued to look at your stomach.
What is the reasoning?
Thanks.

Great question! I cue that for a few reasons.
1) you always want to make sure your head is completing the shape of the spine. Here we are on a c-curve - so the head completes that shape by being down.
2) a common pitfall that people fall into is leaning back from their head vs powerhouse. If your are looking at your stomach that can’t happen.
3) you never want to hit your head on the mat. Ouch! Looking at your stomach helps ensure that doesn’t happen (hopefully!)
Hope that helps!!??

Thank you Carrie Russo.
I take on board each of the points you make, however thinking of OLR, if your gaze is focused on your stomach for the Open Leg Rocker as you come back up , it will send the wrong message to your brain directionally, as I find you want to be looking Up as you come back up, otherwise, you can easily lose the connection(form) and your brakes may well not work properly. I only practice mat, and that is how it works in my ageing body.

We may be saying the same thing with different words. To clarify... While you roll/rock, the eyes need to be on the navel so you keep your C-curve for exactly the reason you stated. If you look up, your spine will straighten which won’t allow for you to roll smoothly (which is the goal of the exercise). That being said, yes you are right, when one is up and balancing... the eyes are forward so we don’t “send the wrong message”, as you said. Then we look down to the navel again to rock. Don’t worry about getting up. Focus on rolling/rocking smoothly. Then the balance will come. If you focus on the balance WHILE you’re rocking, that is what causes the loss of connection. I hope this makes sense!