Sharon's Systema blog

Rolling learning sequence:

Lie on the ground first face up and than face down. Tense and relax in parts and in waves and than proceed to press the part tensed to the ground going over all the body and now also on the sides.

Continue to do the same drill only now you lift that part in question off the ground and focus on relaxing your parts which are close to it.

Continue to using the legs to turn your body over from face up to face down and as you do this move your arms continuously to learn how it changes the way the body moves on the ground.

Continue to lifting both legs off the ground and use the back muscles now to move the legs from side to side and up and down. Relax the shoulders and arms and help yourself by placing your hands behind your back so you become aware of the movement your back is able to perform.

Continue to sitting on your behind and lifting your arms over your head. Relax the shoulders and lie down and get up using your legs and body.

Continue to repeating the same drill only now you lie down and roll to face down and keep moving all without letting the arms touch the ground.

Continue to lying on your stomach and placing your hands behind your neck. Arch up as you breathe and very slowly relax down and mind how you move your head. Relax your shoulders and hips and Note to the direction of your eyes and remember the body goes where you look.

Keep your hands behind your neck and use your legs to roll face down and up a few times and than lift your legs in the air and repeat the rolling learning to move from the body.

Sit on your behind and reach to the sides with both arms. Look under one armpit and slowly go to the ground and when you reach it relax completely and rise up and repeat for the other armpit.

Repeat the previous drill and now as your lower back is on the ground lift one leg first and than the other till they are perpendicular to the ground and than use your back to lift them more toward where you are looking and at the same time move your shoulders as you did in previous drill to help the body move.

Lie on your stomach and hold both ankles with your hands. Arch your back so you lift in the air and slowly relax down. Use the breath and the body movement to roll face up and face down a few times and learn to connect the tension between the shoulders and hips.

Lie on your back and lift just your back in the air using your legs and shoulders. Hold your hands together behind your back and roll face up and face down without letting the hips or hands touch the ground. Learn to connect leg drive with the body.

Lie on your back and place either a stick or one arm perpendicular to the spine and using the breath slowly lift your body so you use only this for support. Learn to place soft tissue on hard contact and align hard tissue to pull together soft tissue and work on soft contact.

Sit on your knees and reach to the sides with your hands. Slowly lower yourself forward and make sure something other than your head touches the ground first.

Repeat the previous drill and move your body forward using your legs connecting the leg push with the shoulder alignment and the body movement to the point where you can balance your body on your head and shoulders.

Repeat the previous drill with one knee down and one in the air.

Repeat the previous drill squatting with one hand behind your back and one to the sides.

Lie on your back with your legs resting on a wall or a pole or a person and use your legs to push your back up again focusing on your eyes and shoulders and roll slowly one leg after the other and note how this effects your hip alignment and thus your spine.

Stand and lift one leg in the air. Slowly bring it up and to the back and balance this mass by moving your body forward minding your eyes and shoulders. Rise up and repeat a few times with each leg.

Repeat the previous drill only lift the leg in front of you and move your body back to balance out the mass.

Now stand and lift one leg in the air and slowly tense up your body and relax in this position. Move your body forward and balance it out with your leg and tense and relax again moving in small breaths worth and tensing and relaxing within each one and back.

Stand and let the body fall forward till it rests on your knees and from this position lift or slide one leg and while focusing on the shoulders and eyes roll.

Stand and tense your legs all the way to the hips and fall backwards relaxing upon contact and roll backwards.

Stand close to a wall or a person and roll parallel to it without touching it.

Place both hands together in front of you and roll backwards sliding or lifting one leg and slowly resting yourself on the soft parts.

Tense up both arms and roll forward and backwards focusing on the movement in your shoulders.

Tense up both legs and roll forward and backwards focusing on the movement in your hips.

Squat and roll to all sides as you hold a chain or a rope or belt in front of you and pull to the sides to stretch it.

Sit on your knees and hold both hands at your back and place a bag or a person in front of you and push yourself forward using the shins and feet to meet the ground and what is in the way. Slowly push the object or person ahead till you can do this on the ground and mind your eyes and chin.

Sit on your knees and slowly lower your body backwards till your head or shoulders touch the ground and slowly rise back to gage the distance under tension.

Stand and close your eyes and slowly roll to all sides

Roll and enjoy it.

Take a chain and hold it tight between your hands in front of you and squat down. Listen to the chain sounds and try to keep it tight as the shoulders remain relaxed. Now roll forward and backwards and side to side as you keep the tightness of the chain and this will teach you to keep both tense and relax as you move and to place your body better according to what you have with you. Remember not to lean on your hands on the way down. It is the same as bending forward to hit. It means you are afraid to move your body in some direction (unless you do this on purpose) breath and relax from the feet up and see how the roll happens. Avoid trying to create something that is in your mind and note what you have already. This is a good way to avoid death.

Another drill is to hold the chain ends relaxed in both hands and walk in the squat moving with the breath and working to come closer to a friend who is listening. If he hears you you have to go all the way and start again. This is a way to relax and focus on the same time. Be aware of all your parts.