Core workouts are more popular than ever. You can do situps and planks, but you can also do other exercises, like using a Swiss ball, medicine ball, or dumbbells. If you are looking for a new way to exercise your core, consider using the ab wheel.
You might forget to use the ab wheel, but it is important because it helps you train your whole “core” simultaneously. Your core works this way in real life too. You can do other workouts with it while training your core because it has more than one type of exercise on different parts of your body.
The core is more than just your visible stomach muscles. It also includes muscles running around your whole body, including on the sides and back. When these muscles are strengthened, they will act like a corset that pulls everything together.
Ab wheels work your core muscles. These are the muscles around your stomach. They help to support your skeleton and keep you balanced and in good posture.
How To Use Ab Wheel
To do the ab wheel correctly, you need a strong core. It would help if you also had good upper body strength, especially in your shoulders, back, and forearms. Doing ab wheel rollouts the wrong way could make your lower back hurt. If you feel pain, stop and do other exercises that work your core before doing them again.
Best Ab Wheel Exercises
Ab Wheel Plank
The ab wheel plank is a good exercise to do because it strengthens your stability muscles. It will also help you learn how to hold the roller and keep your balance.
- Start on your hands and knees in front of your roller.
- Put your hands on the handles, one on each side of the wheel.
- Push up into a plank position with a straight body from head to toes.
- Squeeze your core tight and hold for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times.
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Knee Roll-Out
- Start kneeling on the floor.
- Grasp the handles of your wheel with your arms extended.
- Keep your abs engaged and slowly roll forward until your belly is just above the floor, keeping your arms extended in front of you.
- Return to starting position by rolling back into your knees. Repeat this for 5-10 reps.
Wide-Stance Front Roll-Out
- You stand with your feet wide apart.
- Then you grab the wheel.
- Keep your back straight and arms extended; push the wheel forward.
- Raise your body so that it is in a straight line.
- Push the wheel back to where it started, bending at your waist to return to your starting position.
- Repeat for 5-10 reps or until you feel tired or want to stop.
One-Leg Roll-Out
This is an exercise you can do after you’ve learned the full front roll-out and the oblique roll-out.
- Stand with your feet together and the wheel in front of you.
- Bend over and pick up the handles.
- Keep your back straight and your arms out in front of you.
- Then roll forward, lifting one leg as you roll all the way down, then rolling back so that it is now bent at the waist again to return to where you started.
- Repeat this 5-10 times or more if possible.
Narrow-Stance Front Roll-Out
- Stand with your feet together.
- Put the wheel in front of you.
- Bend over and take the handles at your waist or on your hips.
- Keep your back straight and push up until you’re standing all the way up with arms outstretched above you.
- Move the wheel towards your feet, bending over again to return to a standing position when it is in front of you.
- Repeat 5-10 times.
Oblique Tuck
- Put your feet in the foot attachments.
- Then put your elbows on the ground and stand up straight.
- Roll the wheel by bringing both of your knees toward one elbow.
- Keep your upper body and back in a straight line at all times.
- Repeat this for 8 to 12 reps or until you feel tired.
Single-Arm Roll-Out
You can practice these rolls by starting on your knees. Once you are good at that, then you can try the full version.
- When you start to do this, stand with your roller on the ground in front of you.
- Bend at your waist and grab the roller in one hand.
- Then roll slowly, really focusing on engaging your core so that you don’t tip over to one side.
Bridge Hold
- Lie down with your back on the ground.
- Put your feet in the things that go around them.
- Push up and back so that you can get on your roller by bringing it close to your butt.
- Press down with your feet, so it doesn’t roll away.
- Hold this position for 20-30 seconds while you squeeze and lift as high as you can without bending at the waist or knees, keeping your stomach tight all along.
Related: How To Do Push Ups Properly to Build Body Strength
V Roll-Outs
- Get on your knees.
- Get a roller.
- Hold the handles and move to the side at 45 degrees, then return to the starting position.
- Keep doing this but go to the other side, too.
Knee Tucks
- Stand up straight with your feet in the foot attachments.
- Then, move into a plank position.
- Your hands should be under your shoulders, and your back should be straight.
- Move one knee towards your chest at a time without moving any other part of your body.
- Do this for 8-12 reps at a time.
Plank to Pike
- To do this exercise, get into the plank position and put your feet into the foot attachments.
- Keep your hands under your shoulders and back straight.
- Engage your core and move the wheel in towards you.
- Bend from the hips, raising onto your toes.
- Extend until you are back to plank position, then repeat for 8-12 reps.