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Exercise library · Abs

Ab wheel rollout

Core stability for the abs with other equipment.

How to do it

1 of 4

Kneel, wheel under your shoulders

  1. Starting position

    Kneel with the wheel under your shoulders, grip the handles and keep your arms straight.

  2. The movement

    Roll the wheel forward with your trunk and hips steady, stop before your back arches and pull yourself back.

Most common mistake

Don't arch your back as the wheel rolls out, brace your abs and reverse the movement while your back is still steady.

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Muscle group
Abs
Equipment
Other
Where
Home or gym
Logged as
Reps

Muscles worked

In the ab wheel rollout your abs resist movement rather than create it. As the wheel rolls out, gravity tries to arch your lower back, and the rectus abdominis, the transversus abdominis and the obliques work to keep your trunk still. Your lats and shoulders work hard, both to brake on the way out and to pull the wheel back in. Your glutes keep your hips extended. The further you roll, the heavier it gets, because the lever gets longer.

Common mistakes

  • Your hips come back first. On the way back it is common to push your backside back and fold at the hips, so your abs ease off. Bring your chest and hips back together, as one unit.
  • Falling out instead of rolling. If the wheel moves too fast on the way out, you cannot brake in time and end up on the floor. Roll out over two to three seconds, under control.
  • Your head lifts or drops. Keep your head in line with your back, with your eyes on the floor a little ahead of the wheel.

Variations and alternatives

  • The plank gives your abs the same job without movement and is the right place to start if the wheel feels too heavy.
  • The dead bug is done lying on your back and teaches you to keep your lower back still while your arms and legs move.
  • The hollow hold is a static hold in which your abs work hard, and it needs nothing but a floor.

Sets and reps

The ab wheel is hard, so expect fewer reps than in other ab exercises. Three sets of 5 to 12 reps work well. If you are new, start with short rollouts of 5 to 8 reps. End the set when you can no longer roll out as far with a still back. The guide to sets and reps has more on choosing a range.

A simple way to progress is to roll towards a wall. Position yourself so the wall stops the wheel at a point you can still control, and move a little further away once you manage every rep on every set. Then add reps and a short pause at full stretch. That is progressive overload without weights. Rollouts from your feet come much later for most people. If your back or shoulders hurt, stop the exercise and have it looked at by a doctor or physiotherapist.

Also called

  • ab wheel
  • ab rollout

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Taken, or missing the equipment? The same movement with something else.

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