Ab roller wheel: picking the right wheel and learning the rollout
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- Wide single ab wheel with rubber tread. Best for: Most people learning the kneeling rollout. See options on Amazon
- Double ab roller wheel with knee pad. Best for: Beginners who want extra stability and a pad in the box. See options on Amazon
- Spring-assisted ab roller. Best for: People who can roll out but struggle to roll back. See options on Amazon
- Thick exercise knee pad. Best for: Any ab wheel that did not come with a pad. See options on Amazon
What the ab wheel trains and who it is for
The ab wheel rollout is a hard core exercise. Rogue, which makes an ab wheel, says regular rollouts work the abdominal muscles and also the hip flexors, back, shoulders and thighs. ACE describes the same kneeling rollout pattern with a barbell and rates it as an advanced exercise: you keep your hips pressed forward and your back straight while the bar rolls away from your body.
Because it is demanding, it is not a first core exercise. Mayo Clinic's core strength guide starts with simpler moves such as the bridge, the quadruped (bird dog), the modified plank and the side plank, and suggests one set of 12 to 15 repetitions of each. If those feel solid, the ab wheel is a reasonable next step. Mayo Clinic also advises people with back problems, osteoporosis or other health concerns to talk to a health care professional before doing core exercises.
How to choose an ab roller wheel
| Type | Best for | Trade-off |
|---|---|---|
| Single narrow wheel | Experienced users who want the hardest balance challenge | Tips side to side easily |
| Single wide wheel | Most people; a broad tread is steadier | Slightly bulkier to store |
| Double wheel | Beginners who want more side-to-side stability | Less challenge to balance |
| Spring or resistance-assisted wheel | People who need help rolling back | More parts; follow the maker's limits |
- Wheel size and width. Rogue's ab wheel, for example, has an 8 inch diameter, 3 inch wide wheel with a rubber tread over a stretch tire.
- Handles. Look for firm, non-slip grips that fit your hands. Rogue lists 1.25 inch rubber easy-grip handles on a nickel-plated steel shaft.
- Tread and edges. Look for a rubber tread rather than bare plastic. Rogue notes that its wheel's slightly rounded edges make you work to keep the roller straight on each rollout.
- Knee pad. A thick pad makes kneeling rollouts comfortable on hard floors. Many sets include one; if not, buy one separately.
How to use an ab roller wheel, step by step
These steps follow ACE's kneeling roll-out, which uses a barbell on the floor; with a wheel you hold the handles instead of the bar.
- Warm up. Mayo Clinic suggests a few minutes of brisk walking or other light aerobic activity before strength work.
- Set up. Kneel on a pad facing the wheel and hold the handles, as ACE has you kneel facing the bar with your hands about shoulder-width apart.
- Roll out. Keep your hips pressed forward and your back straight as the wheel rolls away from your body. Go only as far as you can hold that position.
- Roll back. Keep the same trunk position and pull down with your arms to bring the wheel back toward your body, then return to the start.
- Keep reps clean. End the set when you can no longer keep your back straight and your hips forward.
Breathe steadily through each rep. Mayo Clinic's fitness ball plank cue applies here too: breathe freely and deeply.
Ab roller wheel workout and progressions
Treat the wheel as one exercise in a balanced core routine, not the whole routine.
- Before the wheel: planks and side planks from Mayo Clinic's core guide. Mayo Clinic's fitness ball plank is another stepping stone: walk the ball from your thighs toward your shins to make it harder, starting with 5 repetitions and working up to 10 to 15.
- Short kneeling rollouts that stop well before your back starts to sag.
- Longer kneeling rollouts once short ones feel controlled, still keeping your hips forward and back straight.
Mayo Clinic's strength training advice is to work each major muscle group at least twice a week with a rest day between sessions for the same muscles. For other core tools, see core sliders and the stability ball guide.
Common mistakes
- Rolling too far too soon. If your lower back sags, you have gone further than you can control.
- Losing the trunk position. ACE's cues are hips pressed forward and back straight, on the way out and on the way back.
- Holding your breath. Breathe steadily through each rep.
- Working through pain. Mayo Clinic says to stop any strength exercise that causes pain.
- Hard floor, no pad. Use a knee pad or an exercise mat.
What to look for when you buy
Wide single ab wheel with rubber tread
Best for: Most people learning the kneeling rollout
A broad wheel is steadier side to side than a narrow one. Rogue's version is 3 inches wide and 8 inches across with a rubber tread and 1.25 inch rubber grips.
Watch out: Still demanding; start with short rollouts and lengthen them slowly.
See options on AmazonDouble ab roller wheel with knee pad
Best for: Beginners who want extra stability and a pad in the box
Two wheels side by side resist tipping, so you can focus on keeping your back flat. A bundled knee pad protects your knees on hard floors.
Watch out: Less balance challenge; you may want a single wheel later.
See options on AmazonSpring-assisted ab roller
Best for: People who can roll out but struggle to roll back
A built-in spring or resistance coil adds help on the return, which can let you practice a fuller range with control.
Watch out: More moving parts; check the maker's user weight limit and inspect the spring.
See options on AmazonThick exercise knee pad
Best for: Any ab wheel that did not come with a pad
Kneeling rollouts put your body weight on your knees for every rep, and a thick pad makes that comfortable on hard floors.
Watch out: Choose a non-slip pad that will not slide during the rollout.
See options on AmazonQuestions people ask
- How do you use an ab roller wheel as a beginner?
- Kneel on a pad holding the handles, keep your hips pressed forward and your back straight, roll out only as far as you can hold that position, then pull the wheel back with your arms without letting your trunk move. Start with short rollouts.
- Is the ab wheel bad for your back?
- It is an advanced exercise in ACE's library, and rolling further than you can control lets your lower back sag. Mayo Clinic advises people with back problems or osteoporosis to talk with a health care professional before core exercises.
- How many ab wheel reps should I do?
- Only as many as you can do with a flat back. Mayo Clinic's general core guide aims for 12 to 15 repetitions of each exercise, but on the ab wheel it is sensible to start with fewer, shorter rollouts and build up.
- Single or double ab roller wheel?
- A double or wide single wheel is steadier for beginners. A narrow single wheel adds a balance challenge for experienced users.
Sources
- Rogue Ab Wheel (roguefitness.com), Rogue Fitness (maker)
- Exercise Library: Roll Out (acefitness.org), American Council on Exercise
- Exercises to improve your core strength (mayoclinic.org), Mayo Clinic
- Video: Plank with fitness ball (mayoclinic.org), Mayo Clinic
- Strength training: Get stronger, leaner, healthier (mayoclinic.org), Mayo Clinic