Ab Rollout

Exercise Overview

Exercise Details

Primary Muscles: Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis
Secondary Muscles: Shoulders, Lats, Triceps, Hip Flexors, Erector Spinae
Equipment: Ab Wheel (Alternatives: Barbell, Stability Ball)
Type: Compound
Experience Level: Intermediate to Advanced
Mechanics: Compound
Force: Anti-Extension

Video Demonstration

How to Perform the Ab Rollout

1

Starting Position

Begin by kneeling on a mat or padded surface with your knees hip-width apart for stability. Place the ab wheel on the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Grasp the handles of the wheel with both hands, keeping your arms fully extended.
2

Engage Core

Before initiating movement, engage your core muscles by drawing your navel toward your spine. Maintain this bracing throughout the entire exercise to protect your lower back. Keep your shoulders down and away from your ears.
3

Initiate the Rollout

Slowly roll the wheel forward, allowing your arms to extend in front of you while maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Inhale as you roll forward. As the wheel moves away from your body, your torso will naturally lower toward the ground.
4

Maintain Body Position

As you extend forward, keep your core tight and your lower back in a neutral position—avoid allowing your back to arch or sag. Your body should form a straight line from your knees to your shoulders at all times.
5

Reach Maximum Extension

Roll out as far as you can while maintaining proper form and core tension. For beginners, this might be only partway; for advanced practitioners, you may be able to extend until your body is almost parallel to the ground.
6

Return to Starting Position

Exhale as you use your core muscles to pull the wheel back toward your knees, returning to the starting position. Focus on initiating the movement from your abdominals rather than your shoulders or arms.
7

Repeat

Pause briefly in the starting position, maintaining core engagement, then perform the next repetition. Begin with 3 sets of 5-8 controlled repetitions, focusing on quality over quantity.

Form & Technique Tips

Start conservatively: If you're new to ab rollouts, begin with a partial range of motion and gradually increase your extension as strength improves.
Maintain constant tension: Keep your core engaged throughout the entire movement, especially during the extension phase.
Focus on the eccentric: The rollout (extension) phase is where most of the challenge occurs. Control this portion of the movement rather than allowing momentum to take over.
Protect your lower back: Maintain a neutral spine position during the entire exercise. If you feel any lower back strain, you've likely extended too far.
Use a wall for progression: Place a wall, box, or other barrier in front of you to limit your rollout distance as you build strength.
Keep shoulders active: Avoid letting your shoulders collapse into your neck. Maintain active shoulder engagement by drawing your shoulder blades slightly down and back.
Breathe properly: Inhale during the rollout phase and exhale during the return phase to help maintain core tension.
Use appropriate padding: Protect your knees with adequate padding, especially when performing higher volume workouts.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Arching the lower back: Allowing your back to sag or arch places excessive stress on the spine and reduces core engagement. Maintain a flat back position throughout.
Rolling out too far: Extending beyond your current core strength capacity leads to form breakdown. Only roll out as far as you can maintain perfect form.
Using momentum: Rapid or jerky movements reduce effectiveness and increase injury risk. Each rep should be slow and controlled.
Raising the hips: Elevating your hips changes the angle and reduces core engagement. Keep your body in a straight line from knees to shoulders.
Letting shoulders hunch: Allowing your shoulders to shrug toward your ears creates unnecessary tension in the neck. Keep shoulders packed down away from ears.
Incomplete return: Not returning fully to the starting position between repetitions reduces the effectiveness of the exercise. Complete each rep fully.
Holding your breath: Breath-holding can increase abdominal pressure excessively. Maintain consistent breathing throughout the movement.