Ab wheel

Rectus and transverse abdominis (anti-extension), lats.

Ab wheel: Knees on the floor
Knees on the floor
Ab wheel: Extended
Extended
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How to do it

  1. Kneeling on a mat, hold the wheel under your shoulders.
  2. Tilt your pelvis (tuck your tailbone) and round your upper back slightly.
  3. Roll forward slowly, stretching your body out, as far as you can keep your lower back from arching.
  4. Come back by pulling with your abs to the starting position.

Cues

  • Only go as far as you can control: the range comes with time.
  • Glutes squeezed the whole time.
  • Better 5 perfect reps than 10 with a sagging back.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back sag as you extend (very common and dangerous).
  • Coming back by pulling with your hips instead of your abs.
  • Going too far on day one.

Start with a short range (or roll towards a wall that stops you). If you feel your lower back, you've gone too far.

Photos: free-exercise-db (public domain).

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