Tip The Complete Guide to Ab Wheel Rollouts Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Complete Guide to Ab Wheel Rollouts There are two correct ways to do this exercise then there' s the way most people do it Know the difference by Pieter van der Linde December 15, 2017March 9, 2022 Tags Abs, Tips, Training The ab wheel rollout is a great exercise, but there's one main problem: people use their hip flexors too much. Now, there are a couple of different ways to do this exercise based on what you're trying to achieve. One variation is performed in a way so that the movement is created during flexion and extension of the shoulder joint. In the other variation, the movement comes from flexion and extension of the spine. Your rectus abdominis is just a part of your core, not your entire core. The first variation is more of a core exercise than an ab exercise. So, one of these movements will challenge the stability of the spine (like holding a plank) while the movement is created elsewhere (flexion and extension in the shoulder joint). With the second variation however, the challenge is to create the movement from the spine (flexion and extension). This version will resemble a crunch more than a plank, at least when we look at what movement is being created in the spine. Let's take a look at each one. During this movement, think about three things: Setup: Position yourself in a full kneeling position with your knees about hip-width apart for lateral stability. Round out your upper back and tuck your tailbone in. Squeeze the glutes. Lock your arms and hips in place before you start. Maintain Stability in Your Pelvis: Just like in the crunch, make sure that the movement is coming from your spine and not from your hips. The Movement Itself: Start by shifting your body forward as one unit and allow your spine to straighten out until you reach your full range of motion, which can be different for everyone. Once you've reached your full range of motion, contract from your abs and allow the flexion from your back to pull you back towards the starting position. Avoid pulling your hips back. Setup: Same as above, but straighten out your body like the setup of a push-up, but with your hands on the wheel (or ball). Lock your arms and hips in place before you start. Maintain Stability in Your Pelvis: Just like in the plank, make sure the movement isn't coming from your spine or from your hips. Maintain neutral throughout the set. The Movement Itself: Start rolling the wheel out by flexing your shoulders. Roll forward and drop your chest toward the floor with straight arms until your reach your full range of motion. You can use a stability ball for the easier version, or the wheel for the more advanced version. To stabilize your pelvis, squeeze your glutes (tuck your tailbone in). This will create reciprocal inhibition and keep the hip flexors out of it. For people with a lack of lumbar extension, drop your hips a bit deeper so that you can build confidence and control into extension. For those with a deep lumbar curve, extend no further then neutral to avoid hyper extension of your lumber spine. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training Thibaudeau s Words of Wisdom We dug through the Author's Locker Room and found information gold in them-there hills. So with mule, shovel, and pick ax, we excavated the biggest, best nuggets from Thibaudeau mountain and melted them together to make this bright, shiny article. Training T Nation July 30 Training Tip The Janda Sit-Up Turn off your hip flexors to build better, stronger abs. Here's how. Training Gareth Sapstead April 4 Training Tip Women Shouldn t Fear Big Weights In a new study, women trained with light or heavy weights. The actual weight didn't matter much, but something else sure did. For Women, Tips, Training TC Luoma July 8 Training Tip Do Broad Jumps for Explosiveness Become a better athlete. Broad jumps are awesome for developing explosive horizontal hip power and athleticism. Exercise Coaching, Tips Eric Bach April 6