Ab rollers come in two basic types: a wheel that you roll against the ground and an ab machine that you lie on to support your neck. The ab roller with the wheel is very challenging because your core muscles have to stabilize your body as you roll along the floor. The other kind of ab roller makes ab exercises really easy as it does some of the work for you and even limits your range of motion. You can still use one to work your abs, especially if you have a weak neck, but expect to do a lot of crunches to exercise your abs.
Ab Roller Wheel
Step 1
Kneel on the floor with your knees below your hips. Place the ab roller on the floor with your arms straight. Start with the ab roller directly below your chest in the center of your body. Straighten your spine. Look down.
Step 2
Roll the ab roller forward and lean forward until your body is parallel to the floor. Your face will be an inch above the floor. Keep your arms straight and squeeze your abs. Do not arch your back. Keep your legs and knees in the same place, kneeling on the floor.
Step 3
Pull the ab roller backward again and roll it back to its starting position. Raise your body back up to its starting position with your knees in line with your hips and your shoulders in line with your wrists.
Ab Roller Machine
Step 1
Lie on the ab roller so that your back and neck are against the backrest. Reach over your head and grab the bar above you. Hold the bar with your hands above your shoulders and your palms facing forward, if the ab roller has a straight bar. Hold your hands on the sides of the bar with your palms facing inward, if the bar is curved.
Step 2
Raise your legs straight into the air above your hips or bend your knees and place your feet on the floor. Use whichever method is more comfortable for your lower back, which you should never arch off the floor.
Step 3
Roll forward to crunch your shoulders off the ground as far as you can. The machine will only let you go to a certain distance.
Step 4
Roll backward toward the floor. Move slowly and with control to use your abdominal muscles as much as possible, instead of using the rolling momentum of the ab roller. Relax your neck and back against the ab roller at all times so that you do not strain your neck.
Tips and Warnings
- Work your abs three to five days a week to increase strength and tone. Do enough repetitions to make your abs sore the next day.
Things You'll Need
- Ab roller
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