WhatWorksWhat.
Abs

Ab Wheel Rollout

Abs working harder than any crunch - and the lats and lower back joining the party.

Complexity · Highstabilityadvanced+Bodyweight
  • Abs
  • Abs - Lower abs
  • Abs - Upper abs
  • Front delts
  • Lats
  • Lower back
  • Upper abs
  • Lower abs

PrimarySecondary

What it hits

Parts of the target muscle.

  • Upper abs

    Hit

    Crunches - ribs move toward pelvis.

  • Lower abs

    Hit

    Leg raises - pelvis moves toward ribs.

The movement

Get it right, not roughly right.

Optimal form

5:35· That Fit Friend

AB WHEEL ROLLOUT GUIDE | Proper Form & Mistakes to Avoid

Hold

Hold

Kneeling, hands on the wheel. Roll the wheel out as far as you can while keeping the hips from sagging. Pull back by contracting the abs. Body stays in a straight line, not a sag.

Common mistakes

  • Letting the lower back sag at the bottom - the back, not the abs, eats the load.
  • Going to full extension before you can - build up.

Where you should feel it

Abs working harder than any crunch - and the lats and lower back joining the party.

Injury risk · 4/10

Variations

Same movement, moved emphasis.

Ranked by how directly each variation still trains abs. 80%+ means the target barely changes. Below 60%, the emphasis has meaningfully shifted — useful for variety, but less precise for the specific part. The label calls it at a glance.

  • Standing ab wheel rollout

    Standing, full extension on the floor.

    100% on target

    On target

    Much harder, advanced.

  • Barbell rollout

    Barbell with 10lb plates as wheels.

    95% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

  • Body saw (foam roller on feet)

    Plank, slide forward and back.

    90% on target

    On target

    Same target, minor adjustment.

Compare with another exercise

Cool-down

Worked it. Walk it back down.

A couple of minutes here pays back in soreness avoided tomorrow. Browse the full library.

  • Doorway Pec Stretch

    Forearm against doorway, elbow at shoulder height. Step the same-side foot through. 45s per side.

    ChestFront delts

  • Lat Hang

    Dead hang from a bar, fully relaxed shoulders. 30–60s. Decompresses everything pulling-related.

    LatsRhomboids

  • Child's Pose

    Knees wide, big toes together. Sit hips back to the heels, arms long overhead, forehead to the floor. 60s. Walk the hands one direction to bias one side.

    LatsLower backRhomboids