By the healthiergang writer , student in Physiotherapy.
Ab Wheel
The Ab Wheel is a very versatile tool and makes a great tool for train your abs.
One of the best known exercises to practice with the Ab Wheel is the rollout.
This movement is versatile and adaptable to any type of athlete, from beginner to expert. So let's see what makes this Ab Wheel exercise so effective.
? Kneeling rollout
The rollout is an exercise that allows you to put a strain on the abdominal stabilization function. The function of this musculature is in fact above all to prevent movement.
In particular the abdominal rectum it has the function of preventing an extension in the spine while the oblique muscles prevent a rotation. And these muscles throughout the day work mainly for these functions.
La lumbar in fact it has as its only fixed point the lumbar vertebrae placed on the back of the body. what allows the trunk to maintain an upright and vertical position are the muscles of the abdominal wall. Having said that, let's see more specifically how to perform the rollout.
The initial version of this exercise plans to start with a kneeling position while holding on to the two handles of the Ab Wheel.
From this position slide forward keeping the tool as the only point of support.
Arrived at a maximum extension of the arms return to the starting position by contracting the abdominals and bringing the arms back. What needs to be focused on during the whole movement is not to lose the neutral alignment of the spine.
In fact, gravity tends to make the lumbar area fall in extension and to prevent this from happening it is necessary for the rectus abdominis to work intensely.
The arms must be carried forward until it is possible to maintain the alignment of the spine.
If you fall into lumbar extension, the exercise loses its effectiveness. However, having the Ab Wheel a single point of support with the ground, the oblique abdominals must also work in order to prevent a rotation.
It is practically impossible to perform the exercise correctly if you don't they keep all the muscles of the abdominal wall constantly contracted.
? Rollout in piedi
As you become skilled in the exercise and acquire good stability in the abdominals you can progress gradually to the more advanced version. This involves a standing rather than kneeling starting position.
This latest version is an exercise that in few manage to do but it is to be considered a main exercise to train stability in the entire core.
In fact, in this latest version the instability is greater because the two points where the weight of the body is discharged to the ground are more distant.
Furthermore, the support surface is reduced compared to the kneeling version and finally it is also necessary to prevent the kinetic energy that the body stretches while reaching maximum extension.
Starting from standing and then stretching up to be parallel to the floor, the body acquires a certain inertia. To stop the movement of the body and then return to the starting position is necessary excellent strength and stability throughout the abdominal muscles.
? Rollout for the legs
You can also think about performing the exercise, however, using the hands as a support and resting your feet on the handles by Ab Wheel.
In this case, the legs will move back and forth but the abdominal muscles will also work. The precautions to be maintained in this variant are the same as in the basic exercise.
Not Just For Abs
The Ab Wheel can also turn into a tool to train other muscles.
For example, you can use it to perform a leg curl. In this case it is necessary to place the feet on the two handles and push down with an equal force in order to maintain the alignment of the wheel. Maintaining this balance at all times, the hamstrings are contracted by flexing the knee.
How To Insert It In Your Routine?
The abs have a stabilization function and they play an important role in numerous movements.
It can therefore help to activate the abdominal muscles according to his own function of stabilizer of the spine inserting a series or two of this movement before starting your training session.
If you do not have an Ab Wheel you can still take advantage of this exercise using a dumbbell and resting both hands on it..
The advantage of this tool, however, is that the support surface is smaller and therefore requires a greater work of the oblique musculature (as well as comfort in terms of grip).
