Let’s see what it is and how to properly use the wheel for abs. A tool that can be the key to achieving stronger and more stable abs.
Today’s abs routines are much more versatile than ever. You can train your abdomen with crunch series, leg lifts, spins and boards.
But these basic workouts increasingly incorporate some tools such as Swiss balls, medicine balls, dumbbells and kettlebells.
And if you’re looking for one more way to generate variability in your routines, and why not one more level of training, then it’s time to consider incorporating the abs wheel into your exercises.
THE ABDOMINAL WHEEL
It is easy to forget the abdominal wheel, a very good abs training accessory that has been around for years.
And it is probably one of the most complete abdominal training devices, and effective if you are looking to strengthen your entire body core.
In fact, in real life your core works this way, as a unit, so any opportunity to train it this way is going to be beneficial.
However, the deployment of the ab wheel is not easy, or at least it is not easy to do correctly.
Before training with an abdominal wheel, you need to spend some time training, respecting an adequate progression to be able to focus then on correctly performing the exercise with the abdominal wheel.
BEWARE OF MOVING TOO FAST
The main mistake people make when they do extensions with the AB wheel: it boils down to trying to go as far as possible when you start. However, this is a fixed prescription to start suffering from low back pain.
You have to learn to feel how your abs fight against the extension of the back and stop before the extension in the abdominal wheel is such that it ends up affecting you negatively; If you don’t, you’ll put a bad strain on your spine and be in danger of injury over time.
As you strengthen your core you can go further and further.
HOW TO PERFORM THE EXERCISES WITH ABDOMINAL WHEEL?
Let’s analyze the two main variants to train with the abdominal wheel whether you are a beginner or if you are more advanced:
START TRAINING WITH KNEE EXTENSIONS
If you want to start training with the abdominal wheel the best way to do it is to do it on your knees.
Try this variant until you feel comfortable with the position and notice that your core is stronger.
I assure you that eventually you will have your body ready to go to the floor and start with the complete extensions, where the real exercise takes place.
To avoid hurting your knees, you can put a mat or yoga pad on them when exercising.
THE COMPLETE EXTENSION IN ABDOMINAL WHEEL
Once you are on the ground, the main focus will be to keep the core contracted as you move forward with the wheel, avoiding at all costs that the spine is hyperextended and your hip leans down.
When climbing you should actively contract your abs, even if you feel that it is not necessary. And again, this will not be so difficult, the most difficult thing (I repeat it again) is to roll while controlling the position of the lower back, that’s the challenge.
Perform the same movement to perform the necessary repetitions according to your routine, focusing again on keeping the movement slow and controlled, contracting the core to pull the wheel towards you.