Gymnastic roller benefits for the back. What muscles work

Greetings to all lovers healthy image life and sports!

Today, there are a sufficient number of abdominal exercises. You can find out about many of them on my block in this and. But today we will talk about the miraculous ability to improve your figure and muscles abdominals using a stick on a wheel called a gymnastic roller.

Quite simple and effective fitness a projectile that has become a benefactor for many and has served well in the process of reducing the abdomen and strengthening many core muscle groups. If you are a beginner athlete and do not yet have enough money to visit the gym, I advise you to purchase such an item for pumping up your abdominal muscles at a sporting goods store and perform a training program consisting of exercises at home.

First, let's look at the anatomical aspect of the involved muscle groups.

Let's divide into upper and lower muscle groups.

Upper body- these are the muscles of the chest (large, small), back (latissimus, rear delta), shoulders (front, medium bun), arms (triceps, wrist flexors).
The lower part is primarily the abdominal cavity, lumbar region(erector spinae), rectus femoris, quadriceps, buttocks. In total, about 20 muscles are involved during execution. Not bad for such a projectile. Therefore, not only men, but also women can use exercises with an abdominal roller to correct their figure. To be sure, dear girls, and men too, pay attention to the effectiveness of the gymnastics skating rink for the abdomen.

The benefits of an ab roller

Reset overweight, due to the work of many muscles. Losing weight with such an assistant is quite possible
We speed up the body's metabolism (). Burn calories even while inactive during the day
We pump up the rectus and oblique abdominal muscles. The cubes really appear at the right moment
Exercises with hand weights provide an excellent guarantee of progress in the gym when working with a barbell for squats
Increases muscle mass, yes, skating on a physical skating rink gives progress in gaining the correct weight
Strengthen your back and prevent injury
Improving posture, coordination and balance
Saving money on purchasing additional technical equipment, subscriptions, club cards for initial stage to keep the body in shape
Doesn't take up much space at home

By the way, if you have additional advantages, be sure to share them in the comments.

What gymnastic options are there and which ones are right for you?

Before purchasing fitness equipment, let’s look at your physical fitness. If you are a beginner and haven’t taken care of yourself for a long time. The best option I will buy a projectile for the abdomen with a large diameter. This will give you the opportunity to gradually accustom your body to regular physical exercise. If the projectile is equipped with one wheel, give preference to a double one. It is more stable and usually has a rubberized rim. Maybe someone is confident in their abilities, the capabilities of the body, then we move on to the next option.
For advanced athletes, purchasing a smaller rim diameter ab roller improves efficiency. Saves me from visiting at home on free days gym, an identical object shown in the photo of the announcement for the article at the top, green. Such a small wheel circumference increases the distance of execution and increases the load on the body.

But the choice is yours, the main thing is not to leave it collecting dust in the corner. Use for its intended purpose.

We've chosen the health wheel, let's start preparing. If you visit a fitness center or bodybuilding room, you can easily find everything you need there. At home you need to find a place to boost your metabolism. Dress comfortably sportswear, you should not perform approaches in a robe. Prepare a fitness mat and a small blanket. Include appropriate for classes.

It is imperative to remember that any undertaking is accompanied by a technical aspect.

Warm up joints and muscles. Any rotational movements arms, lower back, bending and bending. It will take no more than 2-3 minutes.
When training with such objects, keep your back straight, do not bend your lower back, then the load on your joints will decrease.
Slow movements without jerking, full control over movement forward and backward.
Breathing must be correct. As the body moves forward, we inhale, and as we exhale, we move back.
The workout is framed within a 20-minute time frame; for a beginner, start with 5 minutes, 10 repetitions for 3 sets. If you have previously been involved in sports, 20-50 repetitions with 3-4 approaches is quite possible.

I won’t hide the fact that exercises with a roller are a decent load. No need to rush. Do it right away in order to prevent injury the next day, God forbid - preparation must be thorough.

Now the highlight of our program is various movements for the press with a wheel, from which you can create a complex, daily workout.

Let us first give way to women and consider exercises with a narrative object for the abs fair half . Take it for yourself, try it and make notes on the wall calendar, start changing for the better in sports.

We rest our knees on the mat, our legs are slightly apart, and we clasp the handles of the gymnastic roller with our hands. We begin to slowly roll forward by half the amplitude of the body, slowly return, so 10-12 times. Don't forget to keep your back straight and bend your arms slightly at the elbows. Watch your breathing.
A more complicated version of the one described above. We connect our legs together and the movement goes forward, stretching the body at the final point and holding for 1-2 seconds. We return the body to the starting point. Let's not forget about technology.
We lie down on our stomachs. With your arms outstretched, grasp the handles of the fitness object. As you exhale, use your hands to roll the roller towards your chest, without lifting your hips off the mat. Arch your back as you move. Returned to a straight body position. We do it at a slow pace.

Dear ladies, if you regularly perform such activities, your tummy will be very attractive.

Of course you can’t exercise during pregnancy, diastasis

Let's move on to exercises with a roller for the press, which a man must perform. Steel press and strong muscles will soon replace the saggy belly and decrepit jelly-like body structures.

We take a squatting position. We hold the roller firmly in front of us. We smoothly begin to move forward and our locomotive, i.e. the body moves from squatting to its knees and then stretches forward. We pause for a couple of seconds and reverse.
We work the oblique muscles of our abdomen. Using diagonal movements. Digging your knees into a mat or towel, leaning on the wheel, slowly make a right turn, and when you return, turn on the left. There are 10 sidings in each direction.
Let's consider another option. The initial position is described above, only we place the roller to the right of ourselves and move straight with a bias to the right side. Well, the right side is tense, we change and put stress on the left oblique muscles. 10-12 rolls.
Option with straight legs. First, let's set a level in the form of a wall. The distance from the wall is slightly greater than the height of the athlete. We stand up, hold the handles of the wheel in our hands, tilt our body, strain our core and leg muscles, and roll the roller up to the wall. We rested, slowly returning the projectile back.
The most difficult version of our abdominal exercise program is using a roller skating rink. We lean forward, legs together, rest against the roller and gradually stretch our body, touch the floor surface with our chest, pause for a second and go back.

You should avoid training with a skating rink if you have back injuries or pain in the torso muscles.

The rest is just great!!!

According to reviews from many beginners and advanced fitness athletes, exercises with such a small object are sufficient in the first stages for health and physical perfection. See for yourself, even if you don’t have the opportunity to temporarily visit the gym on vacation or on a business trip, take the video with you and do health exercises anywhere. The main desire and progress will be obvious. Play sports, improve in training. Eat right, using only healthy foods in your diet. Promote fitness, bodybuilding, physical education to your friends. I will help you with this through. Best regards, Sergei.

In conclusion, a motivating video of what success can be achieved with the help of gymnastic equipment.

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In order to pump up muscles, get their beautiful contour or get rid of excess weight, unaesthetic fat deposits, it is necessary to expose the body to properly selected physical activity. Some people go to school for this gym or a fitness center, where, under the supervision of professional trainers, they exercise; others prefer to perform various exercises at home on your own. However, it will be very useful for both to use a gymnastic roller - this simple, but incredibly effective simulator will help create muscle relief and remove excess body fat.

Description of the simulator

This projectile in its simplest version consists of only two components - a wheel, which is put on the axis of the handle, but at the same time, it can be used to influence almost all muscle groups. In modern sports stores you can find many variations of a gymnastic roller - with two, three and even four wheels, with a trimmer cable, with a reverse mechanism. However, even without all these bells and whistles, a gymnastic ab roller is very effective, capable of competing in this regard even with a full-fledged home multi-station for fitness. Not to mention, any exercise without any equipment will not come close to the results that can be achieved with this video.

So, the man decided to buy himself such a projectile and for this he came to a sports store. If it is a good and large retail outlet, it will have many options for such shells, and this can make it difficult to choose. As a rule, all types of gymnastic roller are built according to the same scheme; only minor details differ:

One or more wheels. Naturally, additional wheels increase the stability of the projectile and are therefore easier to use, especially for beginners who should not be distracted by maintaining balance and overexerting their muscles. But at the same time, one wheel on the roller allows, in addition to muscles, to train the vestibular apparatus and coordination of movements. But this is reasonable if the person is in good physical shape or already has some experience with such a video.
The presence or absence of a rubber edging on the wheel. When practicing at home, it is highly desirable to have a gymnastics wheel with a soft rubber rim. This will improve traction on the floor and eliminate slips and falls, and also provide less noise during exercise.
Return mechanism. Some types of rollers have a mechanical or even electronic return mechanism that allows the wheel to move back as you perform the exercise. This significantly reduces the load on the muscles, so it is perfect for beginner athletes.
Roller with a shifted center of gravity. In this version of the projectile, the center of gravity of the wheel is shifted, as a result of which more effort must be made to rotate it. It is also intended for advanced users.

Reviews of those using one or another type of gymnastic roller vary; while some people are satisfied with a simple apparatus without any problems, others believe that the results of its use are rather meager. According to the latter, a gymnastic roller without additional load or, especially, with a return mechanism is only a temporary stage for a person to get used to such exercises.

However, this is not entirely true - if some people want to pump up their muscles and improve their relief with the help of a roller, then others (especially girls) simply need to remove fat deposits and make their figure toned. Therefore, the choice of roller type depends on the initial physical training person and the goals he wants to achieve using it.

An important and frequently asked question regarding the use of this video is the following: what muscles and their groups are involved when exercising with it? In fact, when the right approach Almost all major muscles work, especially in problem areas:

First of all, these are almost all groups of abdominal muscles; it is not for nothing that this apparatus is called an ab roller or an ab wheel.
Muscles of the belt and free upper limb(hands).
Muscles of the back and lower back.
Main muscle groups of the thighs, gluteal muscles.
Calf muscles (when positioned on the toes when performing exercises).

Of course for professional athlete This video still will not replace full-fledged simulators, since the maximum load when using it is limited own weight person. However, reviews confirm the opinion that this equipment will help an athlete who was forced to interrupt his training “not to lose shape”, or can serve as an excellent warm-up option.

For beginner bodybuilders or people who want to keep their body in good physical shape, the gymnastics wheel is perfect. Especially considering the fact how little space it will take up even in the cramped apartment when stored, and to practice on it you only need a couple of square meters of flat space on the floor.

How to practice with a roller

After the video has been selected and purchased, it is necessary to develop a scheme of exercises on it. Typically, all schemes are divided into classes for beginners, for more experienced ones and for people in very good physical shape. However, practice and reviews show that it is not always correct, for example, for experienced users to do exercises only from their own scheme.

It is better to start with simpler and less strenuous exercises in order to warm up the ligaments and muscles, otherwise there is a risk of getting a serious sprain.

Of course, this advice may not be followed if the exercise on a gymnastic roller is preceded by other warm-up options (running, jumping in place, stretching).

Beginners as well as experienced athletes should use a gymnastic roller as a warm-up, performing the exercise as follows. Starting position: standing on the floor on your knees. You need to grab the handles of the gymnastic roller and, keeping your arms straight, slowly roll it forward until your torso is parallel to the floor (but you must not lie down on the floor!). After that, with the same slow movement and with straight arms, you need to pull the wheel towards you, returning to initial position.

In the event that exercises with a gymnastic roller according to the previous description have already become commonplace, you can complicate the exercises. To do this, the roller is grasped by the handles, a person bends down from a standing position and slowly rolls the wheel away from himself until his arms, torso and legs line up in a straight line parallel to the floor. The emphasis should only be on the roller wheel and toes. Then you also slowly need to return to the starting position.

If a person is in very good athletic shape, then you can make the exercise even more difficult. To do this, you need to lie on the floor with your arms extended with the wheel forward, and from this position begin to gradually rise until your lower back reaches the top point, and then slowly lower to the starting position.

In addition to a specific exercise regimen, you need to know a few more basic rules for practicing with a gymnastic roller:

Beginners can do 6-9 repetitions in one approach as part of their exercise, that is, rise and fall 6-9 times. According to the second training scheme, you need to do no more than 6 repetitions, and according to the third – no more than 3-4, after which you need to take a break for 5-10 minutes, during which you can jump rope or on the spot. In total, you can do up to 6-8 approaches, but in this matter it is important to listen to your body and not push it to the point of complete exhaustion.
An important factor in the effectiveness of training with a roller, both for the purpose of losing weight and for training muscles, is correct breathing. The best option is to inhale through your nose when lowering your body down and exhale through your mouth when going up. With irregular breathing, the supply of oxygen to working tissues is disrupted, due to this, the breakdown of fats is inhibited, and a lot of lactic acid accumulates in the muscles, which causes sore throat and slows down the growth of new muscle fibers.
It is also important to perform all the exercises described above slowly and evenly. Slow execution guarantees longer muscle tension, which increases the effectiveness of the exercise. And vice versa, fast and, especially jerky, “skating” on a gymnastic roller leads to the fact that almost 70% of the time the muscles are relaxed and do not experience any useful load.

Such daily exercise 15-25 minutes will help maintain excellent physical fitness for both men and women, they contribute to the effective burning of excess fat deposits. If a man wants to use this projectile to give himself a beautiful and uniform muscle relief, then he should alternate such exercises with pull-ups on the horizontal bar. This will additionally stimulate muscle growth in the back area and shoulder girdle.

Among the huge variety of devices for practicing at home, there is a place for such a tool as gymnastic roller. With it you can pump up your abs and strengthen your back, as well as work out your upper body well. You can read about what exercises you can do with this device in our article.

A gymnastic roller can be called another useful piece of equipment designed to keep the human body in good shape. With it, your figure will become more toned, and your strength and health will increase. The cost of such a device is extremely low, within 400-800 rubles you can buy a completely convenient and practical model that will serve you for a long time.

A gymnastic roller looks like one or two wheels connected to each other, on the sides of which there are handles that must be grasped when performing movements.

A gymnastic roller is considered to be strength trainer, which can be used at home or in sports center. This device is quite easy to use if you have some training and practice regularly. sports training. The gymnastic roller is very attractive for home purposes, since it does not take up much space and can easily fit in a closet. The roller will allow you to work out the abdominal muscles, tighten shoulder muscles, as well as the muscles of the lower leg and thigh. You will discover the opportunity to strengthen your back and chest muscles, all with the help of one machine!

With the help of this sports equipment You will be able to pump up sexy six-pack abs, if, of course, you devote the proper time to your workouts. When working with a roller, many muscle groups are involved, which affects the general condition of the body. Before exercising with an apparatus, be sure to do some stretching exercises and do a short warm-up.

If you are new to sports or have not been involved in sports for a long time, then at the beginning it will be quite difficult to work with the roller. Unprepared people should learn simple exercises and wait for the moment when the muscles get stronger. After this you can move on to more difficult exercises. However, there is no need to try too hard, since the load on the lower back and spinal muscles is quite high.

Not everyone is recommended to use a gymnastic roller. In particular, if you have a vertebral hernia, exercises with this apparatus should be avoided. If you ignore this recommendation, there is a risk of extremely unpleasant consequences.

There is no need to handle the apparatus for people who often experience painful sensations in the lumbar region of the back. By strengthening your back with the help of other exercise machines, you can gradually move on to training with a roller, but only when you really prepare your muscles for such intense work.

Let's look at the main models of gymnastic rollers that you can find in modern sports stores.

Rollers with handles that follow the contour of the hand. With such devices, training becomes more comfortable, but if you are an experienced athlete, such a detail is unlikely to attract your attention.
Models with rubber wheels. Rubber-coated wheels prevent one or two wheels from sliding. The contact with the floor is higher and the noise level is lower.
Gymnastic roller for lower abs. This is enough a new version a projectile that allows you to work out your lower abs. This item is equipped with special fastenings for the legs. You just need to lower your feet into special fastenings and rest your hands on the floor.

When starting your first workouts with a gymnastic roller, adhere to the following simple rules:

Do a joint warm-up first.
Start the first exercises on your knees, without straightening your body completely. For support, you can use a wall, against which you should rest your heels. Try to perform 10-15 extensions in 2-3 approaches. Each time, try to slightly increase the range of motion.
Gradually increase the angle over and over again. Thus, each time the exercise will be more difficult. However, you should not immediately “rush” and train at full strength. You should move to the next level only when you understand that you can handle the previous stage quite easily.
When training does not cause discomfort and you feel light, stop leaning against the wall. Having passed this important stage, you can diversify the exercises and start working on the oblique muscles of the abdomen, the broad muscles of the back and the lumbar region. To do this, straighten your body not only straight, but also to the right and left. It takes quite a long time to consolidate this stage.
Move to exercises that focus on your feet rather than your knees. Make sure your pelvis is pulled up. Train your breathing, when straightening your body, inhale and hold your breath, when bending, exhale.
Try stretching your arms with a roller. To do this, sit down on the floor, take the roller behind your back with both hands so that your palms are directed towards the floor. Make light jerks and exhale, go down slowly and smoothly, your hands should move away until your back is on the floor. Elbows should be straight.

A few more exercises with a gymnastic roller

Now we will tell you in more detail about the basic exercises with a roller, which you can perform at home on your own without any additional support or assistance.

Sit down on your knees, pick up a gymnastic roller and place it on the floor so that your arms are straight. After this, lean on the roller and begin a smooth movement forward while simultaneously lowering your body down until the second your chest touches your hips. After this, return to the starting position and start the movement again.
Lie on your stomach and pick up a gymnastic role j. Place it in front of you with your arms barely bent at the elbows. Start the movement by pulling the machine towards you, arching your back well. Your hips should not leave the floor during the exercise. The roller must be moved as close to you as possible. When you reach the maximum point, you should linger at it for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position. You can do 8-10 repetitions of this exercise.
Take the starting position: sit down on the floor, straighten your back, point your legs forward without bending your knees. Place the roller on your right side. Place your straightened arms on the roller and, leaning on it, bend to the right side with it until your chest touches the floor. After this, you should return to the starting position and move the roller to the left side. Do the same. Do 10 sets on each side. This exercise will allow you to perfectly pump up your oblique abdominal muscles.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart without bending your knees. Place the exercise machine in front of you and lean against it so that your arms are straight. Move forward smoothly without sudden movements. The maximum point will be full straightening and “freezing” in it for 2-3 seconds. After this, slowly return to the starting position. Repeat 10-15 times.

Training with a gymnastic roller will allow you to improve your body. Isn't this what every girl dreams of? However, do not get too carried away with this device, otherwise you will overdo it and your body will no longer be so attractive in the eyes of men. The roller is affordable and always available in sports stores, so you can buy it quickly if you haven’t already!

The gymnastic roller belongs to the category of simulators that act in a complex manner on the human body during training. This compact projectile is capable of providing maximum useful load on the muscles of the abs, back, and shoulder girdle. Regular classes with a roller will also allow you to quickly lose extra pounds.

Types of rollers and prices for simulators

Referred to as an ab roller, fitness wheel or gymnastics wheel, rollers are ideal for both professionals and amateurs looking to lose weight or get in shape. The small-sized exercise machine is a wheel with handles on the sides. Manufacturers produce shells different types. These include videos:

With return mechanism;
With a single wheel or a pair;
With a shifted center of gravity;
Equipped with pedals;
In the form of a trimmer with tensioners.

Gymnastic rollers with a return mechanism

For beginners who have no training experience, it is advisable to choose a fitness wheel with a return mechanism when purchasing a fitness wheel. Causes:

Ability to avoid excess load on the body;
Quickly master the principles of working with a projectile.

The return mechanism makes it easier for the student to return to the starting position and reduces the degree of load on the lumbar region. This factor makes training easier, which is of great importance for a person just starting to train. The cost of such a simulator is 350-700 rubles.

Projectile with one or two wheels

This type of roller is the most common. The design, which does not have a return mechanism, looks like one or two wheels equipped with a handle-axle. A machine with a pair of wheels has one advantage: there is no need to maintain balance during the exercise. Prices for such simulators range from 150 to 500 rubles.

Roller with a shifted center of gravity

More experienced athletes choose such equipment for training. The reason for this is the difficulty, which is quite difficult for a beginner to overcome: spinning the wheel requires significant effort. The price of the product is 300-400 rubles.

Exercise machine with pedals

The main advantage of a roller with pedals is access to exercises that put stress on the legs. The presence of elements in the form of pedals affects the cost of the design slightly. You can buy a wheel at a price from 700 to 1400 rubles.

Trimmer

The appearance of the projectile is a double wheel for the press, to the axis of which a flexible cable is attached. The opposite end of the cable is secured to the legs during exercises, increasing the load due to tension. There are models in which rollers for each hand are equipped with tensioning elements separately. Here the cost of the simulator is higher: 800-1500 Russian rubles.

Making the right choice

Your level of training and age will not be barriers to exercising using an abdominal wheel, but the level of your endurance cannot be ignored.

If a gymnastic roller with a return mechanism is the ideal choice for a beginner, then a projectile with an offset center will allow you to maintain your existing good shape. In the latter case, it is also advisable to give preference to a projectile with a tension cable.

Exercise

A simple exercise with a gymnastic roller:

Stand in front vertical wall on knees;
Take the wheel and place it in front of you;
Roll forward, resting your wheel against the wall;
Return to the starting position.

You should increase the “roll out” distance if it was too easy.

The press roller has a simple device: two handles connected to a wheel. But don't be fooled by such simplicity. Ab wheel exercises, when used correctly, create strong triceps, back and abdominal muscles.

The roller allows you to carry out effective training, and many exercises are only available to advanced athletes.

Types of ab rollers

The roller should support your body weight and move smoothly back and forth without jerking.

The rigid design of the gymnastic roller allows you to do exercises on a mat or tile without intermittent movements.

The dual wheel design has a wider base and distributes weight more evenly.

Choose a wheel that is stable under your weight and doesn't wobble or shake when you roll.

A wide wheel or roller with two parallel wheels has greater stability and is suitable for beginners. To achieve maximum stability on any surface, the wheel can be rubberized.

Pay attention to the ergonomic handles, which are made of foam - they help to firmly hold the wheel and maintain balance.

Some roller skate designs also have pedals in addition to handles, which increases the variety of exercises that can be performed with them. The handles should fit snugly on your palms, and the pedals should support your feet without slipping.

What muscles can you train?

Most ab roller exercises are very difficult for beginners. This is due to the fact that their implementation requires a thoroughly developed muscle base capable of supporting body weight during skating.

When using a foam roller, your body moves, stretching your spine through its full range of motion.

This exercise challenges the rectus abdominis muscles as well as the deep spinal stabilizers such as transverse muscles belly. Therefore, the roller is an excellent tool for creating strong and sculpted abs.

In addition, they work accessory muscles: hips, shoulders, triceps and latissimus muscle backs. They stabilize your body from your shoulders to your tailbone and help you maintain your balance as the wheel rolls underneath you.

All exercises with an ab roller

You should start with a regular wheeled plank until you feel ready for knee exercises, and then move on to full rolls and other advanced variations.

For absolute beginners, you can use a fitball instead of a roller.

Plank

The wheel plank will strengthen the necessary stabilizer muscles and give you a feel for how to properly hold the roller and maintain balance.

Get on all fours in front of the roller.
Grasp the handles of the roller with both hands, palms down.
Raise your torso to straighten your body in one straight line from head to toe.
Keep your core muscles tense and hold this position for 30-60 seconds. Repeat 3-4 times.

Rolling from your knees

This is the next step to performing a roller workout. For comfort, you can place a flat pillow or rolled up towel under your knees.

Kneel on the floor. Grasp the handles of the wheel and extend your arms.
Tighten your abdominal muscles to prevent your lower back from arching.
Roll forward slowly as far as possible. Ideally, your arms are fully extended in front of you and rib cage slightly above the floor. If you can't do this, try going down only halfway.
Return to the starting position on your knees.
Do 5-10 reps.

It's best to start with short ranges of motion, gradually increasing the distance as you progress.

Experiment with different lengths to see which one allows you to push your abs back.

Rolled into the wall

Another exercise option for beginners that will help maintain the pace of the workout and the specified length of the roller. Use the wall as a focal point and perform the exercise very slowly.

Position yourself a meter away from the wall.
Roll from your knees until the roller makes contact with the wall.
Return to the starting position and do 5-10 repetitions.

Frontal rental with wide and narrow rack

Full roller skating is an exercise of a high level of difficulty. A wide stance makes it a little easier to do.

As you progress, narrow your leg position until you can do a full front roll.

Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, bend at the waist, and grab the handles of the wheel on the floor in front of you.
Keeping your back and arms straight, roll forward until your body is horizontal above the floor. The support of the legs falls on the fingers, as in push-ups.
Roll the wheel back toward your feet, bending at the waist again to return to the starting position. Do 5-10 reps.

Once you have fully mastered the knee roll and wide stance, move on to the full knee roll with a narrow stance.

This exercise effectively engages the entire body, engaging the muscles of the arms, back and shoulders in much the same way as the abdominal muscles.

Oblique rolling

After mastering frontal exercises, add oblique rolls to your workout. This exercise places more emphasis on the obliques.

Get on your knees and grab the roller by the handles.
Instead of going straight, start rolling forward, then turn left 45 degrees and complete the exercise in that direction.
Return to the starting position, then slowly roll at an angle to the right.
Do 5 to 10 repetitions.

With one hand

The One Arm Roll is an extremely difficult version of the Full Front Roll. In this case, the hand on the roller supports the full weight of the body, and the stabilizer muscles experience additional tension.

You can practice this exercise up to full version, practicing it first from your knees.

Stand in front of the roller, or kneel down if you're training from your knees.
Bend at the waist and grasp the wheel handle with one hand.
Start moving forward slowly, focusing on your core. Be careful not to tip over to the side. For additional balance, you can support the floor with your other hand.
Return to the starting position and do 3-5 repetitions.

On one leg

This is another challenging variation that requires significant stabilizing muscle strength. Try this exercise once you have mastered the full roll on both legs.

Stand directly in front of the roller. Bend at the waist and grab the handles of the wheel.
Keep your back straight, extend your arms and begin to roll forward.
Lift one leg and extend it as you roll all the way forward.
Come back down, staying on one leg and bending at the waist again.
Do 5-10 reps.

Fold

For this exercise you will need a roller with foot pedals - rolling is done with your feet, not your hands.

In this case, the lower ones work abdominal muscles and stabilizers: obliques, arms and shoulders.

Secure your feet into the pedals and get into a plank position. Keep your arms extended directly under your shoulders.
Now roll the wheel with your feet, moving both knees towards your chest. Upper part keep your body motionless.
Straighten your knees until you return to plank position.
Do 8-12 reps.

Oblique fold

This version of the fold uses the obliques and stabilizers.

Now roll the wheel with your feet, moving your knees towards your right elbow.
Return to plank and then roll to the left.
Do 8-12 reps.

Peak

The exercise is similar to a fold, but your legs must be kept straight while rolling.

Secure your feet into the pedals and get into a plank position. Keep your arms extended directly under your shoulders.
Engage your core and slowly roll the wheel towards your upper body. Bend at the hips, lifting your butt up.
Roll back to the starting position.
Do 8-12 reps.

Precautionary measures

Using an ab roller may seem simple, but there are a few things to keep in mind when performing the exercise. The goal of the workout is to activate the core muscles.

At incorrect execution Excessive stress is placed on the back and hip flexors, and there is a high risk of injury.

make sure it is the wheel that is rolling and not the rug underneath it;
do not bend your lower back, do not allow your knees or body to sag towards the floor;
keep your arms, legs and back straight;
exercises are done slowly and with caution, progress should be gradual;
if you experience shoulder pain, reduce your range of motion;
When doing this, focus on your abdominal muscles.

Try to support slow speed throughout the entire workout. If you feel like you are arching your back, shorten the length of the exercise or do it from your knees. Keep your head in a neutral position with your chin tucked slightly to help protect bottom part back and neck.

Using a roller intensively engages several muscles in your body at the same time, so be sure to warm up before exercising. Finish your ab wheel workout with stretching exercises.

Start with a couple of repetitions a day and gradually increase the number of repetitions. For beginners, it is enough to use the roller 1-2 times a week. As you progress, you can increase classes to 4-5 times a week.