Ab Roller

How to do the Ab Roller

1. Hold the Ab Roller with both hands and kneel on the floor.
2. Now place the ab roller on the floor in front of you so that you are on all your hands and knees (as in a kneeling push up position). This will be your starting position.
3. Slowly roll the ab roller straight forward, stretching your body into a straight position. Tip: Go down as far as you can without touching the floor with your body. Breathe in during this portion of the movement.
4. After a pause at the stretched position, start pulling yourself back to the starting position as you breathe out. Tip: Go slowly and keep your abs tight at all times.

Muscles worked

Role	Muscles
Primary	abs
Secondary	shoulders
Equipment	other equipment
Difficulty	intermediate
Type	compound

No other equipment? Train the same muscles with these

Ordered by how likely you are to own the 6 options.

Spider Crawl Bodyweight 3/4 Sit-Up Bodyweight Air Bike Bodyweight Bent-Knee Hip Raise Bodyweight Bottoms Up Bodyweight Butt-Ups Bodyweight

Easier than the Ab Roller

Same movement pattern, lower entry difficulty — work up from here.

Landmine 180's beginner · Barbell One-Arm Medicine Ball Slam beginner · Medicine Ball Otis-Up beginner · Other Equipment

Harder than the Ab Roller

Hanging Leg Raise expert · Bodyweight Hanging Pike expert · Bodyweight Bent Press expert · Kettlebell

Superset the Ab Roller with

Opposing lower back work — alternate sets without extra rest.

Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) lower back Barbell Deadlift lower back Hyperextensions With No Hyperextension Bench lower back Weighted Ball Hyperextension lower back

Common questions

What muscles does the Ab Roller work?

The Ab Roller primarily works the abs, with the shoulders as secondary movers. Barbell Ab Rollout, Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees, and Barbell Rollout from Bench train the same muscle, across 9 equipment types.

What equipment do you need for the Ab Roller?

The Right Equipment. Without the right equipment, Spider Crawl, 3/4 Sit-Up, and Air Bike train the same muscle, and 45 of the catalogue's options for this muscle need no equipment.

Is the Ab Roller suitable for beginners?

It is rated intermediate. Start with Landmine 180's, One-Arm Medicine Ball Slam, and Otis-Up and work up.

Where should the Ab Roller go in a workout?

Early — the Ab Roller is compound, working 2 muscle groups, so run it first or second while you are fresh, then superset Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) and Barbell Deadlift later.

Similar exercises

Barbell Ab Rollout Barbell Barbell Ab Rollout - On Knees Barbell Barbell Rollout from Bench Barbell Bent Press Kettlebell Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs Kettlebell Kettlebell Windmill Kettlebell