Exercises You Can Do with an Ab Wheel

Performing ab wheel exercises is an efficient way to flatten stomach and tighten your center. However, the number of exercises you do could be limited if you use a regular ab wheel which is merely a wheel with a rod. It would be better to use an ab wheel which straps into the feet too. The ab wheel rollout looks like a simple exercise but several trainers opine that it's hard to master the full body move which is what makes it efficient. As the wheel is strong, it could be thrown into a suitcase while travelling. These exercises could be performed almost anywhere.

Ab Wheel Exercises

Kneeling

To start, most healthy individuals would be able to use the ab wheel while on their knees that have performed some core strengthening exercises. Hold the wheel with both hands with straight body and knees on the floor, alike to a half push up. Push the wheel forward, moving into a pike position until the upper body is fully extended.

Use the abdominal muscles, once straight, to pull back to the starting position. Most people shouldn't find this too challenging. Keep all the muscles tight in order to perform the ab roller exercises. Keep the abs, back and leg muscles tightened by contracting them right through the exercises.

Rolling Out (Hands)

This is the original ab wheel exercise which most individuals know about. Roll out with the exercise wheel as far as you can with your hands on the handles of the wheel and your knees on the floor close together. Preferably, you'd like to roll all the way out so that your chest nearly touches the floor and your legs and back are in a straight position.

Then, with the wheel right in front of you pull it back into the start position. Don't cheat the exercise by pulling it back with your butt. If your hips and knees create an arrow, with the head at the hips, this arrow must never point backward, must always point straight up in the starting position and then point forward when you do the exercise.

At the time of rolling out, try not to curve your back as you might put way too much stress on the back and then your core won't be doing as much of the work. Always keep your arms straight and round the back a little.

Walking Exercises

Presume a pushup position, with your feet strapped to the wheel. Now, begin walking with your hands. Try walking forwards, backwards and in circles. Always keep your legs straight. Only your hands and the wheel must touch the ground. This simple exercise looks easy but soon you'd realize just how much it works the core and the side areas in particular as you lift each hand to take a step, shifting your weight from side to side.

Moving backward and forward, must done in plenty at the beginning. When you're ready begin rotating around objects like chairs or trees or twisting your way in the house.

Advanced Moves

To set off from the half ab roller wheel exercise to the full body move could take many months and would require extraordinary core strength. This move is an illustration of strength training without weights using the body's weight instead. As the rollout is a challenge, it's one of the most efficient exercises to obtain toned and strong abs. This move has the body flat suspended above the ground in the pike position when extended, with only the hands touching the feet and the wheel on the ground for steadiness.

Alligator Walk (Feet)

This is just like the walking exercise, the only difference being the pushups you do. Your hands are counterbalanced from each other each time and are not lined up evenly like in a regular push up. You might find your chest and arms working harder than your core depending on how well you could do pushups but nevertheless, it's a good exercise.

Standing Roll out (Hands)

Instead of having your knees on the ground, perform a roll out with your hands from a standing position. Try to keep your arms straight right through the motion. This is very severe and not to be tried unless you are quite adapted to all the other exercises and could do regular roll outs with ease.

Extended Roll Out (Feet)

You need to assume a push up position with your feet strapped to the wheel. Ensure your arms are straight and push the wheel further out behind while keeping your hands fixed on the ground. Your arms must be extended in front of you as the rest of your body is moving behind you. Extend yourself as far as you can and pull yourself back to the beginning position. Keep your back and legs straight.

Leg Exercises

These are one of the best ab exercises. Place both feet on the handles, much like bicycle pedals instead of holding the wheel by the handles with hands. Slide feet into the foot straps which come with the ab wheel for safety. With legs straight place both the hands on the floor. Lift the hips as high as possible in the air by keeping the legs straight. Remain in that position for a few seconds and return to the initial position. To make this exercise a little simpler, bend the knees and bring the feet into the abs by rolling the wheel towards the center.

Performing Pike

For performing this exercise you need to strap your feet onto the wheel and presume a position for push up. Performing pike requires you to keep your legs and arms straight at all times and then perform the exercise by pulling your feet towards your hands. As your buttocks pike up due to pulling your feet towards your hands this exercise is named as pike.

These are all the exercises you can perform with an ab wheel and it would be better to take guidance from a professional if you are a beginner.






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