Standing Wheel Rollout

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and place the ab wheel on the floor directly in front of your toes.
2. Hinge at the hips to grip the handles with a firm overhand grip, keeping your arms fully extended.
3. Assume a 'hollow body' position by slightly rounding your upper back and tucking your pelvis under (posterior pelvic tilt).
4. Engage your glutes and core intensely before the wheel begins to move.

How to do it

1. Inhale and slowly roll the wheel forward, extending your body toward the floor while keeping your arms locked straight.
2. Continue rolling until your body is nearly parallel to the ground, stopping just before your lower back begins to arch or your chest touches.
3. Exhale and initiate the return by pulling the wheel back toward your feet using your lats and abdominals.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-0-1-0 tempo, focusing on a slow eccentric (lowering) phase.

Form checklist

• Keep your elbows locked out; do not allow the arms to bend during the movement.
• Avoid any sagging or arching in the lower back at the bottom of the rep.
• Ensure your hips move forward at the same rate as your shoulders.
• Keep your chin tucked to maintain a neutral cervical spine.
• Stop the range of motion if you feel any tension in the lower back instead of the abs.

Pro tips

• Think about 'pulling' the floor toward your feet using your lats rather than just pushing the wheel.
• Maintain a constant squeeze in your glutes to protect the lumbar spine and maximize core tension.
• Visualize pulling your ribcage down toward your belly button throughout the entire range of motion.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric hold at the point of maximum extension.
• Perform the rollout toward a diagonal angle to increase the demand on the obliques.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the standing wheel rollout work?

The standing wheel rollout primarily targets the abs, erector spinae, and obliques, and also works the glutes, hip flexors, quadriceps, serratus anterior, and triceps as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the standing wheel rollout?

The standing wheel rollout uses ab wheel.

Is the standing wheel rollout good for beginners?

The standing wheel rollout is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Bear PlankBeginner · abs, erector spinae, and obliques
• Butt UpsIntermediate · abs, erector spinae, and obliques
• Cat StretchBeginner · abs, erector spinae, and obliques
• Down To Upward DogIntermediate · abs, erector spinae, glutes, hip flexors, obliques, and quadriceps