Wheel Rollout

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Kneel on a soft mat with the ab wheel positioned directly under your chest.
2. Grip the handles firmly with an overhand grip, keeping your arms straight but not locked.
3. Shift your weight forward so your hips are in front of your knees and your spine is in a slight 'hollow body' position (rounded upper back).
4. Engage your glutes and tuck your tailbone to ensure a neutral-to-slightly-rounded lower back.

How to do it

1. Inhale deeply and slowly roll the wheel forward, extending your body into a straight line while keeping your core braced.
2. Continue rolling forward until your chest is just above the floor or until you feel your lower back beginning to arch.
3. Exhale forcefully and pull the wheel back toward your knees by contracting your abs and pulling through your lats.
4. Maintain a controlled 3-second eccentric (rolling out) and a powerful 1-2 second concentric (rolling back).

Form checklist

• Avoid letting your lower back sag or arch toward the floor at the bottom of the movement.
• Keep your arms straight throughout the entire range of motion to maximize lat and core engagement.
• Stop the return movement when the wheel is under your shoulders to maintain constant tension on the abs.
• Ensure your hips move forward with your torso rather than staying back over your knees.

Pro tips

• Maintain a posterior pelvic tilt (tuck your tailbone) throughout the set to prevent the hip flexors from taking over and to protect your lumbar spine.
• Think about 'pulling the floor toward you' using your armpits (lats) rather than just pushing with your hands.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second isometric pause at the point of maximum extension.
• Perform the rollout from a standing position instead of a kneeling position for maximum difficulty.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the wheel rollout work?

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

What equipment do you need for the wheel rollout?

The wheel rollout uses ab wheel.

Is the wheel rollout good for beginners?

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

Related exercises

• Back Steps PlankIntermediate · abs, lats, and obliques
• Barbell Hip Twist RolloutIntermediate · abs, lats, and obliques
• Barbell Side Hip RolloutAdvanced · abs, lats, obliques, serratus anterior, and triceps
• Body Saw PlankIntermediate · abs, lats, and obliques