Ab roller progression: from first rollout to full extension

Stage one: kneeling partials

Kneel on the pad with the wheel under your shoulders. Brace as if about to be nudged, roll out only as far as you can pull back without your lower back sagging, then return. Do three sets of five.

The rule for the whole progression: your hips and shoulders move together. If your hips stay behind while your arms reach, the rep is over.

Stage two: let a band help

Clip a resistance band on so it pulls you back from extension. Now you can go further and learn the whole range with help on the hardest part. Our band kits and the detachable-band dual wheel are built for this stage.

Stage three: full kneeling rollouts

Without the band, roll until your arms are nearly overhead and pull back with your abs, not your hip flexors. Wide dual wheels make this easier to control; the 2-inch rounded wheel makes it harder.

Stage four: from your feet

Standing rollouts are an advanced move. Most people train for months before trying one. Use a wall as a stop, so the wheel can only travel as far as you can come back from.