The ab wheel is an effective alternative to traditional crunches, provided your form is up to par. If your abs or lower back are not strong enough, you may end up feeling the exercise in your arms and back more than in your stomach muscles. The device consists of a small wheel about 6 to 8 inches in diameter affixed to two handles. If you do not feel the wheel working your abdominal muscles, do a check of your technique or consider increasing the difficulty of your exercises.

Exercise

From a kneeling position, place the wheel on the floor in front of you and your hands on the handles. Roll the wheel out until your back is parallel to the ground. Pause for a moment and then roll the wheel back in to your starting position. A more advanced position is a variation of the classic “inchworm” exercise in which you start in a stand, hinge forward to place your hands on the floor and walk yourself out into a high plank position using your hands. Instead of using your hands, roll yourself out into a plank using the ab wheel. Starting in a higher position creates a need for greater abdominal activation, but you should master the kneeling position first.

Form Breaks

The farther out your roll, the more your abdominals must stabilize your body to prevent your back and arms from taking over the move. While this helps strengthen your abdominals, it can also cause pain or injury if you perform the move incorrectly. The farther your roll out, the more abdominal stability is required. If you lose stability, your pelvis may drop toward the floor which creates an arch in your low back and potential collapse face first. If you feel a pinching or pain in your low back, rather than activation of your abdominal muscles, it is a good indication you have lost your form.

Tips

You may not feel the ab wheel exercise if you are too conservative with your roll out. You have to be willing to fall a few times to master the exercise. When your chin is just inches above the floor in your plank, you know you have rolled out far enough. Tucking your chin and keeping your face toward the floor helps keep the back flat. To make sure your abdominals are activated throughout the exercise, squeeze your abs slightly from the start of the move — do not wait until your back starts to arch and you are near collapse. Avoid using your arms to perform the move. They assist, but your primary focus should be on pulling your abdominals in toward your spine. You will get greater activation of the core.

Considerations

If you are continuously using poor form, use alternative exercises to strengthen your abdominals and back prior to reintroducing the abdominal wheel. Back extensions, plank holds and superman lifts are ways to target the abdominals and the back to build up strength to graduate to the wheel. If you master the ab wheel and need greater challenge, try performing the roll out while wearing a weighted vest, rolling out with the feet elevated, holding the wheel with an underhand grip or rolling out using just one arm.