Eight ab roller exercises to strengthen your cor
-
Loading... - Adrien Gauthier
- 15 Jun 2022
- 265 Views
- 0 Like
- 0 Comment
If you’re tired of doing crunches and planks, then ab roller exercises can help you level up your tummy toning game. A strong core isn’t just about achieving rock-hard abs. Core muscles can improve your overall fitness, and are essential for activities such as Pilates and running on the best treadmills(opens in new tab) at the gym. They can also help you retain your balance as you age.
To tone your midsection, you need to incorporate exercises that target the different areas of your abdominals. These include your external and internal obliques, the pyramidalis, the rectus abdominis, and the transversus abdominis. Using an ab roller will help you exercise these muscles while also training your upper body, and in some cases, your lower body as well.
With the help of PT Georgie Spurling, founder of GS Wellness(opens in new tab), we’ve come up with the best ab roller exercises to help you strengthen your midsection and work all those different muscles. You may find that investing in one of the best fitness trackers(opens in new tab) is helpful when it comes to monitoring your heart rate and the amount of calories you’re burning.
You’ll want to use your roller on a level surface and start with the roller directly underneath your shoulders, as if you were about to perform a push-up. For an effective core workout, Spurling recommends doing 10 reps of each of the exercises below.
1. ROLLER PLANK
Start by holding the roller handles with both hands and ensure your shoulders are positioned over your wrists.
Step out into a high plank position, keeping your weight forward. Hold this plank for 30-45 seconds and then release by lowering your knees to the ground.
“This isometric ab roller exercise is one that looks pretty simple but activates most muscle groups in the body,” says Spurling. “It’s also great for waking up all your deep stability muscles in and around your abdominal area.”
2. ROLLER TUCKS
Place both feet on the handlebars of the roller and lift yourself up into a high plank. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed through both hands so the roller does not tilt.
Slowly drag your knees towards your chest, pulling your belly button in tight to stabilize yourself, and keeping your hands positioned directly underneath your shoulders. Slowly roll back out.
Make sure you’re looking downwards the entire time while performing this move, otherwise you will roll backwards.
“This is an incredible exercise for your shoulders, and rectus abdominis (your front abs),” says Spurling.
3. BEAR CRAWL
Place your hands on the bar of the roller while you are on all fours, then lift your knees a couple of inches off the floor.
Hold the position there if you are a beginner. If you want to make the move more challenging, then you can walk forward and back, keeping your core engaged to stay stable.
“This exercise is amazing for toning and engaging your pelvic floor, shoulders, and scapula (your shoulder blade),” says Spurling. Read More…
