It is a big mistake to underestimate the abdominal roller, exercises performed with its help can give significant and effective loads on the muscles of the body. This sports equipment has an uncomplicated design - a wheel with handles on the sides, therefore it is affordable and easy to use.
What to look for when buying a gym roller?
Any sports equipment must be made with high quality and reliability. Unstable construction, loose fittings and cheap plastics can lead to sprains and injuries.
People who do not have training experience should take a closer look at structures with one wide wheel or several located next to each other - such rollers are more stable and create less stress.
On the market you can find gymnastic wheels with a return mechanism, this facilitates the most difficult part - returning to the starting position.
Models with leg straps and pedals are suitable for more experienced athletes - these designs allow you to diversify the load on the abs.
Benefits of the gymnastic wheel
A simulator such as a gymnastic roller is effective not only for the press, exercises with it create significant loads on the muscles of the back and shoulders. To a lesser extent, the hips, buttocks and neck are worked out.
Such a comprehensive study of the muscles of the body will allow you to tighten the buttocks and abs, improve posture and pump your arms (then you can walk on your hands). Workouts with a wheel involve several muscle groups at once, so they use a gymnastic roller not only for the press, but also in exercises for fat burning (due to increased calorie consumption).
Safety precautions when working with a gymnastic roller
A few simple rules will help you avoid unpleasant consequences:
- First of all, you need to make sure that there are no contraindications for working with the roller: intervertebral hernia, fragility of bones, back or joint diseases, pregnancy or hypertension.
- Before any workout, you need to stretch and warm up, this will not only reduce injuries, but also increase the effectiveness of the training.
- All exercises should be performed without haste and jerks; in case of shoulder pain, it is better to reduce the range of motion.
- Beginners should increase the workout load gradually, starting with simple abdominal exercises for 3-5 repetitions.
Abs roller: exercises for beginners
For people without training experience, even the simplest loads with a roller will not be easy. At first, it is better to put a mat under your knees or use soft knee pads - this will avoid pain in the knee joints. You can also add to the training program - walking on your knees (judging by the reviews of doctors and patients, it allows you to solve problems with unpleasant sensations when bending the legs and emphasis).
- Gymnastic roller plank. The starting position is similar to a prone push-up position, only the hands rest on the wheel handles. It is required to strain the press and fix the body in this position for 30 seconds, gradually increasing the time to 2 minutes.
- Bends on the knees. Starting position: sitting on your knees, hands rest on the gymnastic wheel in front of you. It is required to roll out the wheel in front of you, and then come back. You can start with a small amplitude, gradually bringing the rollout to a body position parallel to the floor. Tip for beginners: You can sit facing a wall so that the simulator, having reached the maximum rollback available to you, rests against the wall. This will protect against loss of control and belly falling to the floor. You can start with 3-10 repetitions, gradually bringing to 25-30.
- Side bends on the knees. This exercise is similar to straight bends, only roll the roller sideways at an angle of 45 degrees. First, do 3-15 repetitions in one direction, then repeat in the other direction.
When these exercises are no longer difficult, you can perform frontal and oblique bends from a standing position. To do this, you need to spread your legs a little and bend over, resting your hands on the wheel, make a full roll, and then return to the starting position. When two dozen repetitions are no longer difficult, you can perform exercises for experienced athletes.
Abdominal Roller: Advanced Exercises
These exercises require not only training experience, but also a wheel with leg straps:
- Book with a wheel. Starting position: plank on outstretched arms, legs fixed with gymnastic wheel straps. It is required to roll your knees to your chest, then return to the plank position. Perform three sets of 15-20 times.
- Bias book with a wheel. This exercise is similar to the frontal book, only the knees must be rolled up alternately to the left and right elbows. Perform three sets of 10-15 times.
- Peak. The starting position is the same. It is required to lift the buttocks up, without bending the legs and back, the body should take the position of the inverted letter "V", and then return to the plank position. Perform three sets of 10-15 times.
