Ab Roller
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the abs.
Starting position
End position
How to Do Ab Roller
- Hold the Ab Roller with both hands and kneel on the floor.
- Now place the ab roller on the floor in front of you so that you are on all your hands and knees (as in a kneeling push up position). This will be your starting position.
- Slowly roll the ab roller straight forward, stretching your body into a straight position. Tip: Go down as far as you can without touching the floor with your body. Breathe in during this portion of the movement.
- After a pause at the stretched position, start pulling yourself back to the starting position as you breathe out. Tip: Go slowly and keep your abs tight at all times.
Muscles Worked
Alternatives to Ab Roller
10 movements that train the same primary muscle, closest substitutes first — same kind of training, then variations of the movement itself, then a similar difficulty.
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1
Advanced Kettlebell Windmill
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a kettlebell.
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2
Barbell Ab Rollout
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a barbell.
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3
Barbell Rollout from Bench
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a barbell.
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4
Double Kettlebell Windmill
An intermediate strength exercise that works the abs, using a kettlebell.
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5
Kettlebell Figure 8
An intermediate strength exercise that works the abs, using a kettlebell.
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6
Kettlebell Pass Between The Legs
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a kettlebell.
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7
Kettlebell Windmill
An intermediate compound strength exercise that works the abs, using a kettlebell.
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8
Ab Crunch Machine
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the abs, using a machine.
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9
Decline Crunch
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
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10
Frog Sit-Ups
An intermediate isolation strength exercise that works the abs, needing no equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles do ab roller work?
Ab Roller primarily works the abs. The shoulders assist as secondary muscles.
What equipment do I need for ab roller?
The source dataset does not record equipment for ab roller. Check the instructions above before you set up.
Ab Roller: is it suitable for beginners?
Ab Roller is rated intermediate. Movements that assume you already own the basic pattern and are ready to load it.
What can I do instead of ab roller?
Advanced Kettlebell Windmill, Barbell Ab Rollout, Barbell Rollout from Bench train the same primary muscles and are listed with 7 more alternatives above.
Can Fitnit count my ab roller reps automatically?
Not automatically yet. Fitnit's AI rep counting covers push-ups, squats, dumbbell curls, crunches and pull-ups today; ab roller can be logged manually in the app, and tracked movements are added over time.
Photographs and step-by-step instructions from free-exercise-db, a public-domain exercise dataset. Muscle mapping and alternatives by Fitnit.
Track Your Ab Roller with AI
Fitnit automatically tracks push-ups, crunches, squats, pull-ups, and curls with advanced body tracking technology — and you can manually input any other workout too. Start free — Pro is $8.99/month.