Core and ab strength is essential for BJJ, or any martial arts. If you neglect ab strength, you’re going to come second in most scrambles or 50/50 positions. In MMA or kickboxing, abdominal strength is a must to launch strikes at full power and speed.
An ab roller is a fantastic low-cost, low-effort way to maintain and improve your ab strength. You can take an ab roller with you just about anywhere, and work on abs at home, before or after training, or as part of your workout routine.
Read on for the best ab rollers available on the market today.
What Does an Ab Roller Do?
An ab roller, or ab wheel, is quite simple. A single wheel in the center, with handles on the side of the wheel for you to grip.
The simple design lets you perform workouts that build and strengthen your abs and core. Not only that, most ab roller workouts are also super beneficial for your triceps and lats (also very important muscle sets for BJJ & martial arts).
An ab wheel is so effective for core strength because it allows you to put a ton of tension on your abs due to the specific range of motion. The idea is that when you are fully extended on an ab wheel, your abs need to work overtime to keep you balanced and stable.
The way your abs expand and contract in a workout decides just how your workout will affect various muscle groups. Generally you’ll also have stabilizing muscles activated in an ab wheel workout (which is where triceps and lats come into play).
Ab Roller/Wheel Workouts
The basic ab wheel exercise involves starting out in a push-up or plank position, feet or knees on the ground with the ab wheel in front of you.
You’ll then wheel it closer to your feet (so you’re in a staple position, butt in the air), and then further away (so you’re in a full plank).
This activates the abs tremendously, as well as the arms, shoulders, back, side and hips acting as supporting muscles.
There isn’t a lot of impact while using an ab wheel as you might otherwise have from other exercises; there are people that prefer an ab wheel for this exact purpose.
If you’re a beginner, you can put an object in front of the ab wheel slightly in front of your head to prevent you from rolling too far forward. An intermediate user can remove the item and attempt to row a little further forward. An expert user can roll with their arms nearly fully extended above their head.
This is an excellent way of starting out using an ab wheel because it’s a simple way to moderate difficulty until your abs get stronger.
You can also target your obliques while rolling from side-to-side in a method known as “carving.” This adds an additional layer of balance work to the exercise to help keep your core more stable. Various ab wheels have this exercise in mind and related to their core design.
Best Ab Rollers and Ab Wheels, Reviewed
Here are the best ab roller options for you to choose from, to start leveling up your core game.
Fitnessery Ab Roller
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This ab roller behaves like your personal trainer that’s all about focusing on how you can benefit your six-pack. Along the way, you will burn calories, build muscle, and improve your endurance overall. This ab roller comes with three bonus items along with a money-back guarantee for life.
The three free gifts are comfortable knee pads so that you don’t need to worry about hurting your joints, an ultimate ab-workout e-book to get you started right, and a dietary guideline e-book that keeps you on track in regards to losing weight.
As one of the most influential pieces provided by Fitnessery, this ab wheel is made with a strong, durable plastic-like material and stainless steel that prevents you from losing your edge while training.
Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro Roller for Core Workouts
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This ab wheel gives the phrase “grab the bull by the horns” a whole new meaning! It comes with built-in resistance and handles that are ergonomic to maximize results while keeping your wrists and hands secure. However, the handles only have a max weight rating of up to 300 pounds.
The roller has an internal kinetic engine that utilizes a steel spring to generate resistance and take your core and arm workout session to the next level. The extra-wide tread on the wheel provides extra stability when carving right, left, or center for targeted work.
A high-density home kneepad is included for free along with a digital 21-day workout plan. The sheer size of the wheel makes it easy to use on any surface without trouble, and the wheel does provide a bit of aid on the return after stretching out.
Vinsguir Ab Roller
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A truly modern ab wheel for the modern man; this ab wheel looks like it belongs next to a top-end gaming PC. The ab roller is 8 centimeters wide and is designed for stability and balance. It’s designed so that is easy to deviate to the sides, to reduce injuries.
The stainless steel shaft that runs through the center of the ab wheel is highly strengthened and reinforced to guarantee safety. This ab wheel has a maximum weight capacity of 440 pounds.
Focusing on user comfort, this roller has a TPR soft rubber wheel area, silent operation, and an EVA cotton-rubber handle for easy gripping. You won’t need to worry about sliding off the edges of the handles when your hands are sweaty after blasting your core. The red area of the wheel is made of red plastic vinyl.
The edges of the wheel are smoothed so as not to damage surrounding furniture or delicate flooring. The dual-wheel system allows for supreme balance.
Kansoon Ab Roller Wheel
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The Kansoon ab wheel offers superior stability and durability with its four aluminum alloy balance wheels.
The roller features a comfortable non-slip handle along with an eco-friendly rubber foam complemented by an elastic grip. The idea behind this patented grip is to reduce hand fatigue as much as possible while still keeping its slip resistance during your most sweaty moments.
The ab roller comes with a knee pad to help keep you stable on all surfaces and to prevent your joints from bearing too much pressure. The wheels are anti-skid in order to protect workout surfaces and to ensure user safety. The handle also has a stainless steel pipe that will not bend or break; it has a maximum weight capacity of 400 pounds.
Enter Sports 6-in-1 Ab Wheel
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This ab wheel offers some amazing features such as a resistance band to increase workout difficulty, push-up bars to focus on your chest development and a knee pad that is extra thick to protect your knees. The wheel holds up to a whopping 600 pounds.
The entire kit also comes with a book about core training and ab workout philosophy so that you begin your regimen on the right foot. There is a lifetime warranty on the wheel and all other components, so you know your investment is protected.
Ergonomic handles protect the wrist, and the dual-wheel design allows for better balance.
Iron Gym Ab Wheel
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This durable ab wheel features an internal coil that provides more resistance so your abs can be sorer than ever before. The handle system is angled further down then most rollers; your wrists will be thankful for this in the long run.
The grips for your hands are rubberized with enough sweat resistance that the increased angle won’t cause any slippage. The ergonomic design of the roller is meant to be both minimalist and functional; there’s an additional focus on training your deltoids along with your abdominals.
It also comes with a “Speed Abs” program that claims to get you results faster than any other ab wheel on the market.
Sports Research Ab Wheel
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Boasting a durable stainless steel bar, this ab wheel is a solid 3 inches wide for maximum stability and durability. You won’t be wobbling side-to-side nearly as much as you would with other ab wheels.
The grips are ergonomically designed with a special proprietary foam that has finger grooves for each digit. This allows for 100% effort so that you can concentrate on targeting your core correctly. The slight curve of the wheel allows you to carve left and right easily. The wheel comes with a one-year warranty with no questions asked. Also included is a free bonus cushion for saving your knees.
Fitness Invention Ab Wheel
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This fitness tool has amazing tread on the bifurcated wheel surface so that it won’t slip around. Independent ridges line the handgrips to keep you from sliding off, and the center pole is made of stainless steel with a maximum weight capacity of an impressive600 pounds.
As an added bonus, this ab roller comes with a jump rope to help melt fat to show your six-pack, and a knee pad made of high-density foam to protect your knees and joints. Instructions are provided in order to guide you in the right direction, and the angular nature of each independently spinning wheel lends this roller to perform deep carves for blasting your obliques.
Perfect Fitness Ab Carver
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An outstanding budget-conscious choice for those who are seeking a simple ab wheel without needing to purchase anything else, this ab carver will do exactly what its name promises.
Fans frequently rave about how simple this ab wheel is to use as well as its inexpensive cost and unimposing appearance. Finger grooves prevent your hands from falling off when sweaty, and an ergonomic angle allows for your wrist to thank you later in life once you achieve your six-pack! It has a max weight capacity of 250 pounds.
Final Thoughts
While ab rollers look simple, there are some subtle differences between different models that you should take note of when shopping.
You’ve also got nice freebies with many products, which you can take into account when making your buying decision. A knee pad and instructional e-book are two things that can help you get more value out of your ab wheel.
Pick out one of the list above to start carving an indestructible core, and start moving faster, winning scrambles, and kicking harder.
