Abdominal wheel: benefits and recommended exercises

The acquisition of sedentary daily routines catalyzes the decline in physical capacity and limits flexibility and strength. In addition, it triggers posture problems that are sometimes incorrigible. However, exercises aimed at the core can greatly slow down these effects. What is the best way to do this? Using the abdominal wheel.

With the implementation of the abdominal wheel and its different variations, the unbeatable activation of the abdomen is achieved, the obliques, the erector spinae, the buttocks and the pectoralis major, to name a few muscles that we will expand later. Likewise, there are other areas that are enhanced.

In that sense, including the wheel as a conditioning method has myriad benefits. This leads us to delve into the best way to use it, which parts of the body are worked, the recommended exercises and the main mistakes. We started!

How is the abdominal wheel used?

The use of the abdominal wheel varies according to the muscles that you want to prioritize with the exercise. Nevertheless, the basic handling consists of resting the knees on the ground and positioning the wheel in the front area. Next, the hands are placed on the side handles and the body leans forward to advance with the movement of the element.

What parts of the body can be worked on?

The parts of the body that can be worked with the abdominal wheel are subject to the variations accepted for both beginners and experienced people. The muscles involved are the following:

• ABS.
• Pectoralis major.
• External oblique.
• Serratus anterior.
• Erector spine.
• Buttocks (major, medium and minor).
• Latissimus dorsi.
• Biceps.
• Triceps
• Deltoid.
• Femoral rectus.

Benefits of the abdominal wheel

The benefits of abdominal wheel exercises are widespread, since they allow a considerable increase in physical resistance and a lower risk of injury. In turn, they accelerate the burning of calories, help regulate body weight and reduce the risk of hernias.

Added to this, is the enhancement of strength, flexibility and improvement of posture that deteriorates over the years. According to a study published in Physical Therapy, abdominal wheel exercises are among the highest performing to promote muscle contraction in the core.

Finally, the fact that this tool manages to optimize the capacity of the core, ends up promoting better performance in other physical activities that are extremely demanding.

Read more: 6 exercises to combat abdominal fat

Recommended exercises with the abdominal wheel

The recommended exercises range from simple beginner-oriented practices to gain confidence, to advanced movements that allow results of maximum effectiveness.

Plank with abdominal wheel (beginners)

The abdominal wheel plank is aimed at beginners, since it is possible to gain confidence at the level of balance and knowledge of the conditioning tool. To execute the exercise you must do the following:

• Establish plank position with feet shoulder-width apart, and rest your hands on the side grips of the abdominal wheel.
• Raise the torso with the premise of maintaining the balance of the hands on the abdominal wheel.
• Preserve the position for a time ranging from 30 seconds to 1 minute.
• Apply 2 or 3 variable series between 3 and 4 repetitions.

Basic Kneeling Exercise (Beginners)

From this basic exercise we start to access more advanced variants. The use of a mat or mat for exercises is recommended, so that the knees are not affected. The application follows this step by step:

• Rest your knees on the floor with the distance that marks the imaginary line of the shoulders. For its part, the wheel is located in the front part and the hands are set on the side handles.

• Press down on the wheel and slowly move forward. The limit point of the movement will be dictated by the position of the torso almost parallel to the ground.
• Return to the starting position without losing pressure on the wheel.
• Being in the beginner version, 2 or 3 sets of 8 repetitions are used.
• To increase the level, the recommendation is to execute 2 or 3 series of between 15 and 30 repetitions.

Advance in «V» (experienced)

The "V" advance is used when you have mastered the abdominal wheel plank and the basic exercise. If this is not the case, it is best to give the body enough time to adjust. Otherwise, lesions may appear. The following sequence should be followed:

• Position both knees on the ground and take the handles of the wheel located in front.
• Roll the wheel to the right at a 45 degree angle.
• Go back to the starting position.
• Advance the wheel, but this time to the left marking the aforementioned angle of 45 degrees.

• Do 2 sets of 10 reps on each side.

Glute bridge (experienced)

The demand continues to increase with the glute bridge, as, in this case, the abdominal wheel is not used with the hands, but with the feet. So, use the recommended step-by-step:

• Lie on your back on an exercise mat and place your feet on the side handles of the wheel.
• Raise your pelvis as you bring the wheel closer to your body.
• Return to the base position by lowering your pelvis and pulling the wheel away.
• Apply 2 or 3 sets of 8 repetitions.
• Each movement should be done with caution so as not to lose balance or cause injury.

Crawl with wheel (experienced)

In order to do the crawl with abdominal wheel you need to add foot fasteners on the handles. Exercise is easy to understand, but it supposes some physical requirements for advanced people in the world of conditioning. Its practice requires the following procedure:

• Place your hands parallel to the floor with a distance greater than that of your shoulders. The feet go in the fasteners attached to the wheel handles.

• Keep your balance for 10 seconds.
• Advance using your hands as your only resource.
• Back to primary position.
• Use 2 sets of 10 or 12 repetitions.

It may interest you: Abs training without leaving home

Main mistakes and other recommendations

When looking for physical changes in a short time, errors appear in the execution technique that can have variable consequences. Some of the main blunders to avoid are the following:

• Exert force on the wheel from the lower shoulder position.
• Make trips that are too long that detract from the impact of the exercise.
• Tilt your head while moving.
• Bend the knees in exercises that require a full stretch to be effective.
• Bend the trunk.

Beginners should be climbing in demand with caution. It is recommended start soft and increase repetitions. Once you have the necessary confidence, try the next level and evaluate. The correct criteria to advance in the muscular requests is fundamental.

Final abdominal wheel recommendations

In case of having a history of lower back problems, a specialist should be consulted on the best use of the conditioning tool before including it in the routine.

None of the recommended exercises and their variants cause pain or discomfort. In that sense, Faced with the slightest disturbance, it is best to see a doctor to determine the cause of the discomfort.

In short, applying the abdominal wheel routines with the correct technique, without making mistakes and according to the body's response, different muscle groups will notice it.