How to do a Barbell Ab Rollout
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Barbell Ab Rollout
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
The Barbell Ab Rollout is a challenging core exercise that utilizes a barbell to enhance abdominal strength, stability, and endurance. Starting from a kneeling position with hands on the barbell, you roll the barbell forward while keeping your back straight and core engaged, then pull back to the starting position. This movement intensely targets the entire abdominal region, including the rectus abdominis and obliques, while also engaging the shoulders and back. It's an advanced exercise that requires good form and core strength to prevent back strain, offering significant benefits in core stabilization and muscular endurance.
- Start in an upright kneeling position in front of a loaded barbell on the ground in front of you.
- With a double overhand grip, grab ahold of the barbell with extended arms placed at shoulder-width apart and brace your core by breathing into your stomach and flexing your abdominal muscles.
- Push the barbell away from your body allowing your hips to follow until your arms and hips are at full extension.
- Keep tension in your abdomen throughout the exercise to avoid sagging in the lower back.
- Exhale and flex your hips to pull the barbell back to the starting position.
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Alternatives & Variations to Barbell Ab Rollout
1. Ab Rollout
70.3 mSCORESWAPPED 3,523 TIMESAb Rollout is a compound exercise that primarily targets the core. Using an ab roller, this movement challenges your ability to maintain stability as you extend your body parallel to the ground. This exercise is great for developing core strength and stability, which can translate to better performance in other strength-training movements. The instability and range of motion make this a more challenging core exercise.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Wheel
2. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 2,831 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
3. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 2,314 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
4. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 2,249 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
5. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 2,177 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
6. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 1,725 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
7. Russian Twist
96.2 mSCORESWAPPED 1,660 TIMESRussian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
8. Flutter Kicks
88 mSCORESWAPPED 1,486 TIMESFlutter Kicks are a bodyweight core exercise that have you lay on a bench with your legs extended out over one end. This exercise is very similar to Scissor Kicks with the added benefit of having more room under your legs. This can give you a bit more range of motion as your leg descends.