Ab Roll

Is the ab roll just a piece of crap?

Vintor, having never seen one, I can assure you it is.

Why?

Spot reducing doesn’t work. If you wish to get a set of six-pack abs, you’re going to have to dial in your diet, lift weights to preserve LBM while dieting and do a little cardio to help things along.

Everything you need to know to achieve the body of your dreams is available here on T-Nation.

Do you mean the ab wheel?

Try this.

http://www.t-nation.com/readTopic.do?id=459658

I agree with RIT. The Ab Wheel is a pretty good device when used as a part of a program such as the one he referenced by CT.

Or are you talking about this Ab Roll:

  1. Lift both legs so knees are in front of your hips, hands behind head. Hold a weight between your knees.
  2. Exhale and contract abs to curl shoulders slowly off floor and tilt pelvis slightly forward. Hold the post for 10 counts, then lower and repeat.

There would be some merit in this exercise as well; however, I wouldn’t do these exclusively. Look for a well designed program that will hit all the abdominal muscles. CT’s program cited by RIT is a well designed program that will accomplish this.

If you are talking about the Ab Roller:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=15274&item=7128510536&rd=1&ssPageName=WDVW
I’d save your money.

If its the ab roller, I would agree- crap. But if its the ab wheel I have a cheap one and doing standing roll outs with it to a couple of inces off the floor is a fantastic excerise in my opinion. My midsection has never been stronger due to this execise coupled with hanging leg raises. It really hits your whole midsection.

Well, perhaps it is this Russian Twistesque thingy shown here:

I can’t say much about it; maybe it works, but I think I’d recommend the plain ol’ Russian Twist over it, only because it is what I know. You’d have to try it out yourself.

If it is something like an Ab Wheel, then it’s probably allright. I recently started doing Barbell rollouts; if you do them with correct form, they may (will?) make you cry…

-FC

sorry for the confusion, i meant the ab wheel that Christian T is using

except I just use a barbell with weights and roll it

thanks for the response, I’ll use it in conjunction with other exercises