Roll Your Way to Killer Abs!
by John Paul Catanzaro

There's a vicious rumor being spread by unknown parties that you should
probably know about. Now, this rumor is pretty ugly so be prepared. Are
you ready? Are you sitting down? Okay, here's the rumor: there are other abdominal movements out there besides sit-ups and crunches! Shocking,
I know. But I believe this rumor to be true. In fact, I think that if
all you've been doing for abs is sit-ups and crunches, then it's high
time you shake things up and remember what real abdominal soreness is
all about. Although the following techniques aren't new, most people
have never heard of them or haven't incorporated them into their
training programs. That's too bad, because these are some of the most
effective exercises out there and should be part of everyone's
abdominal arsenal. These rolling movements can be performed
with a Swiss ball or an Olympic bar. However, the simplest and most
cost effective method is to use a wheel, an "ab wheel" to be exact.
You've probably seen these things in sporting goods stores for years.
They resemble a lawnmower wheel with a little pole stuck through it
that acts as handles. This little bad boy should run you ten bucks or
less. Don't even think about buying one of those goofy versions that
"assist" you during the exercise. These infomercial gadgets aren't
nearly as effective as a cheap, simple wheel. More on that later.Below,
I've introduced two variations of the exercise requiring different
functions of the abdominals. Here's one point to think about: do you
wish to use the abdominals as prime movers or stabilizers?
Both have their role in any training program; however, I'd be careful
with the former method if you have an excessive kyphotic curvature
(i.e. the classic hunchback posture). Too much spinal flexion without
adequate extension could further encourage an imbalance.
Abdominals as Prime MoversI've
seen this movement mentioned in the literature as the "forward
abdominal roll" by Paul Check and the abdominal or barbell "rollout" by
Dr. Mel Siff. Regardless of what you call this exercise, it works! It
involves a piking motion from extension of the spine (hollowing the
back to prestretch the abdominals) to flexion of the spine (rounding
the back to fully contract the abdominals.) By performing the exercise
in this manner, the abdominals (particularly the rectus abdominus)
contract through a full range of motion (ROM.) The emphasis,
however, must be placed on raising the butt as high as possible
throughout the entire concentric range (the part where you come up off
the floor.) And don't be afraid to extend your back under control at
the bottom of the movement (after completing the eccentric or negative
component) in order to start in a fully stretched position. Visualize
looking like a sway-backed mule at the bottom and a mad cat at the top!Make
sure, though, as Dr. Siff recommends, that the elbow joints are locked
while the hands remain vertically in line below the shoulders
throughout this movement. Do this instead of rolling the whole body
straight out until the arms and body are in one long line parallel to
the floor. That sort of movement, as often seen on TV infomercials, can
place unnecessary stress on the shoulders and lower back.





Abdominals as StabilizersSome
trainers utilize the forward Swiss ball roll as both an exercise and an
assessment tool to determine the "stabilization threshold." However,
transversus abdominus activation as a method of increasing
intra-abdominal pressure and core stability has been under much debate
lately. Research indicates that to maximize intra-abdominal pressure,
you should breathe deeply (approximately 75% of maximum) into your
belly and hold that breath, if possible, throughout the repetition.Of
course, if the tempo is very slow, you'll need to exhale (through
pursed lips) to gradually release pressure. Keep in mind that the
practice of maintaining a Valsalva maneuver (holding your breath
against a closed glottis) is contraindicated in cardiac patients and
hypertensive individuals (i.e. people with high blood pressure.) But,
you'll notice that breathing, and in particular breath-holding, is an
instinctive process. If you attempt to lift a heavy load, you'll
naturally hold your breath. Try it and you'll see! As a matter of fact,
this may sound nasty but it's quite natural to hold your breath in
order to increase intra-abdominal pressure when you're sitting on the
toilet!Anyhow, I recommend that you neither push your belly out
nor draw your navel in during this exercise. Rather, I want the core to
remain "tight," maintaining neutral spinal curvature throughout. What
do I mean by this? Well, each individual has his own unique neutral
spine. The easiest way to find yours is to test both extremes (i.e.
excessively arch downwards and round upwards) and then settle in a
position somewhere in between. This could be safely assumed as the
neutral position of your spine for this exercise. In this set position,
only the bar, wheel or Swiss ball moves forward and back.




SafetyBoth
variations of the forward abdominal roll are safe for most individuals,
assuming that you gradually increase the ROM every rep. (By the way,
this same concept applies for dynamic stretching and is termed the
"pendulum method.") Don't perform this exercise if severe shoulder
problems exist or you've experienced a recent abdominal herniation.
Also, if any soreness is experienced in the back, elbows or shoulders,
then stick to the prime mover version and don't allow the hands to roll
out from underneath the shoulders.
Training ProgressionsBeginners
should start on their knees with a medium base of support (knees
positioned hip-width apart.) When this becomes easy, you can progress
to using your toes as the fulcrum with the legs fully extended.
Advanced trainees should use a narrow base of support (with the feet
together) and can elevate the feet onto a step to alter the loading.
You can also take Dr. Siff's advice and use tubing or elastic bands to
offer resistance. Cable resistance is yet another option.



The training parameters are the same for both versions of this exercise with one exception:
the tempo is generally slow during all levels of the stabilizer
version, whereas speed of movement varies when the abdominals are used
as prime movers. Here's a breakdown to help you customize your own
program:

Level: Beginner
Sets: 1-2
Reps: 12-15
Tempo: Moderate
Rest Interval: 60-90 seconds
Resistance: Movement performed on knees Level: Intermediate
Sets: 2-3
Reps: 8-12
Tempo: Fast
Rest Interval: 90-120 seconds
Resistance: Movement performed on toes Level: Advanced
Sets: 3-5 or more
Reps: 4-8
Tempo: Explosive
Rest Interval: 180 seconds or more
Resistance:
Movement performed using tubing or cable (attaching the tubing to a
post in front of you and grasping onto the other with both hands to
provide resistance)

Popular Abdominal DevicesLet me just make a few quick comments on some of those abdominal devices that are so popular today:

1)
First and foremost, nothing can take the place of hard work! There's no
magic tool or pill that's going to instantly give you results. Remember
that. You've got to put in the time! 2)
The ab rollers that were so popular a few years ago have fallen out of
favor recently and for good reason. According to rehabilitation
specialist, Paul Chek, the neck muscles must work concomitantly with
the abdominals. Taking these muscles out of the movement by resting
your head on that ever-so-comfortable pad could eventually promote a
muscular imbalance. Plus, these machines don't conform to
everyone's body structure. Probably more important than these factors
are the results of a study conducted by Whiting et al. which suggests
that abdominal devices (primarily ab rollers) don't elicit any greater
or lesser involvement of the abdominal musculature than regular old
unassisted exercises! 3) The Janda sit-up has recently resurfaced as an effective abdominal exercise sans
hip flexor activation. Well, according to spine researcher, Dr. Stuart
McGill, the opposite phenomenon actually occurs! During the Janda (or
pressed-heel) sit-up, contraction of the hamstrings causes hip extension,
which means that even greater hip flexion (or psoas activation) is
required to complete the movement! In addition, bent-knee sit-ups
actually activate the psoas more than straight leg sit-ups! This was
all confirmed by EMG analysis in Juker et al., 1998. Unfortunately,
Janda's hypothesis has never been substantiated by research. 4)
As I mentioned previously, there are currently many devices on the
market that simulate the abdominal rollout or forward ab roll. Don't
waste your money on these fancy alternatives. As far as I'm concerned,
the basic wheel is far superior because it doesn't lock you into a
specific groove and it's more unstable. Why is being unstable good?
Because research has shown that abdominal activation almost doubles
on a labile (movable) surface. I believe the same results occur with
the wheel. For this reason, it may even be the most effective rollout
version available! So, forget all these infomercials with expensive
imitations; the simple wheel is far more effective!

Walt
Disney once said, "If you can dream it, you can do it." Well, let's put
it this way, Cindy Crawford has appeared in my dreams a few times and
has yet to appear on my doorstep needing my "extra special" personal
training services, so there goes that theory! However, if you dream of
washboard abdominals, with the right diet and the forward ab roll in
your routine, that dream may one day come true. Roll on!
About The AuthorJohn
Paul Catanzaro is a certified kinesiologist and professional fitness
and lifestyle consultant with a specialized honours Bachelor of Science
degree in Kinesiology and Health Science. He owns and operates a
private gym in Toronto, Ontario providing training and nutritional
consulting services. For additional information, visit his website at BodyEssence.ca or call 416-292-4356.
References

Andersson,
E.A., Nilsson, J., Ma, Zhijia, M., & Thorstensson, A. (1997).
Abdominal and hip flexor muscle activation during various training
exercises. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 75, 115-123
Juker
D., McGill, S., Kropf P., & Steffen T. (1998) Quantitative
intramuscular myoelectric activity of lumbar portions of psoas and the
abdominal wall during a wide variety of tasks. Med Sci Sports Exerc.
30: 301-310
Vera-Garcia FJ, Grenier SG, &
McGill SM. (2000) Abdominal muscle response during curl-ups on both
stable and labile surfaces. Phys Ther. 80(6): 564-9
Whiting
WC, Vincent WJ, Rugg S, & Coleman A. (1999) Muscle activity during
sit-ups using abdominal exercise devices. J of Strength &
Conditioning Research. 13(4): 339-345.



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