Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Standing Wheel Rollerout: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The standing wheel rollout is an advanced core exercise that primarily targets the abdominal muscles, while also engaging the lower back and shoulders. It requires significant core strength, balance, and control to perform safely and effectively.

Primary muscles
Abs
Secondary muscles
Shoulders
Equipment
Wheel Roller
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the standing wheel rollerout
Front view: muscles worked by the standing wheel rollerout. Primary: abs. Secondary: shoulders.
Back view: muscles worked by the standing wheel rollerout. Primary: abs. Secondary: shoulders.
Primary Secondary

How to do the standing wheel rollerout

  1. Step 1: Start by standing tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and the wheel roller in front of you.
  2. Step 2: Bend at your waist and slowly roll the wheel forward, keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
  3. Step 3: Continue rolling forward until you feel a stretch in your abs and your body is extended as far as possible.
  4. Step 4: Pause for a moment, then slowly roll the wheel back towards your body, returning to the starting position.
  5. Step 5: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the standing wheel rollerout by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Standing Wheel Rollerout alternatives

More exercises that train the abs as their main target:

More abs exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.