Six Pack Secret Weapon: Barbell Rollouts

Intense abs are built through intense training! If you have a strong core but you are looking to add dimension your abs start doing abdominal barbell rollouts immediately! This is a simple, yet extremely effective exercise that builds muscle stability in the spine and throughout your entire torso. This includes your rectus abdominus from top to bottom, or your abs that show outwardly. The real bonus is that this ab exercise, unlike mostly all others, also works your “internal girdle.” Your “internal girdle” consists of abdominal muscles that are deeper inside your body such as the transverse abdominals, as well as internal and external obliques. Basically, you can’t go wrong with barbell rollouts; they are the complete package!https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IHizHgE_nF8

How To Do Barbell Rollouts:

1. Load on Olympic barbell using 5 or 10 lbs plates.
2. Kneel on a mat behind the barbell. Grab it with an overhand grip. Your starting position is on your hands and knees.
3. Slowly begin to roll the barbell straight out in front of you. You will be stretching your body into a straight line. Push as far out as you can without any part of your body touching the floor.
4. When you reach the furthest point at which you can stretch out and still get yourself back to starting position, pause for a one count.
5. Begin pulling yourself back to the starting position. It should almost feel as if you are trying to push the bar into the floor as you pull it back toward yourself.

Trainer Tips:

This is an advanced exercise that requires the user to already have core strength and stability in order to perform it. However, you can modify it until you are strong enough to complete them. Find a solid structure such as a power rack. Position yourself in front of the structure and roll toward it. It will stop the barbell before you reach a complete roll out. As you get stronger move further back from the structure until you no longer need it.

Sample Exercise Plan:

• Planks 4 sets 1 minute each (45 sec rest between)
• Floor Crunches 3 sets of 15
• Oblique crunches with a plate 3 sets of 12
• Kneeling cable crunches 3 sets of 10
• Abdominal Barbell Rollouts 3 sets of 10-12
• Hanging Knee Raises 1 set to failure