The old (and very cheap) invention that helps you get abs of steel | The truth

Plus, there's an entire industry around those dream abs. Among the million-dollar businesses that have been created around the 'six pack', one of the oldest elements that has the endorsement of experts is the so-called abdominal wheel or 'abs wheel' or 'abs roller'. This simple and cheap device – there are models for less than ten euros – can be seen in almost all gyms, although it is another thing to know how to get the most out of it.

The abdominal wheel couldn't be simpler: a handle inserted into a wheel. There's no more. The way to use it is also simple, but requires a series of precautions to avoid injury. To perform the basic exercise you have to get on your knees, hold the wheel with your hands, just below your shoulders, retract your pelvis and fall forward. This movement must be performed with the 'core' under tension – in a position identical to the 'crunch' or abdominal shrinkage. The body moves forward and, after reaching an extended position, returns to the initial position with the strength of the trunk. If the arms are extended too much, the shoulders will bear part of the load and if the midsection of the body sags, the lumbar spine may suffer too much.

Its great advantage is that it activates the abdomen, the obliques and the erector spinae, but also the dorsal, gluteus and deltoids. Practiced rigorously, it consumes more calories than classic abdominal exercise, but it also reduces the risk of back injuries.

The 'fitness' expert Marcos Vázquez, for example, recommends that novices start doing the exercise in front of a wall, so that there is a stop and the body does not elongate to the maximum, which could cause an injury in the case. of someone falling face first into the ground. In addition, he considers that basic preparation is necessary before starting to perform this exercise. How do we know if we can use the wheel? The expert points out that if we are able to do a plank for 45 seconds or between 10 and 15 push-ups we should not have problems.

Physical condition

All experts emphasize that it is very important to use the wheel with the abdominals in tension throughout the entire journey to avoid damage to the lower back. Higher level athletes can do it using their feet instead of their knees, a challenge that requires being in very good physical condition.

For those who believe that the tablet fashion is something recent, an important fact: this device already existed in the 1930s. At that time, the idea of ​​having abs on which you could grate cheese was also part of the aesthetic patterns. dominant. Conor Heffernan expert in the history of fitness from the University of Ulster, has investigated the history of this device. The first objects that were used for a similar exercise were placed on the feet and forced the entire body to perform a shrinking movement. The great explosion of the abdominal wheel did not occur until the 1960s, when the cult of the body began to spread throughout the world thanks to Hollywood youth cinema. In those years the Baruch company marketed the first device of this type under the name 'Reduce-A-Wheel'. The advertising promoted it as a device developed by experts in “health sciences.” According to its creators, the device helped reduce the stomach and achieve “health and happiness” with just a minute and a half of work, five minutes a day.

In the 90s the great explosion of this device occurred. The 'Ab Roller' company earned $100 million from its sale in 1996 alone. From the turn of the century, the technology was included in these devices. Thus, abdominal wheels were created with digital repetition counters or models with padded areas to place the forearms and clamps to hold the mobile phone to see the screen while performing the exercise. These improvements have caused the price to multiply by six and reach sixty euros in some cases.

In any case, it is a simple exercise but it requires good body control to activate the abdominals. It is one more step towards the dreamed 'six pack' but the path, as all experts emphasize, lies more in cooking and diet than in the magic wheel.