Foam Roller Abdominal Exercise

Doing abdominal exercises on a foam roller is a very effective way to tone up.

Foam rollers intensify common abdominal exercises due to the instability caused by being on the uneven surface of the roller. Traditional abdominal exercises can easily be made more effective with a foam roller, as can many pilates exercises.

Setup

To set up for these exercises, place the foam roller under the middle of your back so that the roller runs parallel to your spine and supports the back all the way from head to tailbone. Bend your knees so that your feet are flat on the floor. Many traditional ab exercises can be modified in this way.

Curls

Even basic abdominal curls can be done more effectively on a foam roller. Position the foam roller as described in the Setup section. Inhale, bringing your arms up above your head. As you exhale, curl your torso up to a seated position and hold. Curl back down and repeat.

Toe Taps

To perform the toe tap exercise, position the foam roller as described in the Setup section. From here, bring both legs up to a 90-degree angle with the floor, then bend at the knees so that your shins are parallel to the floor. Slowly lower one leg (keeping knees bent at a 90-degree angle) and then the other. The legs will both be moving at all times in a scissoring motion.

References

• Health News: Abdominal Strengthening Exercises on the Foam Roller

Resources

• Pilates Digest: Pilates Exercises with the Foam Roller