Does the Ab Roller Evolution Really Work Your Core?

The Ab Roller Evolution is attempting to take a product that has been in the industry for several years now and revamp it with some new features to maximize what it can do. The original ab roller was a best seller, and helped many people perform crunches the right way. So do the new bells and whistles on this piece of equipment justify a new purchase?

Overview
Doing crunches without any assistance can be really hard, and unless you do them perfectly you aren’t going to have as much effectiveness, and could even injure yourself. Nobody likes to get down on the floor to do their ab routine, but with something like this it makes it a bit easier since it provides comfort, and puts you in the proper alignment and form so you are hitting the right muscles and engaging more of your core.

The Claim
The makers of the Ab Roller Evolution says you can get ripped, pumped, and powerful with just one machine. We’re not exactly sure that it lives up to these claims, because in order to get ripped you have to follow a diet plan and aerobic routine that brings down your body fat percentage, and to get pumped you have to lift heavy weights. Your core could definitely get more powerful with repeated use.

The Dreaded Abs
No other muscle on the body gets more attention than the abdominal muscles. Most people can’t stand working out there abs, and will leave it as the last bit of their workout so they can be finished completely once they’re done. But aside from looking better, a solid core can help with your day to day activities and and provide added balance and stability, so it’s an important part of your workout.

The Cost
Ab Roller Evolution is $43 including delivery, which is a little pricey for what it is, but considering all that you can do with it, and the quality of the construction, it’s not too bad.

The Commitment
Ab workouts are

one of the toughest things to commit to, which is why having a six pack is so impressive. If you want a six pack like you see in the magazines, you not only do you have to eat a pretty rigid diet, but you have to put in lots of situps and other ab exercises so that your abdominals become visible.

Evaluation
The Ab Roller Evolution has the ability to add weights to your workout, and for guys this is a good feature since weighted sit ups are a great idea if you want to develop your abs. They are just like any other muscle, if you add resistance they will get bigger and more defined. If you just use body weight they will get lean and have a more conditioned look.

The cushion for your head makes this comfortable, and provides all the support you need. When you do crunches without a roller you might be tempted to put your hands behind the back of your head which is not a good idea because you end up straining your neck, and contracting a different part of your body then you should be. It keeps your back nice and lined up and makes you contract your abdominal muscles in order to roll yourself up and then back down.

Getting the obliques is easy enough, you just put your knees to the right or to the left depending on which side you want to get, and then just use the ab roller as normal and you’ll be engaging your side muscles. The obliques are fun to work out, because when you start slimming down they are the first abdominal muscles that become visible, which can fuel your motivation and keep you on track with your diet and exercise.

Dips and Push-Ups
Not only can you use this for your ab workout, but you can also flip it upside down and you get a dip bar to work your triceps. Once you finish with those, flip it around again and it makes a great way to

do push-ups without having to put your hands on the ground. This creates a sort of makeshift mini gym that doesn’t take up a lot of space, but allows you to work out much of your upper body the old-fashioned way.

Final Ab Roller Review

The Ab Roller Evolution is getting our nod of approval, because of its sturdy construction, clever design, and the ability for it to function as more than just an ab roller. It really has evolved, and it is interesting to see that they’re not just trying to sell the same old piece of equipment under a new name.

Our Recommendation
We recommend this if you currently don’t have any other way of working your abs at home. It blends the time-tested abdominal workout of crunches with a bit of new age technology so you’re not wasting any time down there, and you’re boosting your confidence that you’re doing something that will produce results.

What do you think? Does Ab Roller work or not?