Stability Ball Rollout

CoreBW

Kneeling with forearms on a stability ball, the ball is rolled forward and pulled back, similar in demand to an ab wheel rollout but with a larger, less stable surface adding a balance challenge.

Demo: General S&C demo

Sets

3

Reps

8-12

Rest

45s

Contraindications

Low back pain when hips sag — reduce range and rebuild control.

Setup

Kneel behind a stability ball with forearms resting on top of it.

Execution

  1. 1Brace the core before rolling the ball forward
  2. 2Roll the ball out using the forearms, extending the body while resisting the sag
  3. 3Keep the hips from dropping as the ball rolls further away
  4. 4Pull the ball back using the abs, not just the arms
  5. 5Reset the brace before each rep

Key cues

  • Brace before you roll, not after
  • Resist the sag the entire way out
  • Pull back with your abs
  • Keep the ball tracking straight, not veering to one side

Common faults

  • Hips sagging into lumbar extension at full roll
  • Ball veering off to one side due to asymmetric bracing
  • Rolling out too far too soon
  • Using shoulder shrugging instead of ab-driven return

Tweaks

  • Reduce range of motion for a regression
  • Add a pause at full extension
  • Progress to a smaller, less stable ball for added difficulty

Regressions

Front Plank

Progressions

Ab Wheel Rollout (From Knees)

Muscles

Primary: Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis

Secondary: Lats, Shoulders, Glutes

Notes

ANTI-EXTENSION.

Sources

Attribution: General S&C canon / NSCA