Sure, you could do just do planks to build your core. Or, you can get yourself a ludicrously over-built, and possibly a little comical, Ab Wheel from Watson Gym. This thing is a tank. It’s also brilliant.
I do not recommend using any Ab Wheel unless you’ve already got a strong core, e.g. you can do a plank for 60 seconds or more. This isn’t for the faint of heart or weak of back for that matter. But, if you do have a good core and want to get to the next level then this is a bit of equipment may be worth a look.
I first learned about an Ab Wheel from Jackie Chan in his film Gorgeous (1999). In the YouTube clip below I’ve skipped to the last progression of an Ab Wheel – a standing start and full extension. It’s quite remarkable. If you watch through the video from the start you can see his progression. Moving from trying it, to using his knees, to the full standing position. And it’s strongly recommended that you start from the knees at the very least.
I’ve managed to do full standing wheelies (?) before. It took a good few months of training and a tonne of stretching too. I think I managed 2 or 3. I also found the full standing method wasn’t needed. From the knees, and then lifting my knees off the ground in the stretched position was more than enough training.
So what makes the Watson Gym Ab Wheel special?
It’s simply the Watson way – it’s overbuilt, robust, and works very well for the intended purpose.
- Smooth bearings
- 50mm thick metal grippy handles
- Huge tyre means more control and can be used outdoors
- Higher height than alternatives means you can stretch further
- Inspires confidence with zero flex
However, the tyre does need inflating every so often (uses a car Schrader type valve). If you try and use it flat, it’s only going to cause harm. And secondly it’s quite large. It’s not something I use all of the time, so I generally store it away, but that sometimes means its out of sight and out of mind. It’s not something I can easily leave to the side of the room and kick it out of the way if I need to.
Would I recommend it as a must have gym item?
No. It’s not needed to build a strong core. It’s expensive (but good value for what you get) and niche.
Having said that, if you have the money, if you want the best, and you want some diversity in your core training, then you couldn’t really get better than a Watson Gym Ab Wheel.
Buy one at Watson Gym.
Bought mine in 2021, for £75 + VAT + Delivery for a total of £108.
Simply Seanie 