Q: I’m about to start Phase 2 of Maximum Strength and I’m wondering if there’s a recommended substitute for the bar rollout. The plates at my gym aren’t completely round. Should I suck it up and buy an ab wheel or is there something simple I can do instead? I appreciate your time!

A: You’ve got a few options. The first, as you noted, is to buy an ab wheel. They’re awesome and we use them a ton at Cressey Performance – and they’re very affordable at Perform Better.

Another option is to simply set up exactly the same as you would with a bar rollout, but instead, just do an isometric hold at end-range for 10-30s, depending on your fitness level.

If you can’t quite do it at end-range, just bring the hands in toward the knees a bit and gradually work your way out as your stability improves.

Get Maximum Strength!