You may have used a foam roller to help ease or prevent tight muscles [1] for workout recovery, but did you know you can use one to get stronger? ACE health coach and NASM-certified personal trainer Brittany Noelle [2] created this 20-minute ab and glute workout for POPSUGAR that uses a foam roller to strengthen your core. She said these six exercises will also build stability and solid core foundation, which is helpful for everyday movements and other workouts you do.
20-Minute Foam-Roller Ab and Glute Workout
Equipment needed: foam roller
Directions: Do a quick warmup with 20 jumping jacks [3], eight to 10 inchworms [4], and 15 bodyweight squats [5]. Then complete the workout below.
| Exercise | Time |
|---|---|
| Dead Bug | 3 sets of 24 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest |
| Roll-Up | 3 sets of 12 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest |
| Russian Twist | 3 sets of 24 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest |
| Plank | 3 sets of 30-second holds, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest |
| Bird Dog | 3 sets of 24 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest |
| Quadruped Glute Press | 3 sets of 15 reps per side, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest |
After the workout, do this 10-minute stretching routine [7].
Read on for directions for each exercise.
Dead Bug
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your lower back pressing into the floor to stabilize your core.
- Use two hands to hold the foam roller flush against your upper thighs just below your knees.
- While pressing the foam roller firmly against your left leg with your right hand, extend your left arm overhead and your right leg forward so both are parallel to the floor. Keep your lower back in contact with the floor as you do this.
- Return to the starting position with both hands and legs in contact with the foam roller. Repeat on the opposite side.
- This counts as one rep.
- Complete three sets of 24 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest.
Roll-Up
- Lie on your back with your knees bent and your shins parallel to the floor. Place the foam roller on your ankles to start.
- Roll your torso up so that your shoulder blades come off the floor, and take the foam roller off your ankles with your hands holding both ends.
- Slowly roll your torso back to the ground and extend both arms overhead, so the foam roller is a few inches above the floor.
- Roll back up and place the foam roller back on your ankles.
- Roll back down and extend both arms overhead while keeping the foam roller resting on your ankles.
- This completes one rep.
- Perform three sets of 12 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest.
Russian Twist
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and lean back slightly until you feel your lower abs engage. Hold the ends of the foam roller with both hands.
- Lift both feet off the ground, balancing on your tailbone. Try not to round the back by keeping your abs engaged and lifting your chest up.
- Rotate your torso to the right using your obliques (the muscles on the sides of your belly) to power the movement. The end of the foam roller will be a few inches off the ground to the right of your belly.
- Rotate your torso back to center and perform the same twist on the left side.
- This completes one rep.
- Perform three sets of 24 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest.
Plank
- Come onto your hands and knees with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your knees underneath your hips. Place the foam roller underneath both hands.
- Lift your knees off the ground and extend your legs behind you so you're in a high plank position.
- Hold this position for 30 seconds, maintaining a flat back and drawing the navel in toward your spine.
- Complete three sets of 30-second holds followed by a 30- to 60-second rest.
Bird Dog
- Come onto your hands and knees with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your knees underneath your hips. Place the foam roller horizontally across your lower back to help you find a neutral spine.
- Keeping your torso stable, extend your right arm out in front of you and extend your left leg behind you. Try to avoid shifting to the side as you do this (you will feel the foam roller shift on your back if you're shifting your bodyweight).
- Hold for one to three seconds, then return to the starting position. Repeat on the opposite side.
- This completes one rep.
- Perform three sets of 24 reps, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest.
Quadruped Glute Press
- Begin on your hands and knees with your shoulders directly over your wrists and your knees underneath your hips, also known as the quadruped position. Tuck the foam roller behind your left knee, squeezing it slightly to keep it in place.
- While keeping your back flat and hips parallel to the floor, with control, press your left heel toward the sky.
- This completes one rep.
- Perform three sets of 15 reps per side, followed by a 30- to 60-second rest.