Roll Your Way to a Superhero Six-Pack With This Exercise

Brett Williams

February 22, 2019 7:42 PM

While superheroes all draw strength from a different source, like a genetic mutation, super-serum, or a radioactive spider bite, the real-world guys who play the characters on the big screen depend on the same thing for their physique: a solid core.

Roll to a Superhero Strong Core With This Exercise

Working your abdominal muscles isn't just a vanity project-you need your abs to be strong to move well, especially if you're trying to pull off explosive maneuvers, like actors performing high-octane superhero movie stunts. Men's Health advisor and trainer Don Saladino , whose clients include Ryan Reynolds and Sebastian Stan , uses exercises like landmine rollouts to develop the core strength these stars need.

You might've done rollouts using an ab wheel before-but the landmine adds an extra element to the move. "I like these because [the bar] travels on an arc and challenges the rotary core to a greater degree," Saladino says.

To perform the exercise, you'll need a barbell, a round weight plate, and a landmine base. If your gym doesn't have a landmine, check out this option from Yes4All.

Set up the barbell in the landmine base, with the plate loaded onto the bar.
Kneel on the ground, gripping the end of the barbell with both hands.
Keeping your arms straight and extended, lean forward to roll the barbell. Squeeze your abs and glutes to keep your spine in position as you lower your torso down until your body forms a straight line.
Squeeze your abs to raise yourself back up, keeping your arms and spine straight.

The key here is to keep your position throughout each rep. Do your best to avoid rounding your back, so make sure not to rush. Not feeling challenged? Just get on your feet. "You can do a standing variation as well, which is incredibly difficult and advanced," says Saladino.

To add the landmine rollout to your workout, try 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps. For more superhero-body building moves, you can check out all of our Superhero Fit Workouts or Saladino's full program .

Brett Williams

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