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When it comes to abdominal exercises, the best ab rollers are simple, yet effective pieces of gym equipment that are extremely challenging. So challenging, in fact, that I’ve always struggled with ab roller wheels. It’s not that my core muscles are weak necessarily; it’s just because I’m a heavy, strength-biased athlete, I typically struggle with bodyweight movements.
When I use an ab roller I’m usually rolling out until I fall on my face . Wouldn’t it be nice to have a piece of fitness equipment that made ab wheel progression a little easier?
Enter the Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro—an ab roller designed to help maintain balance through the movement and to prevent excessive shoulder strain during an ab roll-out. How effective is it? In our Ab Carver Pro review, we’ll take a look at this wheel and see if it’s worth its hefty price tag (for an ab roller).
A Core Knowledge of Ab Equipment
Our team of product testers has used and tested dozens of different pieces of core exercise equipment, from suspension trainers to GHD machines and, of course, ab wheels. When we test products, we also use our experiences as certified fitness trainers, coaches, and competitive athletes to draw informed conclusions about fitness equipment. You can rely on us to have educated opinions on the products we research and test.
If there’s anyone that is the ideal candidate to test out this ab roller, it’s me. I’ve struggled with ab wheels a lot over the years, so I was excited to try out the Ab Carver Pro. I took it through a bunch of exercises, adding the ab roller to my accessory work after barbell workouts. Being a larger athlete, I was able to test its effectiveness as well as its build, as I’m pretty close to its 300-pound weight capacity.
Ab Carver Pro
Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro Roller
Pros & Cons
Bottom Line
A Quick Look at the Ab Carver Pro
Perfect Fitness was founded by U.S. Navy Seal veteran Alden Mills, who led a study on why Seals suffered high injury rates. After seeing a connection between injury rates and outdated training methods, he began to design and innovate fitness equipment to make bodyweight movements more effective with less risk of injury.
His first innovation was the Perfect Pushup in 2006; since then, Perfect Fitness has released similar products like the Perfect Pull-Up and more recently, the Ab Carver Pro. The Perfect FItness Ab Carver Pro roller is made with three main design changes, all claimed to aid in making this ab roller more efficient in training your abs and core:
- Ergonomic hand grips to reduce shoulder strain
- A wider, rounded wheel to allow for better balance and making it easier to carve to either side
- A kinetic engine that provides resistance on the way down, and assistance back up
The kinetic engine is the biggest difference; basically, this ab wheel is spring-loaded and rolling down will turn the spring tighter, and pulling back releases the steel spring’s tension. Unlike other ab wheels, it can only roll in one direction due to its interior carbon steel spring.
Before You Buy
- Spoiler alert: I like this product…but I don’t like all of the marketing behind it. I think a lot of the design choices make for a beneficial ab wheel for many, but it’s hard to take a product seriously when it’s saying it will “accelerate your abs” on the outside of the box. This can help strengthen your abs, but you won’t get six-pack abs without a proper diet first.
- This ab roller has a lower weight capacity than some others, at only 300 pounds. While I’m a little over that weight capacity (it’s mostly muscle, I swear), I had no problems using the Ab Carver Pro, and it never felt insecure with my weight. If you are heavier though, this may not be the ideal roller for you.
- The Ab Carver Pro is a bit pricier than other ab wheels, but as a bonus, it comes with connected, high-density foam knee pads and a downloadable 21-day core workout program. While the knee pads aren’t high-quality, it’s a nice touch.
Is the Ab Carver Pro Worth It?
As is with lots of different fitness equipment, whether or not the Ab Carver Pro is worth its price will depend on what you’re looking for in your ab roller. At nearly $40, it’s definitely one of the higher-end ab wheels available on the market. With that said, it’s incredibly innovative with its wide wheel and internal spring resistance.
If you struggle with ab roller workouts in general, this is a great pick to help you get more range of motion and stability throughout the exercise. However, if you’re wanting an inexpensive, simple ab roller that provides the typical challenge of an ab roller, then the Ab Carver Pro is probably not your best option.
Great for:
- Beginners who struggle with ab wheels
- People with shoulder issues wanting to avoid excessive shoulder stress
- Strength-biased athletes looking to get better at bodyweight abdominal exercises
Not recommended for:
- Those looking for an inexpensive ab roller
- A larger athlete who may exceed the weight capacity
- Anyone wanting a more challenging experience with an ab roller
Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro Specs
| Price | $39.99 |
| Product weight | 4.63 lbs |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs |
| Wheel diameter | 7.88” |
| Wheel width | 6.5” |
| Total length | 15.5” |
| Features | Ergonomic handles, carbon steel springs |
Workout Experience With the Ab Carver Pro
I don’t know if I can emphasize enough how much I struggle with this exercise: They are the absolute bane of my existence. I have struggled to do the full range of motion with ab wheels, usually having to stop halfway or lose my balance.
So I was eager, albeit anxious, to test out the Ab Carver Pro for the first time. I was left shocked to be able to roll out and nearly touch my chest to the floor on my first repetition. And then on my second repetition, too. Where has this roller been all my life?
RELATED: Upper Ab Workout
Don’t get me wrong, I got a great core workout from using the Ab Carver Pro; my lower abs in particular were sore for days after my first use. One reason is because I was able to get a fuller range of motion than I ever had. The carbon steel spring resistance really had an impact on my workout—the added resistance keeping me steady on the way down, and allowing assistance on the way up.
Because of its assistance, it makes it a great tool for beginners and people who struggle with ab rollers, like me. However, if you are looking for a more traditional ab wheel challenge, this won’t provide it.
Additionally, the resistance spring can only go so far; then, it just stops. While I was able to roll out pretty much all the way and then all the way back up, it felt like the spring was stopping just at my farthest point out. Anyone taller or with longer arms might have issues getting a full range of motion with this ab roller.
Although the straight ab roll out trains all the abdominal muscles, the Ab Carver Pro’s ultra-wide wheel is slightly rounded to comfortably roll out to either your left or right and maintain balance while focusing on the obliques.
One thing that the Ab Carver Pro claims to do is to engage and train not only the core, but the lower back, chest, and arms as well. I felt the majority of my training in my core, obviously, but maintaining a neutral spine throughout the exercise did mean I kept the lower back engaged throughout the movement.
Additionally, the angle of the ergonomic handles did engage the triceps more instead of stressing the shoulders—more on that later. I’m not sure if I would say this provided a substantial upper body workout beyond supporting yourself through the movement, like you would during a plank hold.
The inside spring does make some noise while in use, as it’s contracting and expanding. While it never bothered me, several customers remarked it was too loud, especially for the higher price.
Construction & Durability
I was a little concerned about the build of the Ab Carver Pro when I first took it out of the box. It’s primarily made of plastic, with rubber on most of the wheel and on the top of the grips. There is some metal in the construction, as the handle connectors are metal, and the internal spring is steel. Still, with a primarily plastic construction, I had some reservations about its durability.
After a few weeks though, the ab roller is still going strong and has shown no signs of wear and tear, besides a couple of dings in the rubber tread of the wheel.
RELATED: Lower Ab Workout
The ab roller is covered in stickers, though, which makes a fairly sleek design a little less sleek and a bit more gaudy. Moreover, after a few weeks of use, the stickers are beginning to bubble off the roller. I’ve never been a huge fan of stickers on workout equipment, especially when the stickers want to fall off, which is no fault of mine. I would’ve loved to have the name carved into the wheel instead of stickers.
Portability
Because of the wide wheel, the Ab Carver Pro is a longer ab wheel than most, at over 15 inches long from handle to handle. To combat this, the Ab Carver Pro’s handles are detachable, allowing it to fit more easily in gym bags when you’re on the move. It’s secured through button clips, which stayed secured while in use as well.
It’s important to note that although the ab wheel breaks down for easy transport, it is a heavier ab roller than most: nearly 5 pounds. So although it can travel well enough, it may not be the most comfortable if you’re used to a light gym bag.
Ergonomics
There was a lot of thought put into the ergonomic handles. These handles are angled downward to provide both a relaxed grip for the wrists and forearms, as well as allowing the triceps to support more of the upper body instead of just the shoulders. I did feel this slight shift in my workouts, and didn’t feel the stress on my shoulders that I typically do from the usual ab wheel.
Because the ab roller only rolls in one direction (due to the spring resistance), the handles are clearly labeled right and left, so there’s never confusion on which direction to grip to use the roller. Additionally, the handles curve back up to protect the hands while rolling to the side, in case you lose your balance.
Extras
The Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro comes with additional items—high-density foam knee pads and a 21-day workout program. The program is basic, but, just like this ab roller, it’s simple enough for beginners.
I wasn’t a huge fan of the knee pads. They are thin, and connected by a strap. The widest they could stretch was still pretty narrow for my larger frame. Also, I barely felt the thin pads at all. After trying them once or twice, I went ahead and just used my exercise mat for the ab rolls.
Comparison to the REP Fitness Ab Roller
REP Fitness Ab Roller
REP Fitness Ab Roller
Product Highlights
- Black ab roller with black handles
- Two wheels surrounded by handles
- Used to improve overall core strength
Pros & Cons
Pros
- Very affordable (about $10)
- Free shipping
- 30-day money-back guarantee
- Quick (almost non-existent) assembly
- Durable plastic wheels
- Rubber-coated, grippy handles
Cons
- Very limited reviews
- No warranty
- No user guide or suggested exercises
Bottom Line
The REP Fitness Ab Roller is an affordable option from a brand with a reputation for creating affordable quality fitness equipment.
When compared to the REP Fitness Ab Roller, the innovations and changes are made apparent in the Ab Carver Pro. The REP Ab Roller is one of our favorite ab wheels; it’s a standard ab wheel design, with a 2-inch-wide wheel and straight handles. There is no resistance spring or kinetic engine; just two wheels and handles. With its simple design comes a low price of under $15.
The Ab Carver Pro has some innovative features, but also is more than double the price of the REP Ab Roller. As far as which one would suit your needs better, it depends on what you’re looking for. For a simple, yet challenging workout, REP Fitness has a great ab roller. If you struggle with the movement and might need assistance in your ab wheels, the Ab Carver Pro might be for you, so long as you don’t mind spending $40 on an ab wheel.
| Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro | REP Fitness Ab Roller | |
| Price | $39.99 | $14.99 |
| Product weight | 4.63 lbs | 1 lb |
| Weight capacity | 300 lbs | Not disclosed |
| Wheel diameter | 7.88” | 7.25” |
| Wheel width | 6.5” | 2” |
| Total length | 15.5” | 10” |
| Features | Ergonomic handles, carbon steel springs | Rubber-coated stainless steel handles |
Customer Experience
As of this writing, Perfect Fitness’ website is undergoing a rehaul for customer experience; therefore, the Ab Carver Pro can only be purchased from Amazon. With that said, the product comes with a one-year manufacturer’s warranty.
This item is also eligible for free returns to Amazon. Any new or unused ab roller can be returned to Amazon for free, no questions asked. Amazon provides a return label if you’re planning on shipping the item back, or you can drop it off at an Amazon center.
Ordering and Assembling the Ab Carver Pro
With a Prime membership, ordering the Ab Carver Pro was simple and quick. The product arrived the next day without any issues.
The Ab Carver Pro comes with the handles detached, so the only assembly needed is attaching the handles, which slide on and snap securely through the button clips. The only warning I’d give is to make sure to properly snap the right handle to the right side and the left handle to the left side.
Customer Reviews
As of this writing, the Ab Carver Pro sits comfortably with a 4.6 out of 5 stars on Amazon, from an astounding 13,171 ratings. Most people enjoyed the stability provided from its design, although some experienced users didn’t appreciate the assistance. Additionally, others complained about the roller’s noise levels from the spring, as well as the spring not allowing enough range of motion for a taller person.
Final Verdict of Our Ab Carver Pro Review
The Ab Carver Pro is an ab wheel with an innovative design that both helps prevent injury and assists beginners in performing core exercises. Did I get a six-pack during my time with it? No, but I did get one of the best ab workouts I’ve gotten from an ab roller in a long time.
It’s an expensive ab roller, but if you’re new to core training, it provides enough value to consider the cost. For those wanting more of a challenge, though, they may want to consider other equipment options.
Ab Carver Pro Rating
Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro
Built to prevent injury and made to assist newer fitness enthusiasts, see our thoughts on this innovative ab roller in our Ab Carver Pro review.
Product Brand: Perfect Fitness
Product Currency: USD
Product Price: 39.99
Product In-Stock: InStock
4.3
Ab Carver Pro FAQs
Does an ab roller reduce belly fat?
While any routine exercising can help burn fat ,which with proper dieting will result in overall fat loss, an ab roller can’t target a specific area of fat. Spot reduction is a common myth of fat loss, and there is no research to support it. Adding an ab roller to your workout program will help strengthen your abdominal muscles, but these won’t specifically target belly fat in your fat loss journey.
What is the price of the Ab Carver Pro?
The Perfect Fitness Ab Carver Pro sells for $39.99 on Amazon.
What are the benefits of using an ab wheel?
Compared to other abdominal fitness equipment, ab wheels are relatively inexpensive pieces of equipment that are extremely effective at exercising the core. By strengthening the abdominal muscles, they also help strengthen your core, which will have an impact on daily life, such as improving your posture.
What is the best ab workout?
The best ab exercises are typically the ones that you’ll do consistently in your workout program. Ideally, ab workouts will target not just the rectus abdominis muscles, but also the obliques , transverse abdominals, and even the lower back.
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