BRACE IT LIKE BECKHAM

David Beckham has revealed that his secret core-sculpting weapon is the ab roller – here’s why it should be yours, too

As president of the newly formed Inter Miami, it seems fitting that Becks boasts the chiseled abs of a sun-bronzed Florida lifeguard. The 45-year-old launched his own Miami-based Major League Soccer club last year, and recently shared on Instagram that he has been busy carving his core with the aid of an ab roller – sending searches spiking and sales soaring.

According to personal trainer Scott Laidler (scottlaidler.com), the ab roller is the home workout device you need in 2021.

“It’s a deceptively comprehensive exercise tool,” says Laidler, who has worked with Oscar-winning actors and elite athletes. “As the name suggests, it isolates your abs, but it also works your lats, erector spinae, delts, chest, biceps and triceps for total-body benefits.”

Beckham was using a premium £93 Sorinex Roller, but you can buy an ab wheel for as little as £10, roll a barbell with round plates along the floor, or simply slide a towel along a smooth surface instead. However you do your ab rollouts, you will be able to combine varied exercises with extended time under tension to enjoy powerful core gains.

“When you first use the roller, start from a kneeling position, keep a slow rhythm and really pay attention to your muscle control,” advises Laidler. “As you get stronger, try to progress to a standing start. Your ab roller can be used as part of a daily routine, as a finisher to an upper-body workout, or as part of this challenging abs circuit (see opposite).”