It’s no secret I am a big fan of the AB Wheel for building superhuman type
core strength.
The other night talking to Bob Backlund and asking him about the
Ab Wheel and Step ups he told me that the Ab Wheel got him so
strong through out his entire body that men used to be so amazed
of how his upper body was almost immovable. He also said it is one
of the main reasons he can still do the things he does today.
I have done 900 step ups and 365 Ab Wheel Rollouts in one hour and it was
non stop. I asked Backlund the most Ab Wheel Rollouts he ever done
in one workout he said, 803 in 50 minutes!
Backlund told me he stopped selling this product because people don’t want to
work hard anymore!
I remember Backlund doing this on TV and thought it was cool, but it wasn’t
until high school that Mr Mealy an old janitor in his 60’s came in to our high
school weight room grabbed a barbell bent over still on his feet and rolled
out, held it for a second and brought it back in.
We lined up and tried this simple looking exercises and every single one failed,
it wasn’t even close.
For me a very strong 150 lber doing weighted chins with as much as 80
extra pounds or weighted dips with an extra 130 lbs hanging from my waist
and dead lifting 400 lbs I failed brutally and was amazed.
Until that moment I have never seen any man do a standing Ab Wheel rollout other
than Bob Backlund and Mr. Mealy. Years went by, I got bigger, stronger and heavier
and on rare occasions I would use the Ab Wheel for maybe 10 reps not to use it again
except on very rare occasions.
Play the video at 25:23 and watch him roll through a “Short Arm Scissor”
and lift a over 300 lb Hulk Hogan off the floor with no gimmicks and NO
help from Hogan!
Backlund weighed around 240 lbs this is an amazing feat of strength for
any strong man!
I wasn’t until I dropped 85 lbs and started using mostly bodyweight exercises that
I was actually able to do the Ab Wheel from a standing position the first time I tried
without any practice!
In the video below I rep out a quick 10 with my 50 lb grandson on my back for
some fun.
So I started the Ab Wheel/ Step up circuit workouts both weighted and unweighted
and have gotten amazing results from hardening of the entire upper body to a great
conditioning workout the crosses to the real world. Strong mind and body are required
to live a strong physical life.
You can use so many different variations of the Ab Wheel / Step up
Circuits you never run out of ways!
Bob Backlund told me the most step ups he ever did at one time was 8 hours with
30 minutes off, that is a long time to do step ups! But still to this day, he does
30 minutes of step ups everyday on a 15″ bench uses the Ab Wheel and
does 300 to 400 bodyweight squats a day at 67 years old
“Work out today, so you can have a good day tomorrow”
Bob Backlund
Strength Builds Toughness
Johnny Grube
Bob Blacklund is in great shape for a man his age,does he do any other exercises besides the ones that you mentioned? Johnny thanks for all the great things that you do!
Yeah I wonder where you got those “rumors” from….From the research I gather other than the Wheel & Step-Up, he most likely does other bodyweight stuff at a lower capacity than when he was in his prime and was a hell of trainer on his neck. One of the best technical wrestlers of his generation.
Justin, actually talked to Bob Backlund in person and asked him the most Ab Wheel Rollouts he ever did at one time. He told me 803 in 50 minutes was his best. He still does 30 minutes of step ups a day at 70 years old. He also said the Ab Wheel was the reason he was almost immovable in the ring.
Thanks Dean! Hope all is well!
I just think why make it sound like a rumor. I heard that you got things mixed up on a guy’s blog. He’s a friend of mine and I don’t think its cool to use parts of his article to spread “rumors.” Matter of fact I read the guy’s article and clearly doesn’t say anything about doing those big numbers you highlighted here everyday. Why bother making a ridiculous notion. I’m sorry just believe its a tad rude to use someone’s work to your personal gain.
Justin you are right I did miss quote Ben’s article, I read It wrong. But his
name isn’t in the article I will remove that part. As far as personal gain,
that was not my intention!
These look like tough workouts. I am going to have to give them a go. Thank you for posting this.
You’re Welcome.
I watched the 1993 Royal Rumble on WWE Network recently and Bob Backlund was 43 at the time and he lasted over an hour in the royal rumble. Proves what great stamina he has.
I would be interested in buying a gym in a box from Mr Backland, I’m based in the UK is there any way of contacting him as his website doesn’t seem to be there anymore.
I would like to buy the gym in a box