The ab wheel rollout isn't just an ab exercise. It's a lat exercise, if you do it correctly.
Many people pull back with their hips, which takes the lats out of it and decreases the effectiveness of the exercise. Instead, think about dragging the wheel underneath you by using the lats. As the wheel gets in front of you, actively push it into the ground – don't just coast forward.
With solid lat tension, you'll now be able to do pauses and partials and really ramp up the effectiveness of the ab wheel. This also has great carryover to deadlifting. It'll help you to learn to gather tension in the lats and keep the bar close to you as you pull from the floor.
Why do so many lifters follow programs that fail to fit any of their equipment needs, exercise issues, volume or intensity issues, or personality? Dan John calls it the "Cinderella's Stepsister Syndrome." In other words, the shoe don't fit! Here's how to find the right shoe for you. Hopefully, it doesn't have a 6-inch clear plastic heel, you tramp, you.
Following a program isn't realistic or even smart for many experienced lifters. At a certain point, you'll probably want to go “program-free.” Here's how.