Russian Twist
Overview
How to do it
- 1
Set yourself on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground.
- 2
Slightly lean your torso back so your body and thighs form a V shape. Keep your back straight and tighten your core.
- 3
Bring your hands together in front of you, or hold a weight or medicine ball with both hands. This increases the resistance.
- 4
Rotate your torso to one side and move the weight or your hands next to your hip. Keep your core braced the whole time
- 5
Come back to the middle, then rotate to the opposite side.
- 6
Continue alternating sides for the chosen number of repetitions or for the chosen amount of time.
Form tips & common mistakes
Use controlled movement so you do not strain your lower back. If you are new to this exercise, begin with fewer repetitions and add more as your core strength improves.
Russian Twist is easy to adjust. Add resistance, use a medicine ball or a weight plate, or change your torso angle to make it harder.
Benefits
Russian Twist mainly works the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis, obliques, and transverse abdominis. It helps strengthen and tone these muscles, supporting overall core stability.
The twisting action strongly emphasizes the obliques, which handle rotation and lateral flexion of the trunk. Well-developed obliques support a defined and functional midsection.
This exercise builds rotational strength and stability, which helps with activities that use twisting motions, including certain sports and everyday functional tasks.
Because Russian Twist includes rotation, it encourages flexibility and mobility in the spine, especially in the thoracic (upper) and lumbar (lower) regions.
When you lift your feet off the ground, the exercise challenges balance and coordination while activating stabilizing muscles throughout the body. That adds another layer to the workout.
Muscles worked
Obliques، Transverse Abdominis، Rectus Abdominis
