Russian Twist

Equipment

Gym Equipment Needed

Muscle Group

Core

Setup

Use a mat and an open space. Start bodyweight first, then add a light medicine ball or dumbbell once you can control your torso without swinging. This is an oblique/core control drill—quality reps matter more than speed.

Starting Position

Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet flat. Lean back slightly until you feel your abs engage while keeping a tall chest (don’t round and collapse). Brace your core and keep ribs down. Hold your hands together at your chest or hold a weight close to your body. For a harder variation, lift your feet slightly off the floor while keeping your spine controlled.

Execution

Inhale and brace. Rotate your torso to one side, bringing your hands/weight toward the floor beside your hip while keeping your hips relatively still. Exhale as you rotate, pause briefly, then rotate to the other side under control. Continue alternating side to side for the desired reps. Move through the ribs and torso—not by swinging the arms or yanking your shoulders.

Tips on doing this exercise

Keep your chest tall and think “rotate the ribs”—not just the hands.

Move slow enough that you can stop on either side at any moment.

Keep the weight close to your body to reduce shoulder strain and improve control.

If your low back feels it, reduce lean-back angle, keep feet down, and slow the tempo.

Progress by increasing time/reps first, then adding a small amount of load.

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Common Mistakes

Rounding the low back and collapsing posture

Swinging quickly and using momentum instead of controlled rotation

Rotating mostly with the arms rather than the torso

Letting knees/hips swing side to side (loss of stability)

Holding breath and losing brace

Using too much weight and shortening range or losing control

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Recommended Ranges

Core/oblique endurance: 2–4 sets of 16–30 total twists (8–15 per side)

Timed sets: 2–4 sets of 20–45 seconds

Beginner: 2–3 sets of 10–20 total twists with feet down and slow tempo
Rest 30–60 seconds between sets.

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