Seated with the torso leaned back and the feet on or off the floor, the Russian twist rotates the trunk from side to side. It trains the obliques and the deep abdominal muscles responsible for rotating and stabilising the spine.
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3
Sets
20
Reps
Bodyweight
Equipment
5.50
Cal/min
🎯 Muscles Worked
🎯
Primary
Obliques
📋 How To Perform Russian Twist
1
Sit on the floor, knees bent, lean back slightly to engage your core.
2
Lift your feet off the floor for more difficulty, or keep them down for stability.
3
Rotate your torso side to side, touching the floor (or a weight) beside your hip each time.
4
Keep your chest up and spine long — don't round your back.
5
Move with control, driven by your obliques, not just your arms.
💡 Benefits of Russian Twist
Builds rotational strength and trunk control that carry over to sports like cricket, badminton and kickboxing. It also keeps the hip flexors engaged, which strengthens the connection between legs and core.
📈 Sets, Reps & Programming
Do 3 sets of 20 total twists, and hold a light dumbbell or plate only when bodyweight twists feel easy. Place it near the end of an ab circuit.
⚠️ Common Mistakes to Avoid
Swinging only the arms instead of rotating the torso
Rounding the back as fatigue builds
Dropping the chest and letting the abs relax
✅ Pro Tips
Keep the chest tall and rotate through the ribcage so the shoulders actually turn
Lean back just enough that the abs are working, around 45 degrees
🛡️ Safety Notes
Avoid heavy weights if you have lower-back issues, since rotation under load stresses the spine. Keep the feet down on the floor to make it easier on the back.
🔁 Progressions & Regressions
Make it harderfeet lifted and a weight plate held at the chest.
Make it easierkeep the feet on the floor and twist with the arms only.
