Russian Twist

Auto-detected exercise indicatorAuto Detected
Beginner
Home Friendly

A seated core rotation exercise targeting the obliques and abdominal muscles, used to improve rotational power and core stability.

About Exercise

Equipment

Body Weight

Difficulty

2/5 • Beginner

Primary Muscle Groups

Obliques, Abs

Secondary Muscles

Hip Flexors

Popularity Score

8

Goals

Stability
Hypertrophy
Endurance

Training Style

Calisthenics
Functional Training

Setup Requirements

Requires Rack

No

Requires Bench

No

Requires Spotter

No

Space Needed

Small

Noise Level

Low

Muscle Breakdown

Obliques

10/10

External Obliques, Internal Obliques

Abs

8/10

Rectus Abdominis, Transverse Abdominis

Hip Flexors

5/10

Iliopsoas

Programming

Typical Rep Range

10-20 reps

Rest Between Sets

30-90 seconds • Keep rest periods short for conditioning effect.

How to Perform

Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet flat or slightly elevated. Lean back slightly, maintaining a straight spine, and hold your hands clasped or hold a single weight in front of your chest.

  1. Brace your core and maintain the stable, leaned-back starting position.
  2. Slowly rotate your torso to one side, aiming to touch the floor beside your hip.
  3. Reverse the movement, smoothly rotating your torso through the center.
  4. Continue rotating immediately to the opposite side, touching the floor again.
  5. Repeat the controlled side-to-side rotation for the desired repetitions.

Coaching Tips

Form Cues

  • Maintain straight back
  • Control the tempo
  • Rotate shoulders fully
  • Brace your center

Breathing

Inhale during the transition through the center; exhale sharply as you rotate the torso to each side.

Tempo

2-0-1

Range of Motion

Rotate the torso fully until the hands or weight lightly touch the floor on either side, keeping hip movement minimal.

Safety

Safety Notes

  • Stop if sharp pain occurs in the lower back or hips.
  • Beginners should keep feet planted on the floor for greater stability.
  • Avoid twisting past a comfortable range of motion.

Spotting

Not applicable. This is a core exercise; use a lighter weight or regress the movement if stability is lost.

Common Mistakes

  • Rounding the lower back
  • Using excessive momentum
  • Shifting the hips too much
  • Holding your breath

When to Avoid

  • Acute lower back pain or disc issues
  • Recent spinal surgery

Flexibility Needed

  • Sufficient trunk rotation range of motion

Build Up First

  • Ability to maintain a straight back while leaning back (anti-extension)
  • Basic core bracing competency

Also known as

Seated Oblique Twist, Trunk Twist, Weighted Russian Twist

Found this helpful?

Share your thoughts or help us improve this guide.

Hero Image

Master your movement.

Experience automatic exercise detection and rep counting - powered by the motion of your Apple Watch.

We use cookies to enhance your browsing experience, serve personalized content, and analyze our traffic. By clicking 'Accept All', you consent to our use of cookies.