RUSSIAN TWIST

The Russian Twist is a popular abs exercise that can improve your oblique strength and definition of your abs. The problem is they are often performed badly. Really badly.

Typically you will see someone performing them by rotating their torso from side to side, with their legs in the air, and limbs flapping around all over the place. If they are using a weight, the weight will be bouncing off the floor.

If this is you, you need to rethink how you perform russian twists to make them more beneficial. Yes, it is a rotational movement but you don’t want to twist and rotate your lower back.

Ideally lock the core in place, hold the weight out in front of the body, and rotate slowly from side to side WITHOUT twisting your lower back. If you can maintain that form throughout the movement, and you are ensuring that your body isn’t being dragged out of position, you have the russian twist nailed. It is much more effective way of performing them than having you arms and legs flapping around.

If you struggle to maintain perfect form, either reduce the weight, or use no weight at all and just hold your hands out in front of the body.