How to do a Russian Twist
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
Workouts with Russian Twist
Target muscles worked
Instructions for Proper Form
Russian Twist is one of the more common core exercises. This exercise targets multiple muscles in your core, but the reason for including this exercise is usually to target your obliques. By raising your feet off the ground, engaging your core, and twisting to each side, you can better target this specific muscle in your core.
- Sit in an upright position with your knees bent and feet off the floor underneath a stable object.
- Hold onto a weighted apparatus or clasp your hands in front of your chest with your elbows slightly flexed.
- Extend your hips to angle your torso 45 degrees from the floor.
- Rotate your shoulders to the right while keeping your weighted apparatus or your hands in the middle of your chest.
- Once you have rotated far enough to touch the weighted apparatus or your hands to the floor by your side, rotate your shoulders to the left to again touch the floor.
- Keep the movement controlled as you return to the starting position.
Tips & FAQs
Do Russian twists make your waist smaller?
Russian twists can help strengthen and tone the muscles around your waist, particularly the obliques, but they do not directly make your waist smaller. Waist size reduction primarily depends on overall fat loss, which is achieved through a combination of a healthy diet, cardio exercises, and full-body strength training. Russian twists can contribute to a more defined and toned appearance as part of a comprehensive fitness regimen.
Which core muscles do Russian twist work?
Russian twists primarily work the obliques, which are the muscles on the sides of your abdomen. They also engage the rectus abdominis (the "six-pack" muscles), the transverse abdominis (deep core muscles), and the lower back muscles to a lesser extent. Additionally, Russian twists can involve the hip flexors and upper back muscles for stability and balance during the movement.
Common Form Mistakes
Overusing Arms
Make sure you’re using your core to twist to each side rather than simply reaching to either side with your arms. This will make the exercise more effective.
Weight & 1 Rep Max Calculator
Average Russian Twist standards by male, female, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
- beginner8reps15lbs1 Rep Max20lbs
- intermediate8reps20lbs25lbs
- advanced8reps22.5lbs30lbs
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Alternatives & Variations to Russian Twist
1. Crunches
94 mSCORESWAPPED 6,543 TIMESCrunches are one of the most common exercises out there. It’s an easy to perform, bodyweight exercise that targets your abdominals. Crunches are very similar to Sit Ups, however, instead of raising your upper body all the way into a near sitting position, you only raise your shoulder blades off the ground. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to build core strength.
2. Ab Crunch Machine
96.1 mSCORESWAPPED 5,385 TIMESAb Crunch Machine is a variation of Crunches performed with a machine. Unlike standard Crunches, the use of a machine gives you more control over your resistance. In addition, the machine will restrict your range of motion allowing you to focus more on exertion than stabilizing the movement.
- Intermediate
- Abs
- Ab Crunch Machine
3. Plank
92.8 mSCORESWAPPED 5,114 TIMESPlanks are one of the most common core exercises out there. This is a bodyweight exercise that is performed for time rather than reps. Planks don’t require any movement, instead they force you to place yourself in a position that requires you to engage your core, and maintain that muscle activation for the duration of the exercise. This is a great way to help build strength and stability in a way that will translate to a variety of other exercises, and your daily life.
4. Bicycle Crunch
91.8 mSCORESWAPPED 4,957 TIMESBicycle Crunch is a more difficult version of a standard crunch. Instead of raising your torso off the ground for each rep, you keep your torso off the ground, and your core engaged. By cycling your legs, you add more instability to the movement, which leads to better core activation.
5. Leg Raise
96.5 mSCORESWAPPED 4,197 TIMESLeg Raise is a simple bodyweight core exercise that involves laying on the ground and suspending your legs in the air. While your core does play a significant role in raising your legs, the real benefit comes from controlling their descent back to the floor.
6. Scissor Kick
94.2 mSCORESWAPPED 3,574 TIMESScissor Kicks are a bodyweight, core exercise that involve raising your feet off the ground, and kicking your legs up and down. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already working your core. By continually alternating which leg is raised, you’re constantly forced to keep your core engaged for stability as well as to keep each leg raised.
7. Sit Up
93.8 mSCORESWAPPED 3,438 TIMESSit Up is one of the most common exercises out there. It’s a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. Sit Ups are very similar to Crunches, however, rather than raising just your shoulder blades off the ground, you raise your entire upper body. This gives you a bit more range of motion than Crunches, however you’ll start to lose some tension in your core at the top of the movement.
8. Leg Pull-In
94.9 mSCORESWAPPED 3,091 TIMESLeg Pull in is a bodyweight exercise that targets your core. By raising your legs off the ground, you’re already engaging your core. Additionally your core helps to pull your legs in towards your chest.
9. Vertical Knee Raise
92 mSCORESWAPPED 2,543 TIMESVertical Knee Raise is a bodyweight core exercise that involves suspending yourself, and then engaging your core to raise your knees towards your chest. By keeping your torso upright, and raising your knees, this exercise is a bit better for building functional, real world strength.