"This is a simple movement and one that can be made more challenging by adding additional load or tension." When you work your obliques on the reg, actions like bending down or twisting your torso slightly to grab something become so much easier. "The benefit of the Russian twist is our ability to move in a different plane of motion and focus on utilizing our obliques-a portion of our abs that often gets disregarded in normal routines," says Ladder Teams coach Sam Tooley. And the Russian twist exercise? Well, it's yet another member of the pack of core movements that doesn't leave your side-body behind in the pursuit of working your entire core. That's why bicycle crunches and side plank rotations take on a starring role in many 360-degree ab workouts. Bringing your feet off the ground and keeping your arms longer (rather than tucked in at your side or clasped at your chest) can increase the difficulty too, he says.When you want to fire up your core-and fast-moves that involve twisting your mid-body get you there pretty darn quickly. If you want to make the Russian twist more challenging? You can always add weight to the move, like with a dumbbell or medicine ball. Then once you get more comfortable with the move, you can rotate from side to side. You can also start by performing all the twists on one side. When you’re first getting started, you may want to keep your feet on the ground rather than elevated, Miklaus says. You can add external resistance when you become more familiar with the move. Then you may be ready for some Russian twist modifications. How can you make the Russian twist exercise easier?Īfter you’ve mastered the traditional anti-movement core moves, you can progress to some rotational crunches or twist crunches, Miklaus says.
Russian twist alternative exercises for beginners include moves like planks, bird-dogs, and dead bugs.
#Russian twist exercise how to#
For instance, this beginner core strength workout will teach you how to fire up your abs, which is an important step to master before you start more dynamic core moves. If you’re a beginner just starting out, you may want to focus more on more beginner-friendly core exercises first, Miklaus says. Are Russian twists good for beginners?īecause of the great importance on proper form with this exercise, the Russian twist is a more advanced core exercise. “You want to make sure you’re not rotating too much, and that the rotation you are doing is coming from north of your belly button,” Miklaus says. This is what can lead to overstressing your lower back. But some people end up creating rotation lower down in their lumbar spine when performing the move, which does not have as much natural rotational ability as the T-spine, he says. When the move is done effectively, the rotation should come only from your thoracic spine, or from your ribcage and up, says Miklaus. “You want to stay tall throughout the move, with your neck long and shoulders back, which will help you keep your back flat.”Īnother safety issue with the Russian twist has to do with over-rotation. “A lot of people tend to round forward at their shoulders, or round their upper backs-they sort of collapse and crouch down,” he says. And that’s something that can help you throughout everyday life as well as during your workouts. The Russian twist exercise is a great move for building strength in your rotational muscles as well as improving your stabilization, Miklaus says. So the muscles worked during the Russian twist exercise might be more than you may think. You also need your transverse abdominis (your deepest core muscles, which help with stabilization) to activate as well, along with your hip flexors. But your obliques (the muscles along the sides of your abdomen, often known as your side abs) and your intercostals (the muscles between your ribs) have to fire during the rotational aspect of the move. When you maintain that flexed position-like in the top part of sit-up-you are hitting those rectus abdominis muscles, says Miklaus. While it is a core exercise, the Russian twist works more than just your abs, or rectus abdominus, the muscles that run vertically along the front of your abdomen. What muscles does the Russian twist work? Here are some things to keep in mind with the Russian twist exercise. It also means that there are a few things you should know about the exercise before starting a Russian twist workout, or even just adding them into your routine.
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