Russian Twist
Seated with your torso leaned back and feet on or off the floor, you rotate your shoulders side to side, touching the floor beside each hip. Done strictly, it trains the obliques through controlled rotation; done sloppily, it is just arm-waving — so the details in the setup decide everything. Coached by Maddy (NASM-CPT) — these are the exact form cues he gives on every client's first week.
Muscles worked
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets × Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 4 sets x 3-6 slow reps per side with a pause at each end | 90 sec |
| Muscle | 3 sets x 9-12 reps per side | 60-90 sec |
| Endurance | 2-3 sets x 18-27 reps per side | 30-45 sec |
Rep ranges per Helms 2014 · Schoenfeld 2016.
Level — Beginner
Beginner with feet down and slow tempo — the floating-feet version is a distinct step up, not the default.
Proper form — 5 cues
- Sit with knees bent and lean the straight torso back about 45 degrees until the abs switch on.
- Clasp the hands at your breastbone and keep them there — they travel only because the chest turns.
- Rotate the shoulders as one unit until the hands reach the floor beside the hip.
- Pause a beat, then rotate through the centre all the way to the other side.
- Keep the chest tall through every turn — leaning back further is not rotating better.
Breathing: Exhale as you rotate toward each side, inhale as you pass back through the centre.
The 3 mistakes Maddy corrects most
Common questions
Are Russian twists bad for your back?
The exercise is not inherently harmful — the risky version is the common one: slumped spine, fast swinging, and range forced from the lower back. Performed tall, with rotation coming from the mid-back and a controlled tempo, most healthy trainees tolerate it well. If you have a disc history or rotation reproduces pain, choose anti-rotation work like the plank front tap instead.
Do Russian twists reduce love handles?
No exercise removes fat from a chosen area — that outcome comes from your overall calorie balance over time. Twists strengthen the obliques underneath, which improves rotational control and contributes to how the waist looks once body-fat falls. Train them for strength and let diet plus total activity handle the fat side of the equation.
Should my feet be up or down during Russian twists?
Down, until strictness is proven. Grounded heels stabilise the pelvis so attention stays on turning the chest fully side to side. Lifting the feet raises the difficulty by adding a balance and hip-flexor demand, but it also invites the arm-swinging fault. Earn the progression: full shoulder turns at a slow tempo first, then float the feet.
Related exercises
Harder: Dumbbell Russian Twist
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