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Core · Bodyweight, plate or dumbbell

How to do Russian twists

Done slowly the Russian twist trains the obliques to resist rotation; done fast it just swings a weight past your knees.

Muscles worked: Obliques, Rectus abdominis, Hip flexors

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How to do it

  1. Sit with the knees bent and lean back until you feel the abs switch on, around 45 degrees.
  2. Hold a plate or dumbbell close to the chest with both hands.
  3. Rotate from the ribcage, not the arms, until the weight is beside one hip.
  4. Pause for a beat, then rotate to the other side under control.
  5. Keep the chest tall the entire set — the moment it collapses, stop.

Mistakes to avoid

  • Swinging the arms while the ribcage stays still, so the obliques never work.
  • Rounding the lower back to reach further around.
  • Counting speed as intensity instead of slowing the rotation down.

Sets and reps

GoalPrescription
Size3 sets of 10–12 slow reps per side
Endurance3 sets of 40 seconds, controlled tempo
Loaded4 sets of 8 per side with a heavier plate

Swaps and alternatives

  • Pallof press — Trains anti-rotation with no spinal twisting.
  • Side plank — Loads the obliques with zero lower-back stress.
  • Cable woodchop — Same rotation pattern, standing and loadable.

Common questions

What people ask about russian twists

This guide covers russian twist form, how to do russian twists correctly, russian twist muscles worked, russian twist sets and reps for muscle growth, bodyweight, plate or dumbbell obliques exercise and the swaps to run when a rack or bench is taken.

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