Russian twists challenge your core strength, especially your obliques.

Image Credit: автор/iStock/GettyImages Russian twists are one of the best ways to work your obliques, the muscles that help rotate your torso. The obliques are often neglected by bodybuilders seeking a tapered torso, women who want a smaller waist and fitness fanatics obsessed with the “8-pack.”

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 However, without strong obliques, all the support of the core falls to the abdomen and lower back. Use Russian twists to give your waist a strong and healthy shape.

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 Main Muscles: Abs and Obliques

There are two sets of obliques, internal and external. The internal obliques originate on the lower ribs and insert on the pubic bone. The external obliques are a layer of muscle over the internal obliques, which also originate on the lower ribs but insert on the hip bones.

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 Related Reading 5 Mistakes That Make Russian Twists Less Effective (and Potentially Painful)

Synergists Muscles The obliques are connected to the abdominal muscles, so any type of ab exercise that includes a rotational movement will strengthen the obliques. The best movements that focus on the obliques include Russian twists. How to Do a Russian Twist
Skill Level

        Intermediate
      
        Activity
       
        Body-Weight Workout
      
        Body Part
       
        Abs

Begin seated and lean back slightly. If your abs are strong enough, lift your feet a few inches off the floor. Either hold your hands in a fist at the center of your chest or extend your arms out in front of you. Keeping your core engaged, twist your upper body to the right without lowering your feet or arching your back. Hold for a second before twisting back the other way. Continue alternating sides without compromising your form.

  Show Instructions
  Tip As you perform this exercise, don't bend your spine and keep your core strong and stable.

Variations on Russian Twists It’s important to keep the lumbar and cervical spine sections neutral, or straight, during the twist.

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 People who have weak lower backs should start by performing Russian twists while sitting on a chair or bench, keeping the hands gripped on the sides of the chair. This aids in keeping the back straight.

Advanced exercisers can make Russian twists more difficult by holding a weight in both hands or keeping the arms straight out in front during the twist. Related Reading 5 Russian Twist Variations That’ll Set Your Obliques on Fire Reps and Sets Perform Russian twists as you would other resistance exercises. For example, perform 3 sets of 10 to 12 repetitions, or 1 set to failure. Russian twists make up a superset with lower-back movements such as bridges and hyperextensions, or a giant set by adding a rectus abdominis movement such as a crunch to the superset.

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  references
  
      Spine: "Effects of Abdominal Muscle Coactivation on the Externally Preloaded Trunk: Variations in Motor Control and its Effect on Spine Stability"
       




  references
  
      Spine: "Effects of Abdominal Muscle Coactivation on the Externally Preloaded Trunk: Variations in Motor Control and its Effect on Spine Stability"
    




Russian twists challenge your core strength, especially your obliques.

Image Credit: автор/iStock/GettyImages

Image Credit: автор/iStock/GettyImages

5 Mistakes That Make Russian Twists Less Effective (and Potentially Painful)

        Skill Level
       
        Intermediate
      
        Activity
       
        Body-Weight Workout
      
        Body Part
       
        Abs

Begin seated and lean back slightly. If your abs are strong enough, lift your feet a few inches off the floor. Either hold your hands in a fist at the center of your chest or extend your arms out in front of you. Keeping your core engaged, twist your upper body to the right without lowering your feet or arching your back. Hold for a second before twisting back the other way. Continue alternating sides without compromising your form.

  Show Instructions
  


        Skill Level
       
        Intermediate
      
        Activity
       
        Body-Weight Workout
      
        Body Part
       
        Abs

As you perform this exercise, don’t bend your spine and keep your core strong and stable.

5 Russian Twist Variations That’ll Set Your Obliques on Fire

      Spine: "Effects of Abdominal Muscle Coactivation on the Externally Preloaded Trunk: Variations in Motor Control and its Effect on Spine Stability"