Weighted Russian Twist

How to Perform the Weighted Russian Twist

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat, holding a weight plate, dumbbell, or medicine ball with both hands in front of your chest.
Lean your torso back to approximately a 45-degree angle and lift your feet slightly off the floor for added difficulty, or keep them grounded for stability.
Brace your core and maintain a straight back throughout the movement.
Rotate your torso to the right, bringing the weight beside your right hip.
Pause briefly, then rotate to the left, bringing the weight beside your left hip.
Each rotation to both sides counts as one full repetition.
Keep the movement controlled and driven by your obliques, not by swinging your arms.

Moving only the arms without rotating the torso

Focus on rotating your entire trunk from side to side; your chest should face the direction you are twisting.

Rounding the back and losing posture as fatigue sets in

Maintain a tall, extended spine throughout; if your back starts rounding, reduce the weight or reps.

Using too heavy a weight and sacrificing range of motion

Choose a weight that allows full rotation to each side with control and proper form.

✓Develops rotational core strength important for sports and daily functional movements
✓Targets the obliques more effectively than standard crunches and sit-ups
✓Improves core stability, balance, and coordination under rotational load

●Exhale as you rotate to each side to enhance core engagement.
●Elevating your feet off the ground significantly increases the difficulty and core activation.
●Touch the weight to the floor on each side if your range of motion and form allow it.

Strength

4-5 sets of 8-10 reps per side with heavy weight

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 12-15 reps per side at moderate weight

Endurance

2-3 sets of 20-25 reps per side at light weight

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