Ready for some good news? This one workout can help you lose weight and tone your abs even when done while sitting. Russian twists are perfect for people who cannot do high-intensity workouts but still want to look their best and achieve good overall health. The Russian twist involves sitting on the floor, leaning back at a right angle, and rotating the torso. These can be done as is or could be done while holding a weight to increase intensity. This exercise specifically targets the obliques, which are the long muscles running along the sides of the torso that help with spine flexion, lateral bending, and rotation.
How to do Russian twists properly?
The exercise involves rotating the torso from side to side, with a pause in the middle position between repetitions. Movement should be slow and controlled, maintaining the load as far out as possible to challenge the abs effectively. The proper form requires leaning back to create a right angle between the torso and thighs. Arms should be extended forward, with eyes focused on the hands or weight throughout the movement.
Make sure your back isn't rounding forward to start the Russian twist. Instead, get as long as you can. Think about raising your entire torso from your waist, then extending your torso long. This will protect your spine from injury while still letting your obliques reap the benefits from the Russian twist.

You can do the Russian twist with your feet floated in the air, but start with your feet flat on the ground and master that. Too many people start floating their feet in the air too early on, because they're told that it levels up the move. Sure it does—if and only if you're going to battle to keep your legs steady and not let them flit back and forth. Keeping your feet on the ground offers you more feedback to learn that battling process. So start here, and know that there can be plenty of challenges from this position alone.
Creating proper leverage is crucial for effectiveness. "Whether you're using a load or not, reach your arms out as far as possible. The longer a lever you create, the more your core will have to work to rotate. And you want your core to work, don't you? Creating this long lever will also help you protect your lower back. You'll instantly have to load less, but you'll get more benefit from that lighter load. And your core has to brace from the start to manage that longer lever, instead of winding up in a relaxed position.

Proper rotation technique is essential for maximum benefit. One of the most common problems with the Russian twist: People do half-hearted rotations. They don't rotate their shoulders all the way over, instead just moving their hands, and thus completely missing the full benefit of the ab work they could be getting. To get the most out of the Russian twist, your shoulders must go along with the ride, rotating as far in each direction as possible. Following your hands will help create that rotation. If you look straight ahead, it's easy to fail to rotate. By following your hands, your upper body will rotate more too.

The exercise can be performed for either time or repetitions, but practitioners should only work within their natural range of motion. When hips and knees begin to shift, it indicates the movement has gone too far.
Russian twist, a popular core exercise targeting obliques through torso rotation, can be risky if not performed correctly. While the exercise effectively works the core muscles, most people rush through the movement, increasing their chance of injury. The primary concern with Russian twists is the tendency for exercisers to perform them hastily. This common mistake becomes particularly dangerous when rotating the trunk while holding weights.To perform the Russian twist safely, practitioners should start by sitting on the floor with feet grounded. The heels should remain on the floor while the toes can be lifted, and the glutes should be engaged for stability.