Russian Twist

Grab your medicine ball like it is a honey pot and twist your den side to side. Keep your chest proud, belly braced, and rotate smoothly so your obliques do the work. No flopping like a sleepy cub. Slow and steady twists make your core feel bear-strong.

Instructions

1. Sit on the floor with knees bent and feet flat, holding a medicine ball at chest height.
2. Brace your core and keep your spine tall and chest up.
3. Lean back slightly until you feel your abs engage (optional for more difficulty).
4. Rotate your torso to one side, keeping the ball close to your body.
5. Rotate through center and continue to the other side for a full twist.
6. Repeat for controlled reps, breathing out as you rotate.

Benefits

• Strengthens obliques and overall core endurance
• Improves rotational control for sports and daily movement
• Trains anti-extension stability when leaning back
• Enhances coordination between core and hips
• Can be progressed easily by load, tempo, or foot position

Key Points

• Rotate from the ribcage and trunk, not just the arms.
• Keep the ball close to your torso to stay controlled.
• Maintain a tall spine; avoid rounding the low back.
• Move smoothly; control the return through center.
• Exhale on each rotation and keep the core braced.

Common Mistakes

• Swinging the ball with the arms instead of rotating the torso
• Rounding the lower back or collapsing the chest
• Moving too fast and losing control through the middle
• Letting knees sway excessively instead of keeping hips stable
• Holding breath throughout the set