Russian twists: technique and execution options

Basic twist options

A classic exercise - the most common abdominal crunches are performed on the floor. The main load here will fall on the rectus abdominis muscles and its upper part. In this case, the lower back practically does not compensate for muscle tension.

This is an ideal exercise for pumping up the abdominal muscles, it is so effective that only with this exercise you can achieve sculpted abs, but subject to diet.

This exercise is performed from a supine position with bent knees. The fingers are interlocked and fixed at the back of the head.

Try to spread your elbows to the sides. After this, tighten your abdominal muscles and begin to lift your upper body up, trying to bring your ribs closer to your hips. Make sure that this lift is performed without jerking, both during lifting and lowering. To avoid losing your equipment, watch the video.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=JC66T_zUkFI

Rotate while twisting

Another type of exercise for the upper abs is crunching on the floor with a turn. Here the exercise technique will be the same as in the previous version, only during the rise you will need to turn the body towards one leg, then towards the other.

The exact same exercise can be done from a standing position, but then the right elbow and the opposite left leg will twist diagonally and simultaneously meet in the center of the body. Then we change the position to the opposite.

Twisting on an inclined horizontal bench

This load is performed on a special projectile. You need to secure your legs under special supports. We do everything else as in the above options.

Make sure that it is the abdominal muscles that are working.

Using a block

You need to calculate the load so that you can do 20 or 25 repetitions. Turn around to face the block and get on your knees. Firmly grasp the handle of the block and begin to pull it towards the floor.

At the same time, you must perform crunches and use all the abdominal muscles as much as possible. Return to the starting position. This exercise must be performed in such a way that your muscles are constantly tense.

You can practice this complex while standing. This will allow you to achieve a stronger range of motion and increase productivity.

Please note that the gym usually has different handles for such machines that allow you to change the load. The handle can also be wound either in front of you or behind your back.

We work on our sides

This type of load is aimed at working out the oblique muscles. It can be used both on the floor and on a special inclined bench. How to do abdominal crunches in this case?

If you decide to load your muscles on a bench, then lie down so that your body is suspended, and the fulcrum is only in the hips. To secure the body, you will definitely need an assistant to sit on your feet. Turning your face to the wall, you must bend and straighten your body so that all the oblique muscles are involved in the work.

It is much easier to do it on the floor; you just need to lie down on the floor and start doing it.

Leg Raise

This exercise can also be found under the name reverse abdominal crunch. If in previous variations we almost always raised the upper body, then in this one we will tear off the lower part of the body from the surface.

There are two options: on a bench or on the floor. On the bench, you should grab the edge with your hands so that you can hold on.

https://youtube.com/watch?v=FA1-25gRNDw

While lying on the floor, simply stretch your arms along your body to provide yourself with support. In the starting position, the legs are bent at the knees. We begin to do twisting and raise the lower limbs to perpendicular to the floor. We pull our knees to our chest, and so that the pelvis does not come into contact with the surface.

Useful tips

When performing the exercise, you must consider the following recommendations:

You should slightly round your back, which will help relieve excess tension from the lumbar region and increase the effectiveness of working out your abs;
to complicate the movement, you need to raise your legs bent at the knees above the floor and keep them suspended while performing crunches;
turns to the sides should be performed at a slow pace: if you make too sudden movements, this will significantly reduce the effectiveness of the exercise, in addition, sharp turns are unsafe for the spine;
twisting must be performed in the lumbar region;
When working out muscles, you need to constantly keep your back and abs tense.

Those who experience problems with the spine should avoid this exercise.

Features of Russian twists, muscles worked

The Russian twist allows you to expend a large amount of energy during its execution: the work includes both the abdominal muscles (rectus, transverse, internal and external oblique muscles), as well as the muscles of other parts of the body - the back, arms, legs and even the chest. I'm not even talking about the stabilizer muscles (core muscles), which are responsible for the balance of the body. And you will have to hold it, believe me.

In addition, this exercise allows you to use various types of weights, ranging from a small dumbbell to the most ordinary barbell. But more on that later. Therefore, it is also quite possible to pump up your abdominal muscles to a six-pack: it will happen even faster.

In addition, coordination of movements develops well: the first time I tried to do this twist with a “bicycle” (movements with your legs, like pressing on the pedals), and I admit, it turned out clumsily. But over time, nothing, I became more experienced.

Contraindications

Russian crunches for the abdomen load the lumbar region, so if you have problems in this area, then give them up. They are also contraindicated for people with intervertebral hernias, osteochondrosis and other diseases associated with the lumbar region. If pain or discomfort appears during training, then you should stop working or replace the exercise with a safer one. During pregnancy, twisting is also prohibited.

Follow some rules to maximize engagement of the rectus and oblique muscles and avoid unnecessary injuries:

correct breathing - while lifting, you need to exhale powerfully, loudly, this helps to maximally load the desired area and increase the effectiveness of the workout;
do not lower your head and shoulders to the floor, this reduces physical activity;
your back should be pressed to the floor;
It’s better to keep your hands at your temples, this eliminates the temptation to pull yourself forward by your head;
jerking is prohibited, movements must be slow;
linger at the top point for a few seconds, this increases the load several times.

Do ten to twenty-five repetitions in 3-4 sets. Over time, you can increase the number of repetitions and also add weights. It is worth working at an intense pace if you want to remove fat from the abdominal area. Speed should not affect technique; if you speed up the pace, make sure you do it correctly.

There is controversy over which part of the workout you should work your abs in. Some say at the beginning, others say at the end. But if you consider that crunches are quite energy-intensive work, then it is better to move it to the end of the workout.

Advantages and features of the training

Simple crunches have a number of advantages, which is why they can be found in any comprehensive program. The advantages of the technology include:

increased strength of the abdominal wall muscles;
strengthening the muscle corset;
improved posture;
increasing the body's endurance;
fat burning and relief in the abdominal area;
a wide range of activity options.

By pumping your abs, you use the rectus abdominis, pectoral, external (internal/oblique), and transverse muscles. Training has a positive effect on the functioning of internal organs and systems, since they receive more oxygen under the influence of physical activity.

You don't need to train every day. 2-3 times a week will be enough. It is necessary to give muscle tissue time to recover; this is the only way you will achieve positive results and notice the effect of your work on your figure.

Watch a video with the correct technique for performing abdominal crunches:

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Common mistakes and existing recommendations

Violation of the technique of Russian twists leads to a decrease in efficiency, and in exceptional cases can cause injury.

In the starting position, the abdominal muscles should be in static tension, and the waist should be involved at the moment of execution, since turning only the shoulder girdle will not give results.

The most common types of errors in Russian twists are:

insufficient amplitude of twisting;
tilting the head back or forward;
carrying out movements by inertia without proper use of the abdominal muscles;
having a straight back;
“rolling” the knees to the sides;
relaxation of core muscle fibers.

It is worth striving to achieve a maximum range of motion, which allows for proper loading of the oblique muscles. It is necessary to perform turns slowly, since when performing forced movements the effectiveness of the exercise is reduced to zero. When turning too sharply, there is a high risk of damage to the spine, and relaxed muscles lead to its destabilization.

Advice from an expert. Pay special attention to the correct technique for performing exercises. Crunches performed incorrectly can cause back injuries. Research by American scientists suggests that more than 50% of soldiers’ injuries are associated with such exercises.

But it has been proven that when the exercises are performed correctly, no relationship has been established between bending and possible injuries - see the study.

Variations of the exercise

Among the varieties of Russian twists, the following can be distinguished:

With knee lift

This version is a little more complicated than the classic one. Knee lift or bicycle crunches. While rotating the body, you add lift to the same knee and try to move it in the direction opposite to your hands.

With legs fixed

Fixed foot position will allow you to twist your body more intensely. You can put your feet under the bench or ask your partner to hold them.

Additional burden

If you want to make your life even more challenging, grab a small barbell plate or weights. In this case, you can fix your feet, or you can keep them suspended, as in the classic version. Hold the weight in front of you on outstretched or bent (it’s easier) arms and perform the movement.

Rotations of the pelvis instead of the body

This variation allows you to focus the load on the lower part of the abdominal muscles. In the starting position, you lie on your back, and your legs are raised up and bent at the knees at a right angle. You can spread your arms to the sides to maintain balance. Move your knees alternately to the right and left, making sure that there is no deflection in the lower back.

On fitball

The technique for performing the exercise is the same as in the classic version, only you lie with your back not on the floor, but on a fitball. This option is considered safer for the spine.

With T-bar

A rather exotic version of the exercise, performed while standing. So, you stand straight, feet shoulder-width apart and slightly bent at the knees. Hold the T-bar with your arms straight in front of you at shoulder level. Hold the bar by the end of the bar on which the plates are put on. The abs are tense, the back is straight, there is no arch in the lower back. Move your arms with the barbell from side to side to the extreme accessible point, while simultaneously twisting your body and hips.

So, we looked at the classic version of the movement and six of its variations. The Russian twist is an excellent multivariate exercise that will allow you to effectively pump up your oblique abdominal muscles and get the figure of your dreams.

More articles on topics: Obliques :: Press :: Rectus abdominis

Effective exercises:

Diagonal crunches on the floor
How to do waist bends
Incline Bench Crunch

Trainer's Tip: Stretching after a workout will help prevent injury and improve blood circulation in your muscles.

What muscles work?

When performing a fold, the oblique abdominal muscles are perfectly activated, and the rectus and transverse muscles are also involved. In short, Russian twist crunches make your entire core work. There are several variations of the exercise. The result of this physical activity:

a beautiful flat stomach with defined muscles;
the volume of the abdominal cavity becomes smaller, the internal organs are kept in the correct position thanks to strong muscles;
a strong frame is necessary when practicing various sports: football, hockey, tennis, various martial arts;
beautiful posture;
strong lower back;
good coordination of movements;
strength and endurance.

You cannot practice if you have problems with the spine; it is allowed only after consultation with a specialist. It is necessary to listen to the sensations; if pain or discomfort occurs, it is better to stop pumping.

How to lose weight in the stomach and not pump over muscles

As much as we might want it, working out your abs won't help you burn belly and flank fat. That is, if you are overweight, you will certainly tighten and strengthen your figure, but relief will not appear until the amount of fat in the body changes.

Regarding weight loss, there is a golden rule - you need to consume less than you receive. That is, in order to achieve the goal you need to either reduce your diet, or increase physical activity, or all together. And then the magnificent relief of the sides and six-pack abs will not take long to appear. Intensive twisting, by the way, entails significant energy consumption.

The second fact concerns pumping up the oblique muscles and, accordingly, saying goodbye to the dream of a narrow waist. For most people, abdominal exercises are recommended to be performed without additional weights and in a large number of repetitions. This also applies to Russian twists.

Of course, for more intensive muscle training, you can use a small small plate or weights, but this should only be done if your goal is not to narrow your waist, but to increase the volume of your muscles to enhance their definition. Below we will show variations of Russian crunches without additional weight and with the use of weights. So there is enough exercise for everyone!

Is it possible to lose weight?

No matter how hard you work in the gym, no matter how much you pump up your abs, you won’t be able to lose weight if you don’t adjust your diet. The most important rule for losing weight is to spend more than you consume, that is, a calorie deficit. In this case, a beautiful, toned, muscular body will not keep you waiting. Moreover, crunches will be good helpers for you, since this is a rather energy-intensive physical activity.

In addition, if you dream of a thin waist, you should not get carried away with lateral crunches with weights, as it develops the lateral muscles and increases their size. Enough training without additional weight. If your goal is a sculpted body, pronounced muscles, then dumbbells or pancakes will help you.

Technique for performing Russian twists

We take the starting position: sit on the floor, bend your knees (not too much), place your feet on the floor. Straighten your arms in front of you (they should look forward and upward), tilt your torso slightly back (arms are just at chest level), palms can be joined. If you are a complete beginner athlete and are not confident in your abilities, I advise you to fix your feet: ask a friend or girlfriend to hold them for you, put them under a bench, of which there are plenty in gyms, under heavy dumbbells (one leg - one dumbbell).

That's it, we sat down and got ready to work. Now you need to turn your torso to the side with your arms straightened in front of you. Turn all the way. Then we return to the starting position, stopping briefly, and do the same, but for the other side of the body.

Repeat the required number of times (15-20 in 4 approaches - for beginners). Over time, you can safely lower the phase of returning to the starting position: we immediately turn in the other direction without stopping. If you can do this, it means you have already strengthened your abdominal muscles and core muscles.

Methods of performing Russian twists, selection of difficulty

The simplest method is the one described above: without weights, with your feet fixed, sitting on the floor. But at some point the body will adapt, and this load will no longer be enough (even with a large number of repetitions and approaches). Therefore, I offer options for advanced levels (increasing difficulty).

With minor burdens. This can be either a dumbbell (weight), or a ball with sand inside, or a disk (a barbell plate). We are now talking about a reasonable weight of a couple of kilos or a little more. In these variations of the execution, you can keep your feet still motionless (a friend holds you or a bench), or with them lifted off the floor. In the second case, the abs and hips receive additional load, but the amplitude of turns is slightly reduced, although this is not a fact: maybe you are very flexible.

Exercises with heavy weights are different in that the weights will already be heavier (logical, isn’t it?). But you can also modify the Russian twist: add some elements to the execution

For example, when working with a ball filled with sand (or something else, it doesn’t matter), with each turn, hit it on the floor, catch it, and do the same for the other side. It’s even more fun this way, I think

With two dumbbells and kettlebells: Place two apparatuses on one side. You need to drag them from side to side. They turned around, moved one weight, and turned another. Now in the opposite direction.

With other simulators and equipment. For example, with a loop rubber expander or a block exercise machine (one side of the crossover). Attach the expander to something stable and make turns in both directions: on one side you will receive a lot of resistance, but on the other you will not. Then change your body position to work evenly on both sides of the body. The picture is similar when using a block.

On fitball. This option is safe for the lower back (can be done for hernias, protrusions, etc.). The difference is that the feet continue to stand on the floor, and the back lies on the fitball. By the way, you can hold any weighting material in your hands. That's it, we make turns.

With a barbell. This type is most interesting to guys. We load one end of the bar with weights (how many do you need?), grab this edge and lift it (the opposite one is on the floor). Now step back a little so that your arms are straight (a small distance between you and the projectile will interfere with execution). By the way, your arms should be straight throughout the entire execution. So, lower the barbell sideways to the left, then the same amount to the right. Nothing complicated, I think.

With its own weight. The difficulty lies in the fact that you have to monitor the balance of the body. As for me in the case of adding “bicycle” leg work. Sit on the edge of the bench, feet off the floor, body slightly tilted back. Make turns to the sides in time with the movement of your legs. At first, it may look like normal walking (like you are walking on air), but over time, try to do exactly the “bicycle”. You can also pick up some kind of projectile.

In general, based on what level of preparedness you are at, choose the appropriate exercises. Well, how do you like the information? If you liked it, I look forward to your comment and subscription to the blog. You can also share the material with your friends: maybe they will be interested in it too. Strong six-pack abs to everyone, good luck.

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Alternative

If for some reason twists are not suitable for you, then they can be replaced with other, no less effective physical exercises. You can use all types of planks, of which there are quite a few. The plank does not put much strain on the lumbar region, but there are also several rules that must be followed:

from the top of the head to the heels - one straight line, do not bend the lower back;
The plank can be performed from the knees with support on a roller or ball;
Walking plank or rock climbers, plank jumps, side plank are effective.
These and other options will help you work your abdominal muscle fibers.

As described above, Russian crunches are a good, useful activity that can develop not only muscles, but also endurance and strength. Be sure to follow the correct technique in order not to harm your health. By following all the recommendations, you can quickly bring your figure closer to your dream figure.

Standard training

Abdominal crunches are the main exercise for working the rectus abdominal muscles. This is the basics that you need to know, because it is this movement that underlies all abdominal training.

Proper movements are important in all types of workouts. In half an hour of pumping muscles by doing abdominal crunches, you can burn about 200 kcal. The technique boils down to the following:

Starting position – lying on the floor, alternatively, on a bench.
Your legs should be placed above your head at an angle of 90 degrees, throwing them on a sofa, chair or other surface. You can just rest them against the wall. This allows you to eliminate the gap between the horizontal surface and the lower back.
Hands can be positioned in different ways. The further the palms are from the pelvis, the greater the load and the more difficult the workout. The classic version is hands on the back of the head.
Next, we inhale, and as we exhale we make an effort, i.e. we twist the body towards the pelvis. The movement must be done slowly and rhythmically.
The back should be rounded, do not try to keep it straight. This is the #1 mistake all newbies make.
Having achieved maximum muscle contraction at the top point, fix the position for a couple of seconds and lower to the original position, but not all the way. The muscles you want to pump up should not relax even for a second.

Standard crunches at home or in the gym can be performed at the beginning or end of the program. The choice is up to the athlete. You need to start training with 3 approaches of 10-12 times. When the body adapts, you can increase the load to 5 sets of 15-20 times. When performing regular abdominal crunches, remember that the effectiveness of the workout depends not on the quantity, but on the quality of the movement.

How to make it most effective

To make it more difficult, you can lift your legs off the floor, this additionally loads the oblique abdominal muscles. This is due to the fact that static stress increases, making it more difficult to maintain balance. Also, to increase the load, you can increase the amplitude of turns to the side. Experienced athletes can use additional weights such as plates, kettlebells or medicine balls.

If it is difficult to keep your legs on the floor, you can use the help of a partner or secure your legs using a bench or a special device.

In addition to all of the above, it is worth paying attention to the position of your hands during the exercise. If you are a beginner, then you can place your hands closer to the pelvis, this will slightly reduce the load. In a word, the further the hands are from the pelvis, the more difficult the physical activity. Experienced athletes should keep their hands as far away from the head and pelvis as possible to increase the load. The rest between approaches should not be long; half a minute is enough and you can proceed to the next approach. Don't ignore stretching, it relieves pain after training, stretches muscle fibers and improves blood flow. Stretching is enough to do after the main workout for 10-15 minutes.

Recommendations

Experienced athletes and fitness trainers do not recommend starting abdominal work with lateral crunches; it is better to complete the workout with this exercise. When performing the technique, do not arch your back to avoid pinching the intervertebral discs of the lower back. Do not make sudden movements of the head - there is a risk of injury to the cervical vertebrae.

What to replace

An alternative twist variation is the side plank. The exercise pumps up the abdominal and butt muscles, burns excess fat, and protects the spine from injury. The starting position is to lie on your side, lean on one hand.

Then slowly lift your hips off the floor; the back is straight, without arching. Stay in the position until you feel a strong tension in your abs and supporting arm. Then repeat the exercise on the other side.

Errors in technology

In any training, the main thing is to approach the matter competently. This case is no exception. If you do not follow the technique, you will not only not get beautiful cubes, but you can also harm your health.

You can’t throw your head back or drop it too far forward. There should not be strong tension in the cervical vertebrae. The head should be in line with the body.
The amplitude cannot be reduced. This technique helps to fully engage the oblique abdominal muscles.
The back should be round. A straight back can damage the spine, and efficiency decreases.
The knees must be locked. They should not be turned or tilted to one side.
Don't skip the warm-up before, it can lead to injury.