Russian twists are a great core exercise. This move works your obliques while also targeting your shoulders and hips. To do a Russian twist, you'll rotate your torso from side to side while sitting in an upright position with your feet lifted off the ground. This movement brings great rotation into your core.
Let's clear up a common misconception: no single exercise, including Russian Twists, will directly slim your waist. However, incorporating Russian Twists into your workout can help you achieve a more defined and stronger core, which contributes to a leaner appearance.
By targeting the muscles of the core, Russian Twists can improve core strength, endurance, flexibility, and posture. However, it's important to consider the risks of overuse injuries, muscle strain, and back pain when doing this exercise every day.
Russian twists target all three groups. “The primary muscles targeted during Russian twists are your obliques, which are the muscles on the sides of your abdomen,” says Emma. “They also engage your rectus abdominis (the 'six-pack' muscles) and your lower back muscles to stabilize your spine.”
Aerobic exercise includes any activity that raises your heart rate such as walking, dancing, running or swimming. This can also include doing housework, gardening and playing with your children. Other types of exercise such as strength training, Pilates and yoga can also help you lose belly fat.
A one- minute torso twist burns about four calories. If you add 5 lbs. of resistance to a trunk rotation, such as a medicine ball, cable machine or elastic bands, you can burn about 10 calories per minute. Which muscles do Russian twists work?
Sorry to break it to you—doing loads of side bends and Russian twists won't melt away your love handles. It's impossible to lose fat on one portion of your body by exercising the muscles in that area. The concept is called spot training, or spot reduction—and it doesn't work.
Incorporate strength or resistance training to build your upper and lower body muscles to create that silhouette. Add core workouts such as reverse crunches, leg raises, Russian twists, V-holds, weighted crunches, and planks to chisel up your abs. Consistently do cardio to burn up those calories and shed extra fat.
Some of the most effective ab workouts are the plank, mountain climbers, roll up, and bicycles.
The Russian twist is a dynamic exercise that works all the muscles of your core and is especially good for targeting the obliques (the muscles on the side of the core) and the deep core (transverse abdominis).
When performed correctly, the oblique twist is an amazing core stability exercise that will strengthen and challenge your abs, help to taper your torso, and even improve your athletic performance.