The Russian Twist engages your core muscles, including the obliques, abs, and lower back. These dynamic core moves improve your rotational strength and stability and isometric core strength, essential for a well-rounded fitness routine. By performing the Russian Twist, you're not just working your abs.
Doing Russian twists or any abdominal exercises will only help tone your core, not shrink your waist. Make sure you are doing plenty of cardiovascular exercises to help keep you at a healthy weight. On top of this, extra fat around the abdomen can be dangerous for your health.
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.
Bicycle Wins!
This exercise was found to be the single most effective ab exercise by the American Council on Exercise! Bicycle works both on the rectus abdominis (the 'six pack') and the obliques. Lay on your back with knees in to the chest, hands lightly supporting your head.
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.
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.”
A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning found that Russian twists burn more calories than crunches or sit-ups, making them one of the most effective ways to lose weight around your waistline.
Russian twists play a significant role in reducing love handles. Sit on the floor, knees bent, and twist your torso from side to side, holding a weight.
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.
According to Fitness First's Head of Fitness Product and personal trainer Tim Andrews, multi-muscle moves that involve rotation – like Russian twists – are a much better way to train the core than (yawn) traditional sit-ups or crunches.
To remove the pannus, a doctor may recommend a panniculectomy. This procedure helps remove the excess skin and fat deposits that comprise the pannus. A person may want to combine a panniculectomy with a tummy tuck.
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.
'In terms of burning belly fat, performing a static plank will use up some calories, but it won't be instrumental in burning belly flat specifically as you can't spot reduce where you lose weight from.