When it comes to exercise selection there is one body part that seems to be spoilt for choice – and that’s the abs. Maybe it’s our obsession with acheieving that wash-board stomach. For me there are many great exercises that really work for my abs but it’s those hard-to-reach obliques that really need attention for me and for this my favourite exercise is without doubt the good old-fashioned seated Russian Twist.
You can perform this exercise without any weight at all. Just begin in a seated position with your knees bent at 90 degrees and leaning back slightly to help balance but with your back straight. Hold your arms outstretched in front of you (level with your chest). Then whilst pulling in your stomach (important), explosively rotate your torso round to the left as far as you can and then all the way back round and to the right as far as you can.
Hint: your back should be straight and you torso 45 degrees to the floor. It’s easy to perform the exercise if you arch the back but that’s not the idea. It’s very tough to perform when keeping the back straight but it works, so concentrate on correct form. You can also perform the exercise with your feet off the floor. My personal preference is to perform the exercise this way as I feel the stomach working harder this way.
The great thing about the Seated Russian Twist is that it really works. Even without weight you can feel it working. But to add extra difficulty to the russian twist exercise try holding a dumbbell, medicine ball or even a kettlebell. Only progress to something like the Kettlebell Russian Twist when you have already perfected the movement without any weight. Keeping correct form is the most effective way of feeling the burn.
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