Medicine Ball Russian Twist

Also known as: Med Ball Russian Twist, Russian Twist with Medicine Ball, Med Ball Twist

CoreBalanceFunctional

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Body Part: Abs

Description

Sit leaning back with your heels on the floor and twist side to side, lowering a medicine ball to the floor by each hip to strengthen your obliques. You feel it along the sides of your waist, just under the lower ribs, while the front of your abs holds the lean. Keeping the feet down makes this version easier to learn than the feet-up twist, and medicine balls come in small weight steps, so it suits beginners and home workouts. It beats the dumbbell version when you want an easier grip and smaller jumps in load.

How to Perform

Sit on the floor with your knees bent about 90°, knees and feet together, heels down and toes pointing up.
Hold the ball at your chest with a hand on each side, palms facing and fingers spread. Keep your fingers off the bottom of the ball so the floor can't pinch them.
Lean back to about 45°, halfway between sitting upright and lying down. Chest up, spine long, and brace your abs as if someone were about to poke your stomach.
Turn your chest and shoulders to one side and lower the ball beside that hip until it touches, or nearly touches, the floor. Your knees stay put.
Rotate back through the middle, where the ball passes in front of your chest, and lower it beside the other hip. Breathe out each time you reach a side.
Take 1–2 seconds from side to side without changing the lean. Right plus left counts as one rep; finish the set with the ball back at your chest and sit up.

What Muscles Work

Primary Muscle:

Tips

Go for 2–4 sets of 10–20 turns per side.
Add turns with the same ball until you reach 20 a side in every set with full turns to the floor, then move to the next ball, usually 1–2 kg heavier, and work back up from 10.
The burn belongs on the sides of your waist, switching as you turn. Some effort at the front of the hips is normal, but if your hips or lower back give out before your abs, sit more upright.
Too hard? Do the same twist with no ball and your hands together, or lean back less. Too easy? Lift your heels just off the floor and keep them still, or pause for a second at each side.
Substitutes: Weighted Russian Twist with a plate, Dumbbell Russian Twist, Sitting Twist with no weight, or Cable Twist (horizontal) if sitting reclined bothers your lower back.

Common Mistakes

Swinging the ball with your arms while your chest keeps facing your knees. Keep the elbows bent and the ball close, and turn until your chest faces the side.
Slumping into a rounded lower back, or leaning back so far that the front of your hips cramps. Sit tall on your sit bones with your chest up at about 45°, and lean back less if you can't hold it.
Knees drifting side to side with every turn. Squeeze them together and press your heels lightly into the floor so only your upper body rotates.
Stopping the ball at your ribs, or rushing and bouncing it off the floor. Bring it all the way down beside each hip and just tap the floor; switch to a lighter ball if you can't.