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Weighted Russian Twist (Legs Up)
A Russian twist performed with the feet held off the floor, adding a balance and hip flexor demand on top of the loaded oblique rotation.
AbsOtherTrunk rotation
GoLightWeight mediaweighted-russian-twist-legs-up
Demonstration coming soon
Primary
Obliques
Secondary
Rectus abdominisHip flexorsSpinal erectors
Equipment
Other
Pattern
Trunk rotation
Setup
- 01Sit on the floor holding a plate or dumbbell at the chest.
- 02Lean the torso back to about 45 degrees with a braced, long spine.
- 03Lift the feet off the floor with knees bent so the shins are roughly parallel to the ground.
- 04Find your balance point on the sit bones before the first twist.
Execution
- 01Rotate the torso and weight to one side while the legs stay centered.
- 02Pass through the middle with control.
- 03Rotate fully to the other side.
- 04Keep alternating while the feet stay off the floor for the entire set.
Checkpoints
- -Feet never touch down between reps.
- -The knees point forward and do not sway with the twist.
- -Torso angle stays constant; no bobbing up and down.
- -Rotation range is symmetrical on both sides.
Common mistakes
- -Letting the legs swing opposite the weight, which fakes the rotation.
- -Dropping the feet to the floor when fatigued instead of ending the set.
- -Shortening the rotation to keep balance while pretending nothing changed.
- -Rounding the back to lower the balance demand.
Programming notes
- -Use 3 sets of 10 to 14 total touches; expect to use less load than the feet-down version.
- -If balance fails before the obliques do, regress to heels-down weighted twists.
- -Program after your primary flexion movement, 2 to 3 sessions per week.
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