Weighted Russian Twist V. 2

Setup

1. 01Sit with knees bent and heels lightly on the floor.
2. 02Hold a light plate or medicine ball with both arms extended straight in front of the chest.
3. 03Lean back to about 45 degrees with a braced spine.
4. 04Lock the elbows so the arm position cannot change mid-set.

Execution

1. 01Sweep the extended arms and weight in a wide arc to one side.
2. 02Rotate the shoulders and ribcage with the arms rather than letting the arms travel alone.
3. 03Reverse through the center to the other side on the same wide arc.
4. 04Alternate sides with a steady tempo.

Checkpoints

• -Elbows stay locked so the lever length is constant.
• -The weight traces a wide, level arc at chest height.
• -The chest follows the weight; shoulders visibly rotate each rep.
• -Torso lean does not increase as the set gets hard.

Common mistakes

• -Bending the elbows to shorten the lever when fatigued.
• -Choosing the same weight used for the bent-arm version; the long lever needs less.
• -Dropping the arc so the weight dips toward the lap in the middle.
• -Rotating from the neck instead of the ribcage.