Weighted Russian Twist (Legs Up)

Setup

1. 01Sit on the floor holding a plate or dumbbell at the chest.
2. 02Lean the torso back to about 45 degrees with a braced, long spine.
3. 03Lift the feet off the floor with knees bent so the shins are roughly parallel to the ground.
4. 04Find your balance point on the sit bones before the first twist.

Execution

1. 01Rotate the torso and weight to one side while the legs stay centered.
2. 02Pass through the middle with control.
3. 03Rotate fully to the other side.
4. 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.