Visible abs add value to men’s personalities and are the need of everyone in this modern world. Do you want strong and supportive abdominal muscles in your body? If yes, then read this article completely and try this special workout. For quick results and rapid muscle development in the abs, you must include workouts like Russian Twists in your routine. This article will bring awareness about this simple workout and let fitness lovers gain what they want. Moreover, we will also include some significant alternatives to Russian Twists in our insightful blog.
What is Russian Twist?
Russian Twist is a well-known exercise for your core and other muscle group. As the name suggests this exercise lets you improve your twist/rotational movement. No doubt this exercise brings flexion, mobility, and stability to your overall body which helps you feel active all the time. The movement seems easy and fine but when it comes to moving the upper body side-by-side, stability is being challenged.
The workout is suitable for all ages especially for beginners if they cannot perform weighted exercises. Just take a start and start pressurizing the abs to train them for bearing tension. It’s a functional activity that not only opens up blocked tissues but also tightens your front body. Furthermore, this exercise will help prevent your abs from sagging so don’t worry about increasing your weight if you have this choice.
Benefits of Russian Twists
Well, it has a thousand benefits, but we will only tell you about a few that are mentioned below:
Core Strengthening: Russian Twists targets your core majorly and bring results for other muscle groups. Along with your outer abs, it also takes your inner muscles into account and boosts their functionality.
Want to Improve Core Muscles and get a mighty six ab-pack? Read this
Compound Nature: However, this workout has a compound nature because, at the same time, it considers multiple muscles for activation. Core, legs, hip flexors, and shoulders will take extreme benefit from it.
Proper Posturing: This exercise is performed while sitting on the ground with no additional back support. Moreover, you are required to change the angles without any interaction of the spine.
Cost-Effective: Most of the ab-focused workouts are carried out in fitness centers but if you cannot access the gym, you can take care of fitness at home. Exercises like Russian Twists help you a lot to achieve your dreamy body physique.
Pain Less Activity: This exercise does not include any external weights or tools like dumbbells or barbells. In this sense, it’s good for people looking to train their abs freely so that does not lead to injuries or pains.
Mental Coordination: Exercises like Russian Twist boost your mind and keep the brain tissues working efficiently. Your blood circulates all around the body which adds more value to this workout.
Tighten Belly Muscles: If you want to keep your belly tight and don’t want a saggy core, then incorporate Russian Twists into your routine.
How to Perform
You will be glad to know that this exercise requires nothing from you such as equipment. With only a surface mat, you can carry this workout and train your muscles. Here are some important steps that you have to follow:
- Sit on the floor with bent knees. Keep a strong grip on the feet to maintain overall balance. Make sure to keep your hips and feet level parallel with a suitable gap in between these parts.
- Connect both hands and bring them in front of the chest line. Your elbows are flexed in this section and you must keep them bent all the time.
- Now move your body to the right side by engaging the core. You must lean backward while rotating the body to feel maximum tension in the targeted area.
- Ensure to move your face along with the movement as if you perform it with a straight head, it may lead to neck pain.
- Repeat the steps to the other side and get the results.
If you want to make this exercise interesting, then try this while carrying a weight in hand. For sure, Weighted Russian Twists will bring enchanting and profitable results if performed in the correct form.
Alternatives to Russian Twists
People who have issues with their back can try other unpaid exercises. Bird Dog, Flutter Kicks, etc. are the best possible alternatives to Russian Twists that you can give a try and feel the difference.
1. Leg Raise
Leg Raise is one of the best ab-focused workouts that hits the muscles differently. This machine-less activity will require you to lie on the floor and raise your legs upward. But core engagement is the key to success and don’t lift the leg beyond the limit. However, raising the legs up will surely bring flexion to the hips which will improve hip flexors.
With a single exercise, you can target multiple muscles and gain significant results. Moreover, this simple and advantageous workout helps you promote blood circulation all around, especially in the upper body. So, you can consider this game as a warm-up specialist to prepare for the hard ones.
2. Deadbug
Deadbug is a great alternative to Russian Twist and develops your core greatly. Whenever you want to grow muscles in the abs, just remember this ultimate game. Similar to Russian Twist, you have to perform this without any fitness equipment and just focus on proper form.
While dealing with posturing and body balancing, you have to ensure that the muscle will keep engaged and get proper attention. This complex workout will keep you on your toes if you join the game as a beginner, so try to focus on proper setup and engagement.
3. Hollow Rock
Another simple and beneficial workout that brings strongness and feasibility to the abs is hollow rock. This simple posture will keep the muscles active until your legs and arms are off the ground. All you need is to pose as long as possible to keep tension in the muscles.
Lie straight on the ground with your hands over your head and heels touching the ground. Now, lift the hands off the ground in such a way that shoulder joints remain constant. On the other hand, lift the legs up to the knee level up from the ground. Take a pause and hold the posture as long as possible.
4. Medicine Ball Slam
If you want proper attention in the abs then Medicine Ball Slam is the best practice for you. Hold a ball with both hands and take it over your head to make engagement in the core. Now the goal is to train the abs so you have to bring the weighted ball down and then lift it over.
Repeat the process at least 12 times for better results and make sure not to lend backward or forward. Medicine Ball Slam is beneficial for those who have to lift heavy objects without pumping up the heart. Surely, it will keep the heart rate up and bring positive results for your heart.
5. Bicycle Crunches
Bicycle Crunches are suitable and definite alternatives to Russian Twists in a similar manner. Like Russian Twists, you have to use your bodyweight to engage the core muscles and bring power. But instead of rotation, you have to connect your elbow with the top knee in such a way that the abs get engaged. This activity will also keep the hip muscles active and bring flexion in the middle of the body.
6. Butterfly Situps
If you have to build a six-abs pack without lifting heavy weights, then Butterfly Situps are one of the best choices. Not all the exercises give the best results but Butterfly Situps are committed to providing guaranteed results for the abs. This isolated exercise will keep the midsection engaged all the time and give strength to the muscles.
With a simple pose, you are targeting the primary muscles quite easily and building explosive muscles. Incorporate this special workout into your routine and stay active all the time.
7. Abs Roller
Abs Roller is a powerful and dominating workout for developing muscles in the abs. it requires you to roll a roller on the ground in such a way that the abs gain tension. Not only the abs will get attention but this fitness tool will also activate the rest of the upper body muscles. Calling this a complete body workout would not be wrong because the determination this workout keeps to promote strength in the muscles is remarkable.
8. Hip Raise
Hip Raise is also a simple and best workout for focusing on the abdominal muscles. all you need is to lift the hips off the ground while keeping the shoulder on the ground. Your lower back and hips will be in the air while the rest body will touching the ground. this will engage the abs from the upper side and will activate lower back muscles to manage the body weight.
Bottom Lines
No one is denying the fact that Russian Twist targets and promotes overall strength in the midsection. But relying on a single workout for different needs is not a good option. Therefore, we have a complete guide to train your overall abdominal muscles and achieve results brilliantly.
Try some of the alternatives to Russian Twists and feel the difference in the muscles. Your saggy body will become strong with these workouts. Have a nice Fitness Journey with us!