You do the Russian twist sitting on the floor. Lean back to about 45 degrees with your feet lifted and your hands together in front of you, then turn your upper body from side to side so your hands come down beside each hip. The muscles at the sides of your waist (obliques) turn you. Your front stomach muscles and hip flexors hold the lean.

How to do the russian twist

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat.
Lean back until your upper body is at about 45 degrees to the floor. Keep your back long and straight, not slumped, and hold that angle the whole time.
Hold your hands together and reach your arms forward in front of your chest. Brace your stomach and lift your feet off the floor, knees still bent.
Turn your upper body to one side, moving from your rib cage, and bring your joined hands down beside your hip. Go as far as you can while your back stays straight and your legs stay steady.
Turn back through the middle to the other side. Keep going side to side at a steady pace, breathing throughout.

What you should feel

Work along the sides of your waist as you turn, with the front of your stomach and hips holding you up. A tired or aching lower back is a sign to put your feet down or lean back less.

Common mistakes

Rounding the back into a slump. Sit tall through the chest.
Swinging only the arms while the chest keeps facing forward.
Letting the legs sway from side to side to balance the turn.
Holding your breath through the turns.

How often

Many programs start with 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 turns (each side counts as one), often with the feet on the floor at first. Your physio will adjust this.

Stop and check with your physio if

Lower back pain that sharpens with the turn or spreads down a leg.
Any bulge or pressure in your stomach wall. Tell your physio about it.

From the clinic

Start with your heels on the floor. That takes a lot of the load off your hip flexors and lower back and lets you learn the turn first. Lift the feet only when you can twist smoothly with a straight back.

In the video the legs swing a little the opposite way on each turn. Try to keep yours still. Then the turn comes from your rib cage, and your lower back is not twisted any further.

Some people hold a weight or ball later on. Leave that until the plain version is easy, and check with your physio before adding it.

This exercise puts a loaded forward bend and a twist together. With osteoporosis it is usually one to skip, since that combination is what people with fragile bones are most often told to avoid. If you have a disc problem, a hernia, or recent back or stomach surgery, check with your physio before trying it. Do the same if you are pregnant or have recently given birth.

Written and checked by the PocketPhysio editorial team. Last updated 2026-09-25.

This page is general education, not a diagnosis or a personal treatment plan. If you have pain, an injury or a health condition, see a physiotherapist or doctor before starting new exercises.

Russian twist