weighted russian twist (legs up): technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of weighted russian twist (legs up)

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet lifted off the ground, keeping your legs together.
Step:2 Hold the weight with both hands in front of your chest, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
Step:3 Lean back slightly to engage your core muscles.
Step:4 Twist your torso to the right, bringing the weight towards the ground on your right side.
Step:5 Pause for a moment, then twist your torso to the left, bringing the weight towards the ground on your left side.
Step:6 Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Dumbbells Free weights
Body part: Abdominals Arms Thighs
Target muscle: Transverse abdominis Internal obliques External obliques
Secondary muscle: Forearms Lower back Quadriceps Rectus abdominis

Hypertrophy grade

Low4 / 10

Nemeo’s take

The Russian Twist is a good dynamic isolation tool for the obliques, although often limited by core capacity and weight grip. Compared to the great classics like the side plank or the oblique crunch, the load remains moderate and stability quickly becomes the limiting factor before deep muscle fatigue. Useful for finishing or for functional strengthening, it is less relevant for progressive overload and maximum hypertrophy.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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weighted russian twist (legs up)

How to do this exercise

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