My fitness goals and habits change fairly regularly, but a strong core makes things easier no matter what my next goal is.
If you want to lift more weight at the gym this year, a strong core will improve your form and help you push harder. If you want to improve your marathon time, you need a strong core to build a strong foundation.
Wanting to expand on the standard ab and core exercises I’m familiar with, I decided to challenge myself to master a new move. After a little scrolling through social media and researching the best ab workouts, I discovered cycling Russian twists and decided to do them 70 times every day for a week.
Which muscles does cycling Russian twist work on?
Not to be confused with the traditional Russian twist. The Cycling Russian Twist adds a twist to the exercise by incorporating leg cycling movements.
This is a core exercise that targets your obliques (the muscles that run along the sides of your torso), rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles), and hip flexors.
How to do a cycling Russian twist
- Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet raised a few inches off the ground. Lean back slightly to work your core.
- Increase the resistance by bringing your hands together or using a weight such as a lighter version of a top-of-the-line kettlebell.
- Twist your torso to the right and bring your left elbow toward your right knee as you extend your left leg outward.
- Next, twist to the left and extend your right leg outward as you bring your right elbow toward your left knee.
- Repeat alternating as many times as necessary.
- Avoid arching your back as much as possible and think about focusing on your core throughout the movement.
This is what happened when I did 70 cycling Russian twists every day for a week.
discipline was needed
As a fitness writer, I’m used to challenges like this, where you repeat the same exercise over and over again until you reach a specific goal.
So, unlike dynamic workouts that combine movements like HIIT routines or Pilates classes, sticking to one exercise and repeating it over and over again can feel monotonous and certainly even demotivating. I know very well.
That being said, I found it to be a great way to test both my body and mind and instill discipline in me. By the 30th rep, my body (abs) was asking for a break. Similarly, my brain was telling me to stop.
This is the feeling you’re used to when training to run long-distance events such as marathons. Running a marathon and completing 70 Bicycle Russian Twists are completely different activities, but both require participation and persistence to the end, even if it feels uncomfortable.
I started thinking more about my posture.
I spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, so I often find myself hunched over. After a few days of focusing on my core through this challenge, I found myself sitting up straight without thinking. By focusing on my core muscles, I felt like my posture improved throughout the day.
Will this last beyond this challenge? I can’t make any promises, but I’ve started thinking more about how I maintain my body throughout the day and how the stronger my core becomes, the easier it will be to maintain good posture.
I’m glad it was easy to pick up
Adding new exercises to my routine was a welcome change. I’m a creature of habit, so it’s good to switch things up and learn new practices. The Cycling Russian Twist isn’t necessarily groundbreaking, but it feels good to learn a new movement form, and it’s a very challenging move to add to your future ab workouts.
Plus, it easily fits into my day, whether it’s after a run or while watching Netflix.
No visible six pack yet, but it lit a fire in my core
Shock — after a week, nothing had changed about my abs. This is to be expected. Healthy and sustainable body changes take more time. But my abs definitely feel like they’re being worked harder, and to me that’s a sure sign of increased strength.
verdict
It turns out that cycling 70 Russian twists every day for a week is a pretty hardcore way to work your core.
This exercise helped me become more aware of my obliques and wider core, challenged my discipline level (mentally and physically), and made me think more about my posture.
However, you don’t have to do the same exercise 70 times to see results. Incorporate a variety of exercises into your core training to target different muscle groups, avoid boredom, and stay motivated.
