This article was written by Angel

The Russian Twist is a popular exercise shown in men’s fitness magazines as it strengthens multiple areas of the abdominals and creates a strong core. If you want to tone your six-pack muscle (rectus abdominis), use a medicine ball to tone your obliques.

The abdominals protect the core trunk of the body. Every movement engages the core muscles and a strong core equals pain-free joints and excellent flexibility. Strong external and internal obliques prevent back problems and increase the necessary strength required in competition sports including racquet sports or sprinting.

How To Perform a Russian Twist Correctly

1. Lie on a mat for extra comfort, as performing any resistance floor exercise without back support could create strain. Bend the knees and keep the feet firmly on the floor. Grab your medicine ball and hold it straight as you rise with each repetition.
2. Pull in and tense the abdominal muscles to further strengthen them during any abdominal exercise. Using the abdominals, rise to 45 degrees and use the resistance of the medicine ball to twist your trunk to the right and touch the floor then immediately twist to the left, touch, the floor and return to starting position. This is one repetition. With the medicine ball you should soon start to feel the resistance after several repetitions.
3. Breathe correctly throughout the exercise as it supplies you with the concentration to perform the Russian Twist correctly. Inhale as you rise up and exhale as you return to starting position.
4. The art of building strong abdominals is to slightly stress the muscles, which will cause microscopic tears to occur. You will be able to feel this if you are barely able to move several days after an intensive resistance workout. Supplying your body with excellent protein is key to building lean muscle mass.

The Benefits of The Russian Twist

• Tones the oblique muscles of the abdominal, which creates a sexy V shape running from the torso to the hip area. Many people stick to crunches and forget that exercises like the Russian Twist are just as important to strengthen the abdominals and shape the body.

• A stronger core prevents muscle strain and backache.

• Improves speed and strength in competitive sports.

Medicine balls are wonderful tools for resistance-type exercises, as you will start to see results rapidly. When you use a medicine ball to tone your obliques, it is important to note that your body will require recovery time. During this time, feed your body with healthy proteins and avoid all exercise. Set yourself a target each time you perform Russian Twists. Aim to beat your previous repetitions without over straining. Beginners should aim to perform 5 to 10 repetitions, but maintaining this number will not stress out the muscles over the long term.

The human body is designed to strengthen, especially with resistance training and healthy proteins to refuel the small muscle tears. Eggs, poultry, and nuts/seeds are excellent sources of protein and healthy fats. Over training the muscles could lead to breakdown so the rest periods are essential.