Seated Twist (Straight Arm)

Description

How to Do Seated Twist (Straight Arm)

1. 1
   Setup

   Sit on the floor with your knees bent, feet flat on the ground, and lean back slightly to engage your core. Keep your spine long and chest open.

2. 2
   Setup

   Extend both arms straight forward at shoulder height, bringing your hands together or interlocking your fingers, keeping your elbows slightly soft.

3. 3

   Exhale as you slowly rotate your torso to one side, leading with your chest and keeping your arms straight and parallel to the floor. Focus on squeezing your obliques.

4. 4

   Inhale as you return to the center with control, maintaining constant core engagement and a stable lower body.

5. 5

   Exhale and repeat the rotation to the opposite side, ensuring your hips remain relatively stable throughout the movement.

6. 6

   Continue alternating sides for the desired duration or number of repetitions, maintaining a steady pace.

Tips

• Focus on controlled movement rather than speed to maximize oblique engagement and prevent momentum from taking over the exercise.
• Keep your gaze following your hands to encourage full spinal rotation and maintain a neutral neck position throughout the twist.
• Maintain a consistent slight lean back throughout the entire exercise to keep constant tension on your abdominal muscles, especially the obliques.
• If you feel lower back strain, sit more upright and reduce your range of motion until your core strength improves.

Common Mistakes

• ×Rotating too much from the shoulders and arms instead of the core reduces oblique activation; initiate the twist from your waist, using your obliques to rotate your entire torso.
• ×Allowing hips to shift or lift off the floor indicates a lack of core stability; keep your hips anchored and stable, focusing the rotation primarily in your upper body and waist.
• ×Holding your breath or breathing shallowly can hinder core engagement; breathe out as you twist to engage your core more deeply and inhale as you return to the center.