What equipment do you need for the medicine ball russian twist?

You need medicine ball to do the medicine ball russian twist.

What is a good medicine ball russian twist?

For men, a good medicine ball russian twist is about a 31 lb estimated one-rep max, the Gold (intermediate) standard in Kovo. Beginners start near 14 lb and elite lifters pass 70 lb. For women, the standards run from about 14 lb to 70 lb. The tier table above lists every rank from Bronze to Champion.

Core · Medicine Ball

Medicine Ball Russian Twist

How to do the medicine ball russian twist, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.

Equipment: Medicine Ball
Difficulty: Beginner
Logged as: Weighted reps
Movement: Rotation
Mechanic: Accessory

Find more:Abs & Core exercises Medicine & Stability Ball exercises

How to do it

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and heels lightly touching the ground. Hold a medicine ball with both hands in front of your chest. Lean back slightly to engage your core, and if desired, lift your feet off the floor. Rotate your torso to one side, bringing the ball beside your hip, then rotate to the other side. Continue alternating sides in a controlled manner, keeping your arms slightly bent and your core tight.

1Feel your obliques contract as you rotate the ball from side to side
2Engage your hip flexors and lower abs to hold the V-sit position
3Keep the movement controlled so you feel tension through your trunk

Common mistakes

Avoid rounding your lower back; maintain a tall chest
Don't simply move your arms; rotate your torso
Avoid losing control and tapping the ball heavily; move fluidly

Muscles worked

The medicine ball russian twist mainly works the obliques, with the upper abs, lower abs, lats, quads, glutes, hamstrings, and side delts assisting.

ObliquesPrimary
Upper AbsSupport
Lower AbsSupport
LatsSupport
QuadsSupport
GlutesSupport
HamstringsSupport
Side DeltsSupport
Upper TrapsMinor

Medicine Ball Russian Twist strength standards

See how your medicine ball russian twist ranks, from Bronze to Champion. These are the same standards the Kovo app uses to rank your lifts.

Bronzee1RM14 lb
Silvere1RM23 lb
Golde1RM31 lb
Platinume1RM43 lb
Diamonde1RM59 lb
Champione1RM70 lb

Find your rank

Enter your best set. We estimate your 1RM and match it to a tier.

Weight (lb)Reps

Kovo tracks this rank automatically as you train, across every lift, and levels you up as you get stronger.

Kovo programs the medicine ball russian twist for you and tracks it every session.

We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.

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More abs & core exercises

See all abs & core exercises →

Last reviewed April 2026.