Why Does My Lower Back Hurt During Russian Twists

Your Back Hurts Because You're Twisting Your Spine (Not Your Core)

The reason why your lower back hurts during Russian twists is because you are forcing your lumbar spine to rotate, a job it was never designed to do. Your lower back is only built for about 10-15 degrees of rotation. When you feel that sharp, nagging pain, it's a warning signal that you're pushing past that limit and grinding your vertebrae together. You're trying to build a stronger core, but instead, you're creating instability and pain. The secret to a pain-free Russian twist isn't about having a stronger back; it's about stopping the movement in your lower back and starting it from your mid-back and shoulders, where your body is actually designed to rotate.

You see videos of incredibly fit people whipping a 45-pound plate back and forth and think, "That's what I need to do for a six-pack." So you try it. You swing the weight, you feel your abs burn a little, but you mostly feel a deep, aching pain in your lower back. It's frustrating. It makes you feel like you're broken or that this exercise is just not for you. The truth is, the exercise isn't the problem-the way it's commonly taught and performed is. You don't need to abandon it forever, but you absolutely need to rebuild it from the ground up to protect your spine.

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The 15-Degree Mistake That's Wrecking Your Back

To understand why this pain happens, you need to know a little about how your spine is built. Think of it in two main sections for this movement: your lumbar spine (the 5 vertebrae in your lower back) and your thoracic spine (the 12 vertebrae in your mid-to-upper back). Your lumbar spine is a pillar of stability. Its job is to support weight and resist rotation. It can only safely twist about 10-15 degrees in total. That's it. Pushing past that is like trying to bend a steel pipe-it will eventually break.

Your thoracic spine, however, is built for mobility. It can rotate about 30-35 degrees. When a Russian twist is done correctly, the movement comes from this section. You rotate your entire upper torso as one solid unit. The problem is, 9 out of 10 people I see doing this exercise do the exact opposite. They keep their shoulders and mid-back relatively still and generate the "twist" by swinging their arms and forcing their lumbar spine to move. This creates dangerous shear forces on your spinal discs. Each rep you do incorrectly grinds those discs, leading to inflammation, pain, and potentially long-term issues. The goal isn't to see how far you can twist; it's to feel your obliques contract to control the rotation. If you feel it in your back, you are 100% doing it wrong.

The 3-Step Fix: Rebuilding Your Russian Twist From the Ground Up

Let's fix this right now. Forget everything you've seen on Instagram. We're going to deconstruct this movement and rebuild it so it targets your abs, not your spine. You will use zero weight to start. I don't care if you can normally use a 25-pound dumbbell; today, your weight is zero.

Step 1: Master the Foundation (Feet Down, No Weight)

Sit on the floor with your knees bent and your feet flat on the ground, about hip-width apart. Lean back until you feel your abs engage to hold you up. This should be about a 45-degree angle. Do not go lower. Clasp your hands together and hold them out in front of your chest. Now, brace your core as if someone is about to punch you in the stomach. This is your starting position. The goal here is to feel stable and strong, with all the tension in your abdominal wall, not your back or your hip flexors.

Step 2: Initiate With Your Shoulders, Not Your Arms

This is the most important cue. Do not think about moving your hands from side to side. Instead, think about rotating your entire upper body as a single block. Your hands, arms, and shoulders should move together. Rotate slowly to your right, aiming to get your hands just outside your right hip. The movement should come from your obliques and mid-back. Your head should follow your hands. Go only as far as you can without your lower back starting to twist or your hips shifting. Pause for one second. You should feel a deep contraction in your right oblique. Now, slowly rotate back to the center and then to the left. That is one rep. The entire movement should take 4-5 seconds. Speed is your enemy here.

Step 3: Introduce Progression (The Smart Way)

Only after you can perform 3 sets of 15 reps (per side) with perfect, pain-free form should you even consider progressing. There are two ways to make it harder:

1. Lift Your Feet: The next step is to perform the exercise with your feet crossed and elevated a few inches off the floor. This adds a balance challenge and further engages your lower abs. If you feel your back arching or your hip flexors taking over, put your feet back down. Master it with feet up before adding weight.
2. Add Light Weight: Once you can do 3 sets of 15 with your feet up, you can add weight. Start with a 5-pound dumbbell or plate. Hold it in your hands and perform the movement with the exact same slow, controlled form. The weight should never be so heavy that you have to use momentum. If you can't pause at the end of the rotation, the weight is too heavy. For 99% of people, a 10-25 pound dumbbell is more than enough to get an incredible core workout.

Two Exercises That Build a Stronger Core (Without the Pain)

For some people, Russian twists just aren't a good fit, especially if you have a history of back problems. That's perfectly fine. Forcing an exercise that causes pain is foolish. The goal is a strong core, and there are better, safer ways to get there. These two exercises are superior for building true core stability and rotational strength without putting your lumbar spine at risk.

Alternative 1: The Pallof Press

This is an anti-rotation exercise. It teaches your core its most important job: resisting unwanted twisting. Set a cable machine handle to chest height (or anchor a resistance band to a sturdy object). Stand sideways to the anchor point, grab the handle with both hands, and take a few steps away until there's tension on the band/cable. With your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent, press the handle straight out from your chest. The band will try to pull you back toward the anchor. Your job is to use your core to resist that pull, keeping your torso perfectly still. Hold for 2-3 seconds, then bring your hands back to your chest. That's one rep. Perform 10-12 reps per side. You will feel your obliques working harder than they ever did during a sloppy Russian twist.

Alternative 2: Landmine 180s

This is a fantastic rotational exercise that's much safer for the spine. Place one end of an empty barbell into a landmine attachment (or safely wedge it into a corner of the room with a towel). Stand facing the landmine, grab the other end of the barbell with both hands, and hold it at chest level. With your arms slightly bent, rotate the barbell down toward your right hip, pivoting your feet and hips as you move. The key is that your hips and shoulders rotate together, keeping your spine neutral. Then, control the weight as you bring it back up in an arc and down toward your left hip. Start with just the 45-pound bar; it's heavier than it looks. This movement trains rotation in a way that integrates your hips and thoracic spine, protecting your lower back completely.

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Frequently Asked Questions

The "Feet Up vs. Feet Down" Debate

Keeping your feet on the ground is the best way to learn the Russian twist. It provides a stable base, allowing you to focus purely on rotating your torso and engaging your obliques. Lifting your feet adds a balance and hip flexor challenge, which often causes beginners to lose form and strain their lower back. Master the feet-down version first.

The Right Weight for Russian Twists

Start with no weight. Your bodyweight and the tension from bracing your core are enough. Once you can do 3 sets of 15 perfect reps, add a 5 or 10-pound weight. The goal is not to move the heaviest weight possible; it's to control a light weight through a perfect range of motion. If you feel pain in your back, the weight is too heavy.

How Fast to Perform the Movement

Slow and controlled is always the answer. A fast, jerky movement relies on momentum, not muscle. This cheats your abs out of the work and shifts the stress directly to your spinal discs. Aim for a 2-second rotation to the side, a 1-second pause, and a 2-second return to center. This maximizes time under tension for your muscles.

Russian Twists vs. Other Ab Exercises

Russian twists are a rotational exercise, primarily targeting your obliques. They are just one piece of the puzzle. A complete core program should also include flexion exercises (like crunches or leg raises) for your rectus abdominis and stabilization exercises (like planks) to build endurance for the entire core musculature.