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"name": "KC Clements, MS"
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"headline":"How To Do A Bent Knee Lying Twist With Perfect Form",
"datePublished":"2018-01-12",
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"description":"Learn How To Do A Bent Knee Lying Twist With Perfect Form.",
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<article>
<div>
<ul>
<li><a href="#section1">Instructions</a></li>
<li><a href="#section2">Things to Keep in Mind</a></li>
<li><a href="#section3">Conclusion</a></li>
</ul>
</div>
<section>
<p>When it comes to core exercises, most of us are familiar with the basics: crunches, situps, and planks. What a lot of us don’t realize, however, is that there are many different muscles in the core besides the abdominal—or six-pack—muscles. To build a strong core and get a toned stomach, you need to work them all. Many of us overlook the obliques, the muscles on either side of our abs where our love handles accumulate. Here we’re going to teach you a great full core exercise that will zero in on your obliques: the bent knee lying twist.</p>
<p>To perform the bent knee lying twist, lie on the floor with your legs off the ground bent at a 90-degree angle. Extend your arms at your sides, palms facing up. With control, lower your knees to your right side. Press them back up and drop them to your left side, continuing to alternate between the two. Another awesome benefit of this move is the rotation really boosts your core stability helping you to prevent and even improve back pain.</p>
<p>You may find that the bent knee lying twist is a little difficult if you’ve just started your fitness journey. If that’s the case, we recommend starting with the Russian twist. Sit on the floor with your knees bent at around a 45-degree angle. Lean your torso back and lift your feet slightly off the floor. Then alternate rotating your torso to the right and to the left. The Russian twist is a great move for beginners to build up core strength and stability, preparing you for more advanced moves down the line.</p>
<p>Once you’ve mastered the bent knee lying twist and you’re ready to take on one of those more advanced moves, try the straight leg lying twist. This move is almost exactly the same as the bent knee lying twist except instead of lying on your back with your knees bent, fully straighten your legs and extend them up towards the ceiling. Drop your legs to the right then press them back to the center and drop them down to the left, tracing a big arc with your legs. The straight leg lying twist will have you firing your core extra hard, helping you build muscle and trim fat in your midsection.</p>
<p>But first, let’s learn how to execute the bent knee lying twist with perfect form!</p>
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<section>
<section id="section1">
<h2>Instructions</h2>
<ol>
<li>Lie on the ground. Bend your knees and squeeze them together, placing your feet directly below your knees. Extend your arms out to your sides with your palms facing up.</li>
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<li>Lift your legs off the ground, keeping your knees bent at around a 90-degree angle.</li>
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<li>With your knees still glued together, drop your legs to your right side until they touch the floor.</li>
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<li>Press your knees back up to the starting position, then drop your legs to your left side.</li>
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<li>Continue alternating back and forth until you’ve reached the desired number of repetitions.</li>
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<section id="section2">
<h2>Things to keep in mind</h2>
<ul>
<li>You can make this exercise a little easier at first by bending your knees at less than a 90-degree angle. Or if you want to add some difficulty, lift your feet up a bit so your knees are at more than a 90-degree angle.</li>
<li>If your core isn’t super flexible yet, you can modify this exercise by only dropping your legs down until you can feel your obliques firing. You may notice that your opposite shoulder starts to lift off the ground as you drop your legs to the floor. If this happens, decrease your range of motion so you’re only going as far as you can while keeping your shoulders in contact with the floor. </li>
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<li>Keep your lower back in contact with the ground throughout the exercise to maintain tension in your core and prevent back injury. It’s helpful to imagine that you’re trying to drive your knees towards the ceiling throughout the exercise.</li>
<li>Inhale as you drop your knees to the side, then exhale as you drive them back up. This will help you to keep focus on your form while also getting your blood pumping.</li>
<li>Make sure to keep your knees glued together throughout the exercise. If you let them separate, you’re actually going to make this exercise easier for yourself which will rob you of many of this move’s incredible benefits. You should really feel the strain in your oblique muscles during this exercise— that’s how you know it’s working!</li>
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<section>
<section id="section3">
<h2>Conclusion:</h2>
<p>The bent knee lying twist is an incredible exercise for building up strength and stability in your core while trimming stubborn fat along your waistline. To see the best results from this move, stick to the cues we’ve offered here. If you’re not quite able to get your legs all the way to the ground—or if you find that you’re sacrificing form to do so—reset and only push yourself as far as you can go comfortably while adhering to the tips we’ve shown you.</p>
<p>The bent knee lying twist is a challenging intermediate exercise, so don’t hesitate to start out with the beginner variation: the Russian twist. This basic movement mimics the bent knee lying twist, making it a perfect exercise for building your way up to more challenging— and more rewarding— exercises.</p>
<p>When you’ve mastered both of these moves, try tackling the straight leg lying twist. You’re going to really feel your core working hard with this move, making it a great exercise to work towards for beginner and intermediate folks alike.</p>
<p>As with all the exercises we teach you, one of the best features of this move is that you can do it anywhere you’ve got a little space to stretch out on the floor. Try adding a set or two to your next workout or do a few repetitions during your lunch break at work!</p>
<p>If this exercise is too easy, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/perfect-form-straight-leg-lying-twist/">Straight Leg Lying Twists</a>. If this exercise is too difficult, try <a target="_blank" href="https://www.warriormade.com/content/exercise/russian-twists/">Russian Twists</a>.</p>
</section>
</article>
