How to Get Rid of those Love Handles

The Russian Twist Abdominal exercise targets the abdominals, primarily obliques and the back muscles.  This exercise is a great way to help work off those love handles we all hate to see after fastening our pants.  To perform this exercise you will need an exercise medicine ball that weighs 2-5 pounds and a stability ball.  Here is how to do the move:

Step 1: Begin by sitting on a properly inflated stability ball (one that compresses approximately 6 inches under your body weight) and with your feet flat on the floor.  Slowly walk out with your feet and leaning backwards on the ball until your shoulders and upper back are in contact with the ball.  Adjust your leg angle creating 90 degree bend at your knees and your thighs and torso are parallel to the floor.  Distribute your weight evenly through your feet.  Thighs are hip width apart and toes facing forward.

Step 2: Pull your shoulders down and back to make firm contact with the ball and maintain this position throughout the movement of the exercise.  Extend your arms above your chest, fully extending your elbows and holding the medicine ball between your hands.  If you cannot sustain full elbow extension the weight of your medicine ball may be too much.  If that is the case, try lowering the weight to a more manageable amount of pounds.

Step 3: Rotational Movement: Exhale, tighten your torso by contracting your abdominal muscles to stabilize your spine and slowly rotate your torso to one side while keeping your shoulders on the ball and feet firmly secured on the floor.  Drop your hands and the medicine ball to one side.  Keep your hips and torso parallel with the floor to avoid any tendency for your hips to drop towards the floor.  Inhale and hold this position for 3 seconds before rotating to the opposite side.

Do 15 repetitions to each side for 1 set.