Twist March

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and your core engaged.
2. Place your fingertips lightly behind your ears or at the sides of your head, keeping your elbows flared out wide.
3. Distribute your weight evenly across both feet to establish a stable base.

How to do it

1. Exhale as you drive your right knee up toward your chest while simultaneously rotating your torso to bring your left elbow toward the rising knee.
2. Inhale as you controlledly lower your foot back to the starting position and return your torso to center.
3. Immediately repeat the movement on the opposite side, driving the left knee up and rotating the right elbow toward it.
4. Maintain a steady, rhythmic tempo, ensuring full control over the rotation and balance on each step.

Form checklist

• Keep your chest lifted and avoid rounding your upper back or pulling on your neck.
• Focus on rotating from the waist rather than just moving your arms.
• Drive your knee up to at least hip height to maximize lower abdominal and hip flexor engagement.
• Keep your standing leg slightly soft (not locked) for better balance.

Pro tips

• Think about bringing your ribcage toward your opposite hip bone to maximize oblique recruitment.
• Pause for a split second at the peak of the contraction to emphasize core stability and mind-muscle connection.

Make it harder

• Increase the intensity by adding a small hop as you switch feet to turn it into a high-impact 'Power Twist March'.
• Hold a light medicine ball or dumbbell with both hands and rotate the weight across your body as you march to increase rotational resistance.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the twist march work?

The twist march primarily targets the abs, obliques, and quadriceps, and also works the glutes and hip flexors as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the twist march?

The twist march requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the twist march good for beginners?

Yes. The twist march is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

Related exercises

• 90 To 90Beginner · abs, glutes, obliques, and quadriceps
• 90 To 90 SwitchIntermediate · abs, glutes, obliques, and quadriceps
• Alternate Leg Lift TwistIntermediate · abs, obliques, and quadriceps
• Barbell Lunge TwistIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, obliques, and quadriceps