Donkey Kick Twist | Illustrated Exercise Guide

Primary muscles: Abs, middle and lower back, obliques
Secondary muscles: Glutes, hip flexors
Equipment: No equipment

DONKEY KICK TWIST INSTRUCTIONS

1. Start on your hands and knees, with the hands under the shoulders and the knees under the hips, and place your right hand behind your head.
2. Extend your left leg to the back and rotate your torso to the right.
3. Bend your left leg, bring your right elbow toward your left knee, and crunch.
4. Repeat, and switch sides.

PROPER FORM AND BREATHING PATTERN

Keep your head, neck and spine neutral, relax your shoulders and engage your core. Breathe in as you extend your leg, and twist your torso only from the ribs up. Exhale as you bring the knee toward the elbow and crunch.

EXERCISE BENEFITS

The donkey kick twist targets your abs, obliques and lower back, and helps to sculpt and tighten your entire core. This exercise improves your posture and balance and stabilizes your lumbar spine.

DEMONSTRATION

SETS AND REPS

Practice doing donkey kicks, bird dogs and russian twists first. Once you’re comfortable with your form, do 2 or 3 sets of 10 to 16 repetitions on each side.

CALORIES BURNED

To calculate the number of calories burned doing the donkey kick twist, enter your weight and the duration of the exercise:

RELATED CORE EXERCISES

Try these other core exercises to tighten, sculpt and strengthen your abs, obliques, lats and lower back:
Leaning camel
Wall crunch
Sprinter crunch
Plank bird dog