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Leg Tuck and Twist Exercise 2023

Leg tucks and twists are challenging and complex exercises that strengthen all body muscles. 

It is a complete-body workout.

  • Leg tuck is an army-level training exercise that is quite tough and is done on an iron bar, but here we are talking about its more accessible form that is performed at gyms and homes.
  •  Although doing this exercise before a trainer is better, you better know how to tuck the leg properly and twist it while maintaining the correct posture. 
  • Leg tuck and twist refers to a workout where you tuck your body in and twist it afterward. 
  • By tucking the body here, we mean bringing it inward to one side. 

Army PRT Leg Tuck and Twist Exercise Overview

The leg tuck and twist is the fourth exercise in conditioning drill 1. This is an advanced bodyweight exercise that:

  • Strengthens the trunk and hip muscle coordination.
  • Promotes control of trunk rotation.
  • Prepares individuals for more rigorous training, testing, and combat tasks.
Leg Tuck and Twist Exercise
Leg Tuck and Twist Exercise

Purpose: 

  • This exercise develops trunk strength and mobility while enhancing balance 

Starting Position

  • Seated with trunk straight but leaning backward 45 degrees, arms straight, and hands on the ground 45 degrees to the rear, palms down. 
  • Legs are straight, extended to the front, and 8–12 inches off the ground.

Cadence:

  • MODERATE

Count:

  1. On count one, raise the legs while rotating onto the left buttock and draw the knees toward the left shoulder.
  2. On count two, return to the starting position.
  3. On count three, repeat count 1 in the opposite direction.
  4. On count four, return to the starting position.

Check Points:

  • At the starting position, tighten the abdominals to stabilize the trunk.
  • On all counts, keep the feet and knees together.
  • On counts 1 and 3, keep the head and trunk still as the legs move.
  • On counts 1 and 3, tuck (bend) the legs and align them diagonally to the trunk.

Precautions: 

  • To protect the back on counts 1 and 3, do not jerk the legs and trunk to achieve the end position.

Demonstration

  • Here is the movement in real-time.

Muscles Worked by Leg Tuck and Twist Exercise

Leg tucks and twists activate all body muscles and are considered a complete body workout. 

But like every other exercise, it indeed targets a few specific muscles, which are:

  • Biceps
  • Upper back
  • Hip flexor muscles
  • Core muscles
  • Oblique muscles
  • Rector Abdominis 

How to do Leg Tuck and Twist Exercises

Before starting the exercise, you must be seated in a particular position. 

  • First, you must sit on the ground so your trunk is straight but tilted backward at around 45 degrees. Ensure that your arms are straight with your palms touching the floor (to support your body in balancing). Meanwhile, your legs should be straight in front of you. Now the actual workout starts with the following steps:
  • Raise your legs to around 8 to 12 inches from the floor (height depends upon your body strength and ability; always start with a lower height to let your body get acquainted with the workout).
  • Rotate to your left side by putting your weight on your left hip (twist) while leaning your knees towards your left shoulder (tucking in your body at the left side). 
  • Now, get back to the starting position and move in the opposite direction in the same manner. It means you must put your body weight on the right hip and move the knees towards the right shoulder. 

Tips:

Make sure that you abide by these tips to maintain the perfect posture for this exercise:

  • Tight your abdomen muscles at starting position
  • Keep the knees and feet in line
  • While twisting, make sure that your trunk and head don’t move
  • While tucking the legs, ensure they are diagonal to your trunk. 

Benefits of Leg tuck and twist

The Leg tuck and twist has many benefits, as follows:

  • It improves posture, stability, and balance 
  • It enhances the strength of upper body muscles, especially the biceps
  • It can help strengthen the abs
  • It improves your functional strength
  • It improves hip movement and prevents hip injury
  • It helps to build up core muscles

Cons of Leg tuck and twist

Along with pros, there is always a risk of following cons with this exercise:

  • You can sprain your hip muscles by putting weight on one side at a time
  • Dynamic twist can result in cause pain in the lower back if not done properly
  • You can hurt your lower back and hip muscles
George N.
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