10 Best Bent Knee Lying Twist (male) Alternatives for No-Equipment Workouts
If you can’t perform the bent-knee lying twist, use movements that load the glutes and control pelvic rotation. Try single-leg glute bridges, side-lying clams, hip-thrust holds, seated banded rotations, or standing hip external rotations. Cue: squeeze the glute at peak and keep the lumbar spine neutral to preserve hip-dominant activation.
Original Exercise: Bent Knee Lying Twist (male)
How to Perform Bent Knee Lying Twist (male)
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms out to the sides, perpendicular to your body.
- Keeping your knees together, slowly lower them to one side, aiming to touch the ground with your knees.
- Pause for a moment, then engage your core and slowly lift your knees back to the starting position.
- Repeat the movement to the other side.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
Best Bent Knee Lying Twist (male) Alternatives
1. Band Lying Hip Internal Rotation
83% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie on your back with your legs straight and a resistance band looped around your feet.
- Bend your knees and bring them towards your chest, keeping your feet together.
- Slowly rotate your knees outwards, away from each other, while keeping your feet together.
- Pause for a moment at the end of the rotation, then slowly return to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
2. Elbow-to-knee
79.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ground, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
- At the same time, bring your left knee towards your right elbow, creating a twisting motion.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and extend your legs back to the starting position.
3. Alternate Heel Touchers
78.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides, parallel to the ground.
- Engaging your abs, lift your shoulders off the ground and reach your right hand towards your right heel.
- Return to the starting position and repeat on the left side, reaching your left hand towards your left heel.
- Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
4. Band Seated Hip Internal Rotation
74.2% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on a chair or bench with your back straight and feet flat on the ground.
- Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.
- Keep your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and your feet shoulder-width apart.
- Engage your glutes and slowly rotate your knees outward, pushing against the resistance of the band.
- Pause for a moment at the end of the movement, then slowly return to the starting position.
5. Decline Oblique Crunch
74% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Secure your legs at the end of the decline bench and slowly lay down on the bench.
- Raise your upper body off the bench until your torso is about 35-45 degrees if measured from the floor.
- Put one hand beside your head and the other on your thigh. This will be your starting position.
- Raise your upper body slowly from the starting position while turning your torso to the left. Continue crunching up as you exhale until your right elbow touches your left knee. Hold this contracted position for a second. Tip: Focus on keeping your abs tight and keeping the movement slow and controlled.
- Lower your body back down slowly to the starting position as you inhale.
6. Cross Body Crunch
72.1% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, lift your upper body off the ground and twist to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat on the other side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
7. 3/4 Sit-up
71.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
- Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
- Engaging your abs, slowly lift your upper body off the ground, curling forward until your torso is at a 45-degree angle.
- Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
8. Ankle Circles
71.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.
- Lift one leg off the ground and rotate your ankle in a circular motion.
- Perform the desired number of circles in one direction, then switch to the other direction.
- Repeat with the other leg.
9. Dead Bug
69.7% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your arms extended towards the ceiling.
- Bend your knees and lift your legs off the ground, creating a 90-degree angle at your hips and knees.
- Engage your core and lower back to press your lower back into the ground.
- Slowly lower your right arm and left leg towards the ground, keeping them straight and hovering just above the floor.
- Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
10. Band Bicycle Crunch
68.3% MatchHow to perform this exercise
- Lie flat on your back with your hands behind your head and your knees bent.
- Lift your feet off the ground and bring your right knee towards your chest while simultaneously twisting your torso to bring your left elbow towards your right knee.
- Straighten your right leg while bringing your left knee towards your chest and twisting your torso to bring your right elbow towards your left knee.
- Continue alternating the twisting motion, as if you are pedaling a bicycle, while keeping your core engaged throughout the movement.
- Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Why You Might Need a Bent Knee Lying Twist (male) Alternative
You may substitute the bent-knee lying twist for several reasons: low back pain that makes supine rotation uncomfortable, limited hip mobility, lack of privacy or lying space, or a desire for greater glute load. Alternatives let you target the posterior chain and lateral rotators while reducing lumbar shear and spinal rotation. Choose moves that keep hip extension and external rotation primary—such as bridges or clamshells—and cue pelvic stability: brace the core and prevent lumbar collapse to preserve targeted glute activation and safer biomechanics.
How to Choose the Right Substitute
Pick a substitute based on the movement pattern, required range of motion, and your load progression. If you need to reduce spinal rotation, choose hip-dominant options (single-leg glute bridge) that emphasize concentric glute contraction. For limited hip external rotation, use side-lying clamshells with a slow eccentric to strengthen the lateral rotators. Consider equipment: bodyweight or banded progressions fit no-equipment sessions. Always cue: keep hips level, press through the heel, and maintain a neutral pelvis to maximize glute activation and limit compensatory lumbar extension.
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does Bent Knee Lying Twist (male) work?
The move primarily targets the glutes and hip external rotators while engaging obliques for controlled rotation. It biases the posterior chain by combining hip rotation with pelvic control, so you feel activation in the upper-leg and lateral hip rather than the spine.
What is the best bodyweight alternative to Bent Knee Lying Twist (male)?
The single-leg glute bridge is a top bodyweight substitute because it loads glute max through hip extension without spinal rotation. Cue: press the heel, drive the hip up until the torso is a straight line, and squeeze the glute at the top to maximize posterior chain activation.
Can I build muscle without doing Bent Knee Lying Twist (male)?
Yes. You can hypertrophy the glutes using progressive overload and movement variety—single-leg bridges, hip thrust holds, and clamshells all produce targeted glute activation. Focus on increasing time under tension, reps, or resistance while maintaining proper hip mechanics to stimulate growth.
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