10 Best Lever Kneeling Twist Alternatives for Oblique Strength

The Lever Kneeling Twist is done kneeling with a lever machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Oblique Crunch, the Seated Side Crunch (Wall) and the 45° Side Bend.

Updated Ranked by our 12-factor similarity model How it works

Original Exercise: Lever Kneeling Twist

Lever Kneeling TwistPlay demonstration
Primary muscle
Abs
Equipment
Lever
Difficulty
Beginner
Type
Isolation

Secondary muscles: Obliques, Lower Back

How to perform Lever Kneeling Twist
  1. Adjust the seat height and position yourself on the machine with your knees resting on the pads and your upper body facing forward.
  2. Grasp the handles or the sides of the machine for stability.
  3. Keeping your core engaged, twist your torso to one side as far as comfortably possible.
  4. Pause for a moment, then slowly return to the starting position.
  5. Repeat the twist to the opposite side.
  6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.
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Ranked Lever Kneeling Twist Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Lever Kneeling Twist on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

  1. Best match
    Oblique CrunchPlay demonstration

    1. Oblique Crunch

    74% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the abs with bodyweight alone.

    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the ground, rotating your torso to one side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the starting position.
    5. Repeat on the other side.
    6. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not kneeling
  2. Seated Side Crunch (Wall)Play demonstration

    2. Seated Side Crunch (Wall)

    74% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the floor with your back against a wall and your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the floor, hip-width apart.
    3. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    4. Engage your abs and lean to one side, bringing your elbow towards your hip.
    5. Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat on the other side.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: seated, not kneeling
  3. 45° Side BendPlay demonstration

    3. 45° Side Bend

    71% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your arms extended straight down by your sides.
    2. Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, slowly bend your torso to one side, lowering your hand towards your knee.
    3. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then slowly return to the starting position.
    4. Repeat on the other side.
    5. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, not kneeling
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever Kneeling Twist
  4. Elbow-to-kneePlay demonstration

    4. Elbow-to-knee

    71% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start by lying flat on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground.
    2. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your upper body off the ground, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
    4. At the same time, bring your left knee towards your right elbow, creating a twisting motion.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your upper body and extend your legs back to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the movement, this time bringing your left elbow towards your right knee and your right knee towards your left elbow.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not kneeling
  5. Spine TwistPlay demonstration

    5. Spine Twist

    71% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the ground with your legs extended in front of you.
    2. Bend your knees and place your feet flat on the ground, hip-width apart.
    3. Place your hands behind your head with your elbows pointing outwards.
    4. Engage your abs and slowly twist your torso to the right, bringing your right elbow towards your left knee.
    5. Pause for a moment at the end of the twist, then slowly return to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the twist to the left side, bringing your left elbow towards your right knee.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: anti-rotation twist, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: seated, not kneeling
  6. Twisted Leg RaisePlay demonstration

    6. Twisted Leg Raise

    70% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on your back with your legs extended and your arms by your sides.
    2. Place your hands under your glutes for support.
    3. Engage your abs and lift both legs off the ground, keeping them straight.
    4. As you lift your legs, twist your hips to one side, bringing your legs towards your opposite shoulder.
    5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
    6. Repeat the movement, this time twisting your hips to the other side.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not kneeling
  7. Russian TwistPlay demonstration

    7. Russian Twist

    68% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Intermediate
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Sit on the ground with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
    2. Lean back slightly while keeping your back straight and your core engaged.
    3. Hold your hands together in front of your chest or hold a weight if desired.
    4. Lift your feet off the ground, balancing on your sit bones.
    5. Twist your torso to the right, bringing your hands or weight towards the right side of your body.
    6. Pause for a moment, then twist your torso to the left, bringing your hands or weight towards the left side of your body.
    7. Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps on each side.

    Why this matches
    • Movement: anti-rotation twist, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: seated, not kneeling
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever Kneeling Twist
  8. Oblique Crunches

    8. Oblique Crunches

    67% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. For this exercise, you will need to put one hand beside your head and the other to the side against the floor.
    2. Make sure your feet are elevated and resting on a flat surface.
    3. Now lift the shoulder in which your hand is touching your head.
    4. Simply elevate your shoulder and body upward until you touch your knee. For example, if you have your right hand besides your head, then you want to elevate your body upwards until your right elbow touches your left knee. The same variation can be applied doing the inverse and using your left elbow to touch your right knee.
    5. After your knee touches your elbow, lower your body until you have reached the starting position.
    6. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (upward) part of the exercise.
    7. Continue alternating in this manner until all of the recommended repetitions for each side have been completed.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not kneeling
  9. Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

    9. Oblique Crunches - On The Floor

    67% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Start out by lying on your right side with your legs lying on top of each other. Make sure your knees are bent a little bit.
    2. Place your left hand behind your head.
    3. Once you are in this set position, begin by moving your left elbow up as you would perform a normal crunch except this time the main emphasis is on your obliques.
    4. Crunch as high as you can, hold the contraction for a second and then slowly drop back down into the starting position.
    5. Remember to breathe in during the eccentric (lowering) part of the exercise and to breathe out during the concentric (elevation) part of the exercise.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not kneeling
  10. Oblique Crunches FloorPlay demonstration

    10. Oblique Crunches Floor

    67% match
    • Abs
    • Bodyweight
    • Beginner
    • Isolation
    How to perform this exercise
    1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
    2. Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest.
    3. Engage your abs and lift your shoulder blades off the floor, rotating your torso to one side.
    4. Pause for a moment, then lower your shoulder blades back down to the floor.
    5. Repeat on the other side, alternating sides with each repetition.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps on each side, and add reps before you add load.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: abs, the same as the Lever Kneeling Twist
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: lying on your back, not kneeling

Why You Might Need a Lever Kneeling Twist Alternative

The Lever Kneeling Twist depends on one machine to hold your hips steady while you rotate, and that single piece of kit is what makes it hard to replace on demand: the machine is taken, the gym has none, or you train at home with nothing built for kneeling. Once the machine is gone, something else has to hold your lower body steady while you turn. A barbell held with both hands does that job standing or seated, a cable stack or a band does it from a fixed anchor, and the floor does it lying, seated against a wall or standing with your own bodyweight. Picking the right swap for the Lever Kneeling Twist comes down to what you can brace against.

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