How to Do the Windshield Wipers

Windshield wipers are an advanced core move where you lower straight legs side to side while lying on your back. They load the obliques with a long lever and challenge rotational control. They suit lifters who can already do hanging or lying leg raises cleanly.

Obliques BodyweightAdvanced

Log every set of your Windshield Wipers in Superlift

Muscles worked

Primary

Obliques

Secondary

How to do the Windshield Wipers

1
Lie on your back with arms out to the sides, palms down.
2
Lift your legs straight up to the ceiling.
3
Brace your abs and press your lower back to the floor.
4
Lower both legs together toward one side.
5
Stop before your shoulders or back come up.
6
Pull your legs back to the center using your obliques.
7
Repeat to the other side.

Form cues to remember

Keep your shoulders glued down
Move your legs as one
Stop before control is lost
Return to center, don't swing

Common mistakes

Shoulders lifting off the floor

Shorten the range and press your palms down.

Letting legs flop

Control both directions and slow the tempo.

Lower back arching

Bend your knees to shorten the lever.

Rushing the reps

Take a full two seconds each way.

Sets and reps

Strength	3 sets of 6–10 total reps, 90 seconds rest
Muscle growth	3 sets of 8–12 slow reps
Endurance	2–3 sets of 12–16 reps

Straight legs create a long lever that can strain the lower back. Bend your knees or reduce the range if your back arches.

Superlift for iPhone

Track your Windshield Wipers and watch it go up

Superlift shows what you lifted last time, times your rest, and charts your strength week by week, so you always know what to beat. Every exercise in this library is built in, with the same demos and tutorials.