Wipers (straight leg)
- Zielmuskel
- Obliques
- Equipment
- Body weight
- Körperregion
- Waist
- Typ
- Strength
Wipers (straight leg) is a floor core exercise that targets the obliques by rotating your straight legs from side to side like windshield wipers while you lie on your back. It requires no equipment and challenges rotational control through the full range of motion. Use it to build anti-rotation strength and lateral core stability.
Wipers (straight leg): So führst du sie aus
- 1Lie flat on your back on the floor with your arms extended straight out to your sides at shoulder height, palms facing down for support.
- 2Raise both legs until they are perpendicular to the floor, squeezing them together and keeping your knees locked straight.
- 3Brace your core and press your lower back gently into the floor before you begin moving.
- 4Slowly lower both legs together to the right, rotating through the waist while keeping your shoulders flat on the floor.
- 5Lower your legs as far as you can control without your opposite shoulder lifting off the floor — this is your end range.
- 6Pause briefly at the bottom, then use your obliques to pull your legs back up to the vertical starting position.
- 7Repeat the movement to the left side, lowering with control and returning under power.
- 8Continue alternating sides for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining a slow and deliberate tempo throughout.
Technik-Tipps
- Keep your legs pressed firmly together throughout the movement — separating them reduces rotational load on the obliques.
- Let your hips rotate naturally as your legs descend; the rotation comes from the waist, not from pulling with your arms.
- Control the lowering phase — resist gravity rather than dropping your legs, as the eccentric portion is where most of the oblique work happens.
- If your lower back arches excessively at your current range, shorten the range of motion until you build the core strength to go deeper.
- Breathe out as you return your legs to vertical to stay braced through the hardest part of each rep.
Häufige Fehler
- Letting the opposite shoulder lift off the floor, which means you are rotating past your controlled range and offloading the obliques.
- Dropping the legs too quickly under gravity instead of lowering with control, which wastes the eccentric load and can strain the lower back.
- Bending the knees during the movement, which shortens the lever arm and significantly reduces the demand on the core.
- Pulling with the arms or gripping the floor aggressively to compensate for weak rotational control, masking the real range of motion you can handle.
- Holding your breath throughout the set, which causes intra-abdominal pressure to spike and leads to early fatigue.
Häufig gestellte Fragen
What muscles do straight leg wipers work?
Straight leg wipers primarily target the obliques, which control the rotation and deceleration of your legs as they swing from side to side.
How is the straight leg wiper different from the bent-knee version?
Keeping the legs straight creates a longer lever arm, making the movement significantly harder and placing greater demand on the obliques. The bent-knee version is a suitable regression for beginners.
How many reps should I do for wipers?
Start with 3 sets of 8–12 total reps (4–6 per side) using a slow, controlled tempo. Progress by increasing reps or slowing the lowering phase before adding volume.
Why do my shoulders keep coming off the floor?
Your shoulders lift when your obliques can no longer control the rotation at that range of motion. Shorten your range — stop the descent earlier — until you build the strength to go lower with your shoulders flat.
Is this exercise safe for people with lower back pain?
Rotational core exercises can aggravate some lower back conditions. If you have a history of lower back issues, consult a healthcare professional before attempting this movement, and always stop if you feel pain in the spine.
