Windshield Wiper

How to do the Windshield Wiper

1. Hang from a pull-up bar with an overhand grip or lie flat on the floor with arms extended to the sides for stability.
2. Raise your legs until they form a 90-degree angle with your torso, keeping them straight or slightly bent at the knees.
3. Rotate your legs together to one side in a controlled arc, lowering them as far as you can while maintaining tension.
4. Pause briefly at the bottom of the rotation, then reverse the movement back through center and continue to the opposite side.
5. Complete the desired number of repetitions, maintaining control throughout the entire range of motion.

Form tips

• Keep your shoulders stable and avoid swinging your body by engaging your lats and maintaining a firm grip or arm position.
• Control the descent on each side rather than letting momentum carry your legs, which ensures your core does the work.
• Maintain a consistent leg height throughout the movement instead of dropping your hips or letting your legs fall toward the ground.

Common mistakes

• Using momentum to swing the legs side to side reduces core engagement and turns the exercise into an uncontrolled pendulum motion.
• Allowing the shoulders to rotate excessively or the torso to twist shifts tension away from the abs and obliques.
• Dropping the legs too low or losing the 90-degree hip angle decreases time under tension and makes the movement less effective.

Sets and reps

For strength and hypertrophy, perform 3 to 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps per side, adjusting the range of motion or tempo to match your current ability level.

Frequently asked questions

Should I do windshield wipers hanging or lying down?

Hanging windshield wipers are more challenging because they require greater grip strength and shoulder stability in addition to core control. Lying windshield wipers are a good starting point to build rotational strength before progressing to the hanging variation.

How do I make windshield wipers easier?

Bend your knees to shorten the lever arm and reduce the load on your core, or decrease the range of motion by rotating only partway to each side. You can also perform the movement lying down instead of hanging to remove grip and shoulder demands.

What is the difference between windshield wipers and hanging knee raises?

Windshield wipers involve rotational movement side to side, targeting the obliques and anti-rotation strength, while hanging knee raises are a vertical flexion movement focused primarily on the lower abs. Both are effective core exercises but train different movement patterns.

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