How to do the Wipers (Straight Leg)
CoreAbsBodyweightIntermediate
Straight-leg wipers are one of the most demanding rotational core exercises you can do with just your bodyweight, requiring full-body tension and genuine rotational strength rather than momentum. Master this movement and you build the kind of anti-rotation control that transfers directly to athletic performance and real-world resilience.
Add this to my personalized plan →Muscles worked
Primary
AbdominalsObliques
Secondary
Hip flexorsLower back
Step-by-step
- Lie flat on your back, press your arms wide into the floor for a stable base, and raise both straight legs to vertical.
- Brace your entire core as if preparing for impact, then slowly lower both legs together to one side, stopping a few inches above the floor.
- Reverse the movement with control, driving your legs back through vertical and down to the opposite side without letting your upper back lift.
- Complete the full arc in a slow, deliberate tempo, keeping legs locked straight and feet together throughout each rep.
Common mistakes
- Bending the knees to make the movement easier reduces the lever arm and strips away most of the core demand, so commit to fully locked-out legs on every rep.
- Letting the arms and shoulders peel off the floor means your hips are rotating passively rather than your core doing the work, so actively press your hands and upper back into the ground the entire time.
- Using momentum to swing the legs through the range of motion turns a strength exercise into a pendulum drill, so slow the tempo down and pause briefly at the bottom of each side to eliminate all swing.
Pro tip — As your legs descend to each side, consciously drive the opposite hip down into the floor, this counter-pressure creates full oblique engagement from both sides simultaneously rather than just the side being loaded.
Sets & reps by goal
Build muscle3–4 sets × 10–15 reps
Get stronger3–4 sets × 6–8 reps
Lose fat / tone3 sets × 12–20 reps
Rest: 60–90 sec between sets.
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