Floor Windshield Wiper

What is Floor Windshield Wiper:

The Floor Windshield Wiper is a spinal rotation exercise, primarily working the obliques. The exercise involves lying on your back with your legs straight up and moving them in a controlled side-to-side motion, mimicking the movement of windshield wipers.

Key Benefits:

  • Size and Strength: Works primarily the obliques, promoting muscle growth and strength improvement.
  • Improved Rotational Power: Enhances your ability to perform twisting motions, benefiting sports and daily activities that require rotational strength.
  • Functional Strength: Improves lateral spinal flexion strength, spinal rotation strength, core stability, and overall fitness, improving performance in daily activities and sports.
  • Convenience: This exercise can be performed virtually anywhere without equipment, making it accessible and convenient for most individuals.

Variations:

  • Heel Tap: A simple obliques exercise that involves lying on your back and crunching your obliques by tapping your heels / lateral flexion.
  • Russian Twist: A core exercise that targets the obliques through controlled twisting motions of the torso.
  • Side Plank Raise: A plank variation that works the obliques primarily through spinal lateral flexions.
  • Hanging Windshield Wiper: A similar exercise done hanging on a bar instead of lying on your back.

How to perform Floor Windshield Wipers:

  • Starting Position: Lie flat on your back with your arms extended to your sides, palms pressing into the floor for stability. Lift your legs straight up, perpendicular to the ground.
  • Execution: Slowly lower your legs together to one side in a controlled arc while keeping them straight and engaged core. Return your legs to the starting position, then repeat the movement to the opposite side.
  • Repetition: Repeat the movement in an alternating order for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Inhale: Inhale at the starting position.
  • Exhale: Exhale after returning to the starting position.
  • Hamstrings Flexibility Issue: Feel free to bend your knees as needed.
  • Pelvic Position: Maintain a posterior pelvic tilt for optimal performance.
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    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Focusing only on the Concentric or Eccentric phase
    • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
    • Doing it with your legs tucked
    • Using external force for support - resistance bands, a partner or something
    • Regressing to an easier variation/exercise

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Playing with the Tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
    • Adding resistance - wearing an ankle weight
    • Progressing to a harder variation/exercise