Core · Bodyweight
Windshield Wipers
How to do the windshield wipers, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Bodyweight
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Rotation
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie on your back with your arms extended out to your sides and legs lifted to 90° so your feet are above your hips. Keeping your shoulders anchored to the floor, lower your legs together to one side until they are just above the floor. Engage your core to lift your legs back to center and then lower them to the opposite side. Continue sweeping your legs side to side like windshield wipers in a controlled manner.
- 1Feel your obliques and lower abs controlling your legs as they sweep side to side
- 2Keep your arms out to the sides for balance and shoulders anchored
- 3Move slowly to maximize time under tension
Common mistakes
- Avoid lifting your shoulders off the ground or swinging your legs
- Don't rush through the movement; control the swing
- Avoid arching your lower back; press it into the floor
Muscles worked
The windshield wipers mainly works the obliques, upper abs, and lower abs.
- ObliquesPrimary
- Upper AbsPrimary
- Lower AbsPrimary
- QuadsMinor
- GlutesMinor
Kovo programs the windshield wipers for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More abs & core exercises
- How to do the ab wheel rollout
- How to do the ankle tap plank
- How to do the ankle taps
- How to do the resistance band dead bugs
- How to do the resistance band pallof press
- How to do the rollout
Last reviewed April 2026.