Exercise
Half Wipers (Bent Leg)
Half Wipers (Bent Leg) is a controlled core exercise that builds strength and coordination by moving the legs side to side while staying stable on the floor.
Half Wipers (Bent Leg)
Half Wipers (Bent Leg) involves lying on your back with your knees bent and lowering them from side to side in a slow, controlled motion. The exercise is useful for training core control and rotational strength while keeping the movement manageable compared to full leg wipers.
You should feel this exercise mainly through your abs and sides of your waist, with your upper body staying steady on the floor. Focus on keeping your shoulders down, controlling the tempo, and moving only as far as you can without your lower back lifting or losing control.
This movement fits well into core-focused workouts, warm-ups, or strength circuits. To make it easier, reduce the range of motion and keep the knees closer to the center, and to make it harder, lower the legs further toward the floor or slow down the movement to increase time under tension.
How to Perform the Half Wipers (Bent Leg)
- Lie flat on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and feet lifted off the ground, stacking your knees directly over your hips.
- Extend your arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height with your palms facing down for stability.
- Engage your core by drawing your navel toward your spine while maintaining a neutral lower back position against the floor.
- Keeping your knees together and bent at 90 degrees, slowly lower both knees to the right side as far as possible without lifting your shoulders off the floor.
- Exhale as you use your oblique muscles to pull your knees back to the center position, maintaining the 90-degree bend throughout the movement.
- Without pausing, continue the motion by lowering your bent knees to the left side while keeping your upper back and shoulders pressed firmly into the floor.
- Inhale during the lowering phase and exhale as you return to center, focusing on controlling the movement with your core rather than momentum.
- Repeat the full side-to-side motion at a controlled pace, ensuring your shoulder blades remain in contact with the ground throughout the entire exercise.
Important information
- Keep your shoulders pressed firmly into the ground throughout the entire exercise to isolate the core and protect your lower back.
- Modify the range of motion by not lowering your legs as far to the sides if you feel any strain in your lower back.
- Focus on quality of movement rather than speed, especially when first learning this exercise.
- If you experience any lower back discomfort, try placing your hands under your lower back for additional support.
FAQ - Half Wipers (Bent Leg)
Half Wipers primarily target your entire core region, with emphasis on the rectus abdominis (six-pack muscles) and internal/external obliques during the rotational movement. Your transverse abdominis also engages isometrically throughout the exercise to stabilize your spine.
To make Half Wipers easier, reduce your range of motion or keep your legs higher toward the ceiling. For a greater challenge, extend your legs further (still maintaining the bend), add a small weight between your feet, or increase time under tension by slowing down each repetition.
The bent-leg variation is generally safer than straight-leg wipers as it reduces lumbar strain, but anyone with existing back problems should start cautiously. Keep your lower back pressed firmly into the floor throughout the movement and stop if you feel any pain beyond normal muscle fatigue.
The most common mistakes include rounding your lower back, rotating your hips instead of keeping them square, rushing through the movement, and not hinging properly at the hips. Focus on maintaining a neutral spine, moving with control, and keeping your standing knee slightly soft rather than locked.
Incorporate Half Wipers 2-3 times weekly within your core training, allowing at least 48 hours for recovery between sessions. Start with 2-3 sets of 8-12 repetitions per side, focusing on quality movement rather than high repetition counts.
Half Wipers (Bent Leg)
Exercise Details
Primary Muscles
Muscle Groups
Mechanic
Risk Areas
Built for progress
Take the guesswork out of training
Create personalized AI-powered workout plans that evolve with you. Train smarter, track every rep and keep moving forward, one workout at a time.
