Half Wipers (Bent Leg)
Half Wipers (Bent Leg) Exercise Description
Half Wipers (bent leg) are a controlled trunk-rotation core exercise performed on the floor. With hips and knees flexed, you rotate the legs side to side through a comfortable mid‑range, then return to center without touching down. The movement emphasizes the obliques while the rectus abdominis and deep abdominal wall brace to resist excessive lumbar motion; the bent‑knee position shortens the lever arm and reduces torque compared with straight‑leg variations. Keeping the shoulder blades anchored and the ribs stacked over the pelvis promotes spinal control and minimizes unwanted arching. Use smooth, deliberate motion to train rotational control and stability rather than momentum.
- Muscle Groups: Abs, Obliques, Waist
- Target Muscles: External Obliques
- Assisting Muscles: Internal Obliques
- Stabilizing Muscles: Multifidus, Psoas Major, Quadratus Lumborum, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Upper Body
- Body Parts: Core
- Body Surface: Side
- Body Symmetry: Other
- Equipment: Bodyweight
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Trunk Lateral Flexors, Trunk Rotators
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Side Abs
- Movement Direction: Rotational
- Muscle Position: Lateral
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Half Wipers (Bent Leg) Exercise
‘- Lie supine with arms out in a T for broad base of support; engage your midsection as if preparing for a cough.
– Lift hips and knees to about 90° (tabletop). Knees and feet stay together; toes relaxed.
– Set ribs “down” toward the pelvis and keep shoulder blades lightly pressed to the floor.
– Inhale to prepare. Rotate both legs as one unit to one side under control, keeping the opposite shoulder blade down.
– Stop before your low back arches or your shoulder lifts; maintain smooth tension through the trunk.
– Exhale as you draw the legs back to center using the obliques, keeping the pelvis level at midline.
– Repeat to the other side, matching range and tempo.
– Keep the neck long and gaze up; avoid craning or pressing the head.
– Move through a controlled, mid‑range—no bouncing, swinging, or touching the floor with the knees/feet.
– If the low back begins to arch or the ribs flare, reduce the range and re‑brace before continuing.
Half Wipers (Bent Leg) Tips
‘- Lie on your back with arms out in a T to create a broad base of support before lifting the legs.
– Brace your midsection as if preparing for a cough and keep that tension throughout the movement.
– Lift hips and knees to about 90° (tabletop), keeping knees and feet together with toes relaxed.
– Gently draw the ribs “down” toward the pelvis and keep the shoulder blades lightly pressed into the floor.
– Inhale to prepare, then rotate both legs together as one unit to the side under control.
– Only rotate as far as you can without your low back arching or the opposite shoulder blade lifting.
– Exhale as you draw the legs back to center using the obliques, keeping the pelvis level at midline.
– Keep the neck long with your gaze up, avoiding craning or pressing the head into the floor.
– Use a smooth, controlled mid-range of motion—no bouncing, swinging, or touching the floor with the knees or feet.
– If the low back starts to arch or the ribs flare, reduce the range of motion and re-brace before continuing.
Half Wipers (Bent Leg) Beginner Introduction
Half Wipers (bent leg) is a floor-based core exercise that blends gentle rotation with strong midsection bracing. In this movement, a person lies on their back with legs bent and lifted, and both legs sweep together from side to side through a comfortable, hovering arc before returning through the middle. The effort centers on the side abs as they rotate and control the legs, while the abs deep in the stomach area support the spine so the lower back stays stable rather than twisting excessively. Because the knees are bent, the legs act as a shorter lever, which lessens the rotational load compared with straight-leg versions.
The upper body rests wide on the mat, shoulder area grounded, while the pelvis and legs create the motion. Ribs and hips stay aligned to encourage organized, controlled movement instead of arching or flaring through the torso. The exercise emphasizes slow, smooth transitions and even range from one side to the other, relying on muscle control instead of swinging. Steady, calm breathing pairs with this controlled tempo to reinforce trunk stability and overall core awareness.