Floor Windshield Wipers (Complete How To Guide)

Floor Windshield Wipers are an excellent core exercise that demands core strength, balance and shoulder stabilization.

In this guide, I’ll teach you how to do Floor Windshield Wipers including important coaching tips and a few alternatives in case you need them.

How To Do Floor Windshield Wipers

Equipment Needed

Barbell
Weight Plates* (optional)

Muscles Worked

Abdominal Core Muscles (Rectus Femoris, Obliques Externus Abdominus)
Quadriceps, Rectus Femoris
Tensor Fasciae Latae (TFL)

How To

Lie on the floor on your back, unrack a barbell and hold it directly over your chest.
With legs straight, lift them to six inches off the floor.
Keeping feet together, raise your feet up to the right side of the bar (or to the plate if you have them on the bar)
Lower your feet back to the starting position, six inches off the floor.
Immediately raise them up to the left side of the bar.
Continue alternating back and forth until all reps are completed.

Coaching Points

*Weight Plates are optional. You can do Floor Windshield Wipers with an empty bar, but they are typically done with either 25-pound plates or 45-pound plates on the bar.

Floor Windshield Wiper Alternatives

If you can’t do Floor Windshield Wipers, because they’re a little too difficult or you don’t have the proper equipment, here are a few alternatives that you can try to substitute in their place.

Suitcase Crunches

If you don’t have a barbell or just aren’t ready for Floor Windshield Wipers yet, Suitcase Crunches are a great alternative.

Suitcase Crunches are pretty close to the same movement, but without the bar. Sit on the ground with your legs extended straight out, six inches off the ground, and your torso leaning back at about a 45-degree angle.

Now, drive your knees and chest together (like closing a suitcase) and then extend back out. Keep your back and feet off the ground throughout the exercise.

Cross Body Mountain Climbers

Most of us probably did Mountain Climbers at some point in gym class growing up. Cross Body Mountain Climbers ramp up the ab involvement big time. From a pushup position drive one knee up, cross-body, to the opposite elbow.

Alternate back and forth until all reps are completed. You might be surprised just how much these can light your abs on fire.