One of my all time favorite exercises are the Abdominal Barbell Wipers also known as the Barbell Ab Floor Wiper Exercise.
Barbell wipers really target those oblique muscles which you use to bring your legs back up.
– Begin with a barbell (either just the bar or loaded with the weight of your choosing) and lie down flat on the floor.
– Press the barbell over head and using your upper body, maintain that contracted position.
– Extend your legs up over head. In a controlled manner, allow your legs to fall to one side just low enough that you are still able to maintain control of the abdominal movement.
– Contracting your oblique ab muscles, lift your legs back up to the starting position.
– Switch sides by repeating this movement on the opposite side forming a ‘windshield wiper’ type motion.
That is why this abs workout for women exercise is referred to as abdominal barbell wipers.
Complete 10 on each side.
**Julie’s Pro Tip: DO NOT use a weight bench for the abdominal barbell wiper ab exercise! It is far too easy to actually fall off the bench. Instead, the floor is the best choice. If you find that using straight legs makes this ab exercise too difficult, you can bend at the knees and allow your feet to come closer to your glutes as you complete the ab barbell wipers.
Barbell Ab Wipers demonstrated by online fitness coach, Julie Lohre