Exercise details
- Target muscle: Sternal (Lower) Pectoralis Major
- Synergists: Clavicular (Upper) Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii, Biceps Brachii, Brachialis, Brachioradialis
- Mechanics: Compound
- Force: Push
Starting position
- Get on your hands and knees, with your hands positioned wider than shoulder width apart.
- Extend your feet backward, and straighten your body so that you are supporting your bodyweight on your hands and toes.
Execution
- Keeping your body straight and rigid, lower your chest as far toward one side as possible.
- Keeping your chest close to the floor, shift your body as far as you can to the opposite side.
- Keep alternating the side to which you shift your body while keeping your chest close to the floor.
- Breathe naturally.
Comments and tips
- The isometric wiper is not a mass-building exercise. Use it either to warm up your chest at the start of a chest workout or to burn it out at the end of a chest workout.
- Your pectoralis major and anterior deltoid are mainly exercised isometrically, whereas your triceps brachii is exercised dynamically.
- Your elbow flexors (biceps brachii, brachialis, and brachioradialis) get involved to a significant degree only if you position your hands out very wide, like in the video.
- If you perform the isometric wiper with a very wide hand position, point your fingers out to the sides to reduce the pressure on your wrists.
