# Windmill Toe Touch

A standing bodyweight drill: from arms held out to the sides, you push your hips back and rotate so one hand reaches toward the opposite foot while the other arm points up. Trains trunk rotation through the obliques and moves the hips and lower back through a full range.

- Beginner · Mobility
- Equipment: 
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/bodyweight-windmill/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/windmill-toe-touch/

## Muscles worked

- Obliques: 7/10
- Lower back: 5/10
- Abs: 4/10

## How to do the Windmill Toe Touch

1. Stand with feet shoulder width, arms straight out to the sides.
2. Push your hips back and rotate toward the opposite foot.
3. Reach one hand down, the other arm straight up.
4. Return to standing and alternate sides.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Stand with feet about shoulder width apart and your knees nearly straight.
2. Raise both arms straight out to the sides at shoulder height, palms down.
3. Push your hips back and rotate your torso to reach one hand toward the opposite foot.
4. Point your other arm straight up so both arms form one vertical line.
5. Keep both feet flat and still on the floor throughout the rep.
6. Rotate back and stand up with your arms out at shoulder height again.
7. Repeat toward the other foot, alternating sides each rep.

## Common mistakes

- Swinging the torso with momentum
- Bending sideways instead of rotating
- Letting the top arm drop forward
- Bouncing out of the bottom
- Rounding through the lower back

## Form cues

- Push hips back
- Reach to opposite foot
- Top arm points up
- Keep whole foot planted
- Move through the trunk

## How much to do

- **Strength**: 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps · rest 1 min · 4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s
- **Muscle growth**: 2–3 sets of 12–16 reps · rest 45 s · 4 reps in reserve · lower 2 s, lift 2 s
- **Endurance**: 2–3 sets of 16–24 reps · rest 30 s · 4–5 reps in reserve · lower 1 s, lift 1 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Standing Thoracic Rotation](https://seto.fit/exercises/standing-thoracic-rotation/) — Beginner
- **This exercise: Windmill Toe Touch — Beginner**
- Harder: [Plank to Lunge with Rotation](https://seto.fit/exercises/plank-to-lunge-with-rotation/) — 35% of bodyweight

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Windmill Toe Touch work?

Primary: Obliques 7/10. Also works: Lower back 5/10, Abs 4/10.

### When should I do the Windmill Toe Touch in a workout?

Warm-up. Done at the start to get the body ready. ≈ 4 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Windmill Toe Touch?

Strength: 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps, rest 1 min, 4 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 2–3 sets of 12–16 reps, rest 45 s, 4 reps in reserve. Endurance: 2–3 sets of 16–24 reps, rest 30 s, 4–5 reps in reserve.

### What is an easier version of the Windmill Toe Touch?

Standing Thoracic Rotation (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Windmill Toe Touch?

Plank to Lunge with Rotation (35% of bodyweight).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/