Wall Sit Exercise Guide: How to Master Wall Sits

A wall sit is an isometric exercise involving muscle contraction while in a static position. Perform wall sits by standing in front of a wall with your feet shoulder-width apart. Press your back against the wall and lower yourself until your knees and hips are both at a right angle with your thighs parallel to the floor.

Consider some of the benefits of regularly practicing wall sits.

1. 1. Wall sits work muscles in your lower body. The wall sit exercise activates muscle groups throughout your lower body, including your quadriceps, glutes, hamstrings, and calves.
2. 2. Wall sits can increase your muscular endurance. As you practice this exercise more, you will be able to hold yourself in a wall sit position for longer periods of time, increasing muscular endurance for other exercises like running and skiing.
3. 3. Wall sits can enhance your stability. With proper form, wall sits use your abdominal muscles and lower back muscles as stabilizers.

For wall sits, begin by performing 2–3 sets of 30–60 seconds. Choose a length of time that allows you to maintain good technique throughout each set.

1. 1. Stand with your back against a wall and walk your feet 2 feet forward.
2. 2. Slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor, keeping your feet shoulder-width apart. Your knees should be over your ankles and bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. 3. Evenly distribute your weight and grip the floor with your feet to create a stable position. Rest your upper body and head against the wall. Your chin should remain tucked throughout the movement, as if you were holding an egg under your chin. Pre-tension your shoulders and hips while engaging your core. All repetitions should begin from this position.
4. 4. While maintaining your alignment and full-body tension, hold the squat position for your desired length of time.

Once you’re comfortable holding your body in a wall sit position, try one of these four variations.

1. 1. Single-leg wall sit: This unilateral variation activates your stabilizer muscles even more than a standard wall sit. Practice single-leg wall sits by lifting one leg off the ground during the exercise.
2. 2. Stability ball wall sit: By placing an exercise ball between your back and the wall, this variation puts emphasis on your balance and posture.
3. 3. Weighted wall sit: Practice this variation by holding a free weight like a weight plate or kettlebell. If you’re using a pair of dumbbells, consider performing an upper body exercise like a shoulder press or biceps curl during the exercise.
4. 4. Medicine ball wall sit: Perform this variation by holding a medicine ball between your legs during a wall sit. Medicine ball wall sits activate the adductor muscles along your inner thighs.

If you have a previous or pre-existing health condition, consult your physician before beginning an exercise program. Proper exercise technique is essential to ensure the safety and effectiveness of an exercise program, but you may need to modify each exercise to attain optimal results based on your individual needs. Always select a weight that allows you to have full control of your body throughout the movement. When performing any exercise, pay close attention to your body, and stop immediately if you note pain or discomfort.

In order to see continual progress and build body strength, incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program. Your results will ultimately be based on your ability to adequately recover from your workouts. Rest for 24 to 48 hours before training the same muscle groups to allow sufficient recovery.

Throw on some athleisure, fire up a MasterClass Annual Membership, and get ready to sweat it out with exclusive instructional videos from Nike Master Trainer and GQ fitness specialist Joe Holder. Want to improve your cardiovascular endurance? Give Joe’s HIIT workout a go. Trying to get a little swole? He’s got a strength training workout for that. From fitness tips to nutrition hacks, Joe will have you feeling healthier in no time.