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legs

Wall Sit

You sit against a wall with your thighs level with the floor and hold it. Builds endurance in the front of the thighs with no equipment.

beginnerwall

Wall Sit, start position
START
Wall Sit, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Find a clear wall and a floor your feet will not slip on.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Stand with your back against the wall and your feet about two feet out in front of you.
  2. Slide down the wall until your thighs are level with the floor, knees above your ankles.
  3. Press your whole back into the wall and rest your hands on your thighs or at your sides.

Check: Your thighs are level with the floor, your knees are directly above your ankles, and your back is flat against the wall.

Hold · hold 20 to 60 seconds

  1. Hold the position, breathing steadily. Keep pushing your back into the wall.

Check: Your thighs are still level and your back is still on the wall at the end of the hold.

That is one set. Slide up the wall to stand, rest, and repeat.

Breathe slowly and steadily for the whole hold.

MUSCLES WORKED
Wall Sit: muscles worked, front view
Wall Sit: muscles worked, back view

quadsglutescorecalves

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES3
  • Sitting higher than parallel as you tire. Fix: Hold a true parallel position, even if that means a shorter hold.
  • Knees ahead of the toes. Fix: Walk your feet further from the wall until your knees are above your ankles.
  • Pushing on your thighs with your hands. Fix: Rest your hands lightly; let your legs do the work.
SAFETY1
  • Stop if you feel pain in the front of the knee.
RELATED EXERCISES

easier: bodyweight squat

variants: bodyweight squat

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