Build Muscle Mass and Cardiovascular Endurance with One Simple Movement
It doesn’t take long to feel the benefits of a wall sit. Nor does it take any equipment. In less than a minute of sitting in a deep squat with your back pressed against the wall and your thighs perpendicular to the floor, a few things will happen: your thighs will start shaking, your heart rate will jump, over time—and with consistent repetition—you’ll get stronger and faster.
While this isometric movement might look easy, performing a wall sit can actually be a serious challenge for your body depending on how long you do it and what other tools you use. A static wall sit doesn’t just benefit your legs and thighs, it strengthens your back, quads, and core. When you add additional variations, like a weight or disrupting your balance, it will play out as a huge asset to your overall wellbeing. Plugging a wall sit into your fitness routine is a sound way to build strength and endurance (even if that’s just as a way to break up the time you spend sitting at your computer). There are a few ways to perform a wall sit, and we’re going to break them all down for you so you can wire them into your next exercise break.
A Dynamic Workout Movement
Before we walk you through all the ways you can sit, let’s discuss how deceivingly varied this simple movement can be. A wall sit is one way to build up your muscle mass is by holding wall sits for an ungodly amount of time. Maintaining a long wall sit is also another fun party trick, and a good skill to possess in order to win a contest. But if you’re not doing it to win a competition or a monetary reward, there are countless ways to shake up this simple movement to build strength and muscle mass. You can add weight, use a stability ball, keep one foot raised, or add in upper body movements using weights. Once your legs start quivering, you know you’re in the sweet spot. From there on, you can keep challenging yourself and let your muscles be your guide.
Benefits of a Wall Sit
It goes without saying that a wall sit is a surefire way to strengthen your legs and thighs. But did you know there are immeasurable benefits in addition to building stronger legs? Wall sits also improve your balance, strength your core, help build hard-to-target muscles like calves, and increase mindfulness (hey, it takes a lot of intentional focus to sit in one place for minutes at a time). Not only that, but performing a wall sit is a movement that is approachable and scalable. It’s suitable for everyone—regardless of where you are on your fitness journey.
Wall sits are an isometric movement, meaning you hold them in a static position instead of incorporating any movement. They come in all shapes and sizes, think planks, side planks, glute bridges, and calf holds. Despite holding one position in an isometric movement—like a wall sit—they’re actually beneficial to you deepening your mobility and flexibility and reducing signs of muscle stiffness. And even though you aren’t moving during an isometric hold, you are still increasing your heart rate which will help increase your cardiovascular endurance over time.
Know When to Push Ahead and When to Back Off
One of the reasons our coaches love prescribing a wall sit is because there are countless ways to scale it and for that reason, it’s a movement that will meet you wherever you are in your fitness journey. You can shift your position to sit higher or lower, add resistance for a weight wall sit, lift alternate legs for an extra challenge, and change positions throughout a series of wall sits to give yourself a dynamic—and challenging—workout.
Before we jump into the movements—and sit in them—here’s a friendly fitness reminder. While it’s important to constantly strive to break through your fitness plateau, it’s also necessary to be cognizant of your body’s limitations. If you are recovering from any injuries or prone to difficulty with your knees, there are ways to scale this movement that will accommodate your unique needs. If you feel any pain at all, stop and consult with one of our coaches to develop alternative movements.
Now, let’s begin!
How to Do a Proper Wall Sit
The Perfect Wall Sit
- Make sure your back is flat against the wall.
- Place your feet firmly on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and then about two feet out from the wall.
- Slide your back down the wall while keeping your core engaged and bending your legs until they’re in a 90-degree angle—or right angle, so that if someone wanted to sit on your lap, they could. (Although now probably isn’t the best time.) Your knees should be directly above your ankles, not jutting out in front of them.
- HOLD your position, while contracting your ab muscles.
- When you’re ready to wrap it up, take a few seconds to slowly come back to a standing position while leaning against the wall.
Modification: If you are one of the many people who are uncomfortable or unable to hold a wall sit at a 90-degree angle, don’t slide down as far. Instead, go for a 45- or 30-degree angle between your quads and torso. You can also decrease the time of your wall sit exercises by several seconds, then work your way up to holding for longer periods of time.
Wall sits are more about form and less about ridiculous hold times. Keep that pelvis tucked under, that lower back against the wall, shoulders down and pressed against the wall (along with your head), and smile! It’s a neat cheat to make your body think you like this. Of course, eventually you will. We promise.
Okay, now that you’ve mastered the basics, it’s time to bring in the props!
Stability Ball Wall Squat
- Stand with your arms by your sides and a stability ball positioned between your lower back and a wall.
- Squat down with your feet firmly on the ground at about shoulder-width apart, lowering your body toward the floor and rolling your back along the ball while keeping that core tight.
- Push through your heels while exhaling and taking a few seconds to slowly return to the start position.
Reps: 5-10 for beginners/10-15 for others
Note: Inhale on the descent and exhale on the ascent. You may also want to reach your arms forward as you squat to help with balance. This one works the muscles in your legs and glutes and it’s perfect for beginners. By placing yourself at a 45-degree angle and pinning the ball against the wall with the small of your back using your body weight, you can benefit from a larger range of motion without the risk of injury. People also find this version easier psychologically because they are focusing on the ball and not how tired and sore their legs might be. Cool trick!
Uni-Wall Squat
- Stand on one foot, holding dumbbells (optional) at your sides, with the ball positioned in your lower back, level against a wall.
- With a tight core and your feet shoulder-width apart, squat down, lowering your body toward the floor, and rolling your back along the ball.
- Push through your heel as you exhale and take at least three seconds to return to the start position, keeping one foot raised throughout.
Reps: 5-10 for beginners/10-15 for others
This one starts to get the arms involved and adds a balance trick while also working the inner thighs. If you imagine your lifted heel turned slightly in and up, your adductors will engage and begin to fire. Lots of gear in this version but also lots to gain with the extra accoutrement. And again, the more props, the more focus on those than whatever discomfort you might feel. The longer you go, the stronger you grow!
Add Upper Body Exercises
Just holding extra weight will increase the intensity of your sit. Then, adding movements can make it even more complex and get all your muscle groups in on the action.
Wall Squat Lat Raise
- Stand with your back against a wall, holding dumbbells by your sides.
- With your feet shoulder-width apart, slide your back down the wall while keeping your core engaged and coming into a squat position, bending at the hips and knees and keeping the dumbbells at your sides, with your arms straight.
- Raise the dumbbells up and outward to the sides, to shoulder height, bending at the elbows.
- Hold your squat for the entire set of reps. (5-10 for beginners/10-15 for others.)
- Come back up by releasing your quads, pushing through your heels and sliding your arms slowly down by your sides.
Lunges, lats, and right angles everywhere. Here, we start to do something with those weights in our hands and we get the back and shoulder muscles into the act. We don’t often look at our own lats but when they’re toned, the people standing in line behind you will want to know your secret. And you can tell them, “It’s the wall squat lat raise, of course.” The other upside of having a fit upper body is you can lift things more easily, it improves your posture, and you tend to have less neck pain. Win, win!
Wall Squat Press
- Stand with your back against a wall holding dumbbells by your sides.
- Slide your back down the wall with a strong core and your feet shoulder-width apart, coming into a squat position, bending at the hips and knees and keeping the dumbbells at your sides with your arms straight.
- Raise the dumbbells up and outward to the sides to shoulder height, keeping your arms straight or with a slight bend at the elbows.
- Hold your squat for the entire set of reps. (5-10 for beginners/10-15 for others.)
Note: You can switch out the dumbbells for a medicine ball if you prefer.
Arms high, booty low, that’s the only way to go. (For this exercise, anyway.) At first this movement might feel like that trick where you try and pat your head while simultaneously rubbing your tummy. Everything is moving in the opposite direction at once, and it can be a little discombobulating. But after you do it for a few weeks, your fitness will be in perfect harmony, because you are literally working everything from head to toe.
Wall Squat Curl
- Stand leaning on a ball against a wall, positioned in your low back, holding dumbbells at your sides.
- Squat down with a tight core and feet shoulder-width apart, lowering your body toward the floor, rolling your back along the ball, keeping your arms straight by your sides.
- Raise the dumbbells up to shoulder height, bending at the elbows, finishing with your palms facing forward.
- Hold your squat for the entire set of reps. (5-10 for beginners/10-15 for others.)
- Come back up by releasing your quads, pushing through your heels and releasing your arms at your sides.
Where Will You Wall Sit Next?
Now you know where there’s a wall there’s a way (to exercise). These days it seems we’re rich in walls, which means you can weave a nice, long sit into any chapter of your day. Plus, it’s a suitable movement for everyone, from beginner to pro. If you’re trying to build an exercise regimen that has varied exercises, you can add in different movements in addition to your wall sits, too. Try a simple squat using our top fitness tips. Or ideate ways to strength your back with these simple exercises. Then double dip on building up your quads with this leg blaster workout.
