- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternIsolation
- Repsheld for time
- Joint loadNone flagged
Stand with your back against a wall and walk your feet out about a long step in front of you.
First cueKeep your knees over your ankles.
How to do the Wall Sit
Set up. Stand with your back against a wall and walk your feet out about a long step in front of you.
- Slide down the wall until your thighs are about level with the floor or as low as is comfortable.
- Hold the position with your back flat on the wall.
- Slide back up at the end of the time.
Form cues
- Keep your knees over your ankles.
- Keep the whole back on the wall.
- Breathe steadily.
Common mistakes
- Resting the hands on the thighs to push.
- Letting the knees drift inward.
Muscles worked
Main target: Quads. The quadriceps are four muscles at the front of the thigh. They straighten the knee: squats, lunges, leg presses and every stair.
On the way: Glutes.
Its other side: Hamstrings and Glutes, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Wall Sit, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Banded Hamstring Curl Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Single-Leg Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Monster Walk Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Wall Sit first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Wall Sit 3 × 30 to 60 s
- Banded Hamstring Curl 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Single-Leg Calf Raise 3 × 8 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Monster Walk 3 × 10 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat
Kettlebell
Gym or cable swap
Leg Extension
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Bodyweight Squat.
Other variations of the Bodyweight Squat: Pistol Squat.
Its variations: Spanish Squat.
Do before it: Bodyweight Squat (same movement, lighter), Ankle Mobilisation (ankle range), Deep Squat Hold (same movement, lighter) and 90/90 Hip Switch (hip range).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Wall Sit is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Wall Sit?
Set up: Stand with your back against a wall and walk your feet out about a long step in front of you. Steps: 1. Slide down the wall until your thighs are about level with the floor or as low as is comfortable. 2. Hold the position with your back flat on the wall. 3. Slide back up at the end of the time. Form cues: Keep your knees over your ankles. Keep the whole back on the wall. Breathe steadily. Common mistakes: Resting the hands on the thighs to push. Letting the knees drift inward.
What muscles does the Wall Sit work?
It trains the quads as its main target and works the glutes on the way.
What can I do instead of the Wall Sit?
At home: Heel-Elevated Goblet Squat. In a gym: Leg Extension. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Wall Sit with?
Good partners in the same workout are Banded Hamstring Curl, Single-Leg Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Monster Walk.