This 10 Minute Wall Sit Workout Is All You Need
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If we asked you to name one dreaded lower body exercise, what would you pick? We’re guessing that an overwhelming amount of you would say: wall sits! That’s because this isometric exercise has a specific way of firing up the quads and the glutes (read: thighs and booty!) into a uniquely intense burn!
This wall sit burn comes from the difficulty of staying low in that hold while you simultaneously challenge your muscular endurance. What you’re left with is an exercise that allows you to get stronger, all while you…sit. Get it?
Full workout series here.
How to Do a Correct Wall Sit Exercise
Sure, the wall sit looks simple enough, but getting the form down can take a bit of practice.
Press your back against the wall
Before you get started with any other piece of this exercise, you want to make sure that your back is pressed firmly into the wall. This means that your shoulders, back, and hips are all pressing against the wall. This keeps your chest upright, your gaze forward, and guarantees that the wall sit exercise targets the leg muscles.
Make sure the core is engaged
Without engaging your core, when you stand against the wall, the natural curvature of your spine will create a space between you and the wall. To make sure that you are working the transverse abdominals, tilt your pelvis forward, until you feel the lower back press into the wall.
Not sure how to ‘tilt your pelvis?’ Lie on the floor, with one hand on each hip, allowing the natural curve of your spine to keep your lower back off the ground. On an exhale, focus on squeezing your butt. As your pelvis rotates, you should be able to feel the tilt with your hands on your hips. Whether you are standing or on the floor, this same movement will always activate the abdominals and ensure that you are working the correct muscles.
Try This: 5 Minute Ab Activation Video
Bring the hips down to the same level as the knees
A perfect wall sit means that you can bring your hips down to meet your knees. From the side, this would look like perfect 90-degree angles at your knee and your hip.
Not ready for that yet? Modify by lifting your hips on the wall. As you grow stronger and more confident in your wall sit, sink those hips lower!
Don’t lean forward
The focal point of this workout is the lower body. Equally as important? Keeping the core engaged! When you lean forward by placing your hands on your knees, you break the connection with the wall and lose the power of the exercise.
Make sure To breathe!
Yes, your legs are burning, but by breathing into the exercise and breathing out the uncomfortableness, you will actually be able to stay in the position longer!
Tip: If you think that you can’t hold the position any longer, take two big, deep breaths and see if you can’t just stay in the hold just a little bit longer!
Wall Sit Challenge
Want to make a wall sit even more challenging? Work the inner thigh muscles in this isometric hold by using a mini stability ball. Often referred to as a pilates ball, these stability balls keep the tension in the legs and inner thighs as you squeeze or pulse in your wall sit. We highly recommend the pilates ball as an apartment-friendly home gym equipment must-have!
Increase the Difficulty!
Want to make this workout even more difficult? If you're looking for that added challenge, try using a mini band just above your knees. As you lift and lower, you're able to keep tension on those abductors with the loop band, helping to work all of the muscles of the hips and glutes.Optional Equipment: Set of 5 resistance mini bands
Watch the video:
10 Minute Wall Sit Workout for Glutes & Thighs
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Wall Sit Exercises
Spend 1 minute in each position, repeat the set two times. Alternately, spend two minutes in each position, repeat one time.
Alternating Heel Lift
How To: Start by finding your lowest wall sit. Keeping your back against the wall, alternate lifting one heel from the ground.
Form Tip: As you lift your heel from the ground, keep the core engaged to make sure that your back is not arching off the wall. Even though you are alternating each leg, avoid tipping and letting your hips rock side to side.
Modification: If you are unable to come up to your toes, focus on bringing your heel off the ground. If you find that you are arching your back from the wall, come up higher on your wall sit, to take pressure off your quads so that you can focus on the heel lift.
Challenge: Perform all the repetitions on the same leg before switching.
Marching Wall Sits
How To: Start by finding your lowest wall sit. Keeping your back against the wall, alternate lifting one foot completely from the ground. Keep the movement small.
Form Tip: Even though you are lifting your foot from the ground, don’t let it get you off balance so that you tip into the grounded leg. This can be a difficult move to keep the back on the wall; keep the movement as small as you are able to stay in your wall sit.
Modification: If you are unable to balance, or if you lose your wall sit form, continue with the heel raises from the previous exercise.
Challenge: Tap each knee as you raise it from the ground.
Lateral Side Step
How To: Hip hinge by pressing your glutes backward, slight bend in the knee, core engaged and back flat. Slowly step to the side and bring your other foot to meet your stepping foot. Always finish with your feet at hip width.
Form Tip: Take very small steps to the left and right as you stay low the entire time in this walking lateral step. Always make sure that your knees stay directly in line with your ankle, always keeping the feet facing forward.
Modification: If you are in a small space, alternate stepping right and left in place.
Challenge: Add a mini band around your legs above your knee or at your ankles, for added resistance for your abductors.
Wall Forearm Pushups
How To: Place your hands just outside of shoulder width. Step back as far as possible to keep your body in one line. Slowly lower to the wall, as you bend at the elbow, to bring your full forearm in contact with the wall. Press away from the wall to come back to the original position.
Form Tip: As you lower to the wall, don’t let your chest lead so that your back arches. Keep your core engaged.
Modification: Stepping closer to the wall will make the exercise easier, and take pressure off the wrists and shoulders.
Challenge: Step back as far as possible, then step up onto your toes!
Wall Sit Glute Bridge
How To: Start by finding your lowest wall sit. Lift your heels, keeping your back against the wall. Pushing with the glutes, fully extend your hips until only your shoulders remain on the wall. Squeeze the glutes at the top. Return to your wall sit and make sure that you rotate the pelvis and find the engagement before pressing up with the glutes again!
Form Tip: As you press your hips up, you are trying to lift the glutes to the highest point, not arch your back to send your hips forward. When you return to the wall, your back will have returned to it’s natural curvature, so it is crucial to find the ab activation again before performing the next rep.
Modification: If you are unable to come up to your toes, keep your feet flat during the entire exercise.
Challenge: With a mini band over your knees, press out against the resistance of the band for added glute medius work at the top.