At first glance, doing a wall sit may look like a cinch. After all, your back is pressed against a wall so you’ve got solid support. But the exercise is surprisingly challenging—and a great way to test your lower-body strength.
“Wall sits use the most important muscles in your hips, thighs and buttocks that you’ll need for the rest of your life,” says fitness icon Denise Austin, creator of Fit Over 50 magazine. “This is a functional move because your lower half is going to get you off the floor, out of a chair and able to climb stairs every day.”
Wall sits also help build muscle strength and endurance. Research has even found that doing the move regularly can reduce blood pressure more effectively than many other exercises can.
To gauge your strength, see how long you can hold a wall sit with the test below!
Timed wall sit test: steps to measure and improve your leg strength
- Stand with your back pressed against a wall, feet hip-distance apart and your hands at your sides. Walk your feet about two steps away from the wall so your heels are at least 12 inches away from the wall. (You can do this barefoot or while wearing exercise shoes.)
- Keep your chest upright and slowly slide your back down the wall, as you bend to a seated position. Your knees should stay in line with your ankles and hips, and your heels should stay flat on the ground.
_ - Pause when you have a 90-degree bend at the knees (your thighs should be parallel to the floor). Engage your core muscles, drawing your belly button toward your spine, to help you stay in this position.
- Try to hold the wall sit for 20 to 60 seconds. Then push through your feet to stand up
How did you do?
If you held the wall sit for 20 seconds or less, there’s room for improvement.
If you held it for 21 to 40 seconds, that’s great.
If you held it for 41 seconds or -longer, that’s amazing.
If you struggled…
Don’t worry—you can build up to it. Start by holding a wall sit for 10 seconds, then slide back up the wall, Austin advises. Take a 30-second break, then do it again.
Once this becomes manageable, try to hold the wall sit for 15 seconds, take a break, then repeat.
If lowering yourself to a 90-degree angle is too challenging, simply start with a 45-degree angle instead.
Perform wall sits three times a week.
As your legs get stronger over time, add 5-second increments on a weekly basis.
If you want to increase the challenge…
If you can already hold a wall sit for 60 seconds, you can make this more challenging by holding 5-pound dumbbells in each hand. While you’re at the low point, do a series of bicep curls.
Another option is to add a stability ball: Placing the ball between your back and the wall and doing wall sits from this position increases the challenge for your abs and your balance.
The bottom line
Besides being a powerhouse move for your entire lower body, wall sits are good for your back and posture as well. And it’s easy to incorporate this move into your daily routine. “You can do it while your coffee is brewing in the morning,” Austin suggests. “These are a fun challenge and they help you build muscle to do a lot of strength-based activities in sports like pickleball.”
