Wall sit
A holding exercise where you sit against a wall with no chair, holding a squat position still.
Overview
A wall sit is an isometric exercise, meaning you hold a position rather than move through repetitions. You lean your back against a wall and slide down until your thighs are roughly parallel to the floor, as if sitting on an invisible chair, then hold.
With no equipment needed beyond a wall, it is an accessible way to build endurance in the thighs. The challenge comes from keeping still as the quadriceps work to maintain the seated position over time.
The movement
- 1Stand with your back against a wall and step your feet forward a little.
- 2Slide down the wall until your knees are bent around a right angle.
- 3Keep your feet flat and hold the position for a set time.
- 4Slide back up the wall to finish.
Beginner notes
- The whole back stays flat against the wall throughout the hold.
- Beginners often start with a short hold and a higher position, then work lower over time.
- Timing the hold is a simple way to track progress.
A note on training information
Where it’s used
Sports this relates to:
Fitness
Strength and general fitness training — the foundation that supports every other sport.
Cycling
A low-impact endurance sport that doubles as transport, exercise and adventure.
Alpine Skiing
A downhill snow sport where you glide and turn down groomed slopes on a pair of skis.
Running
The most accessible endurance sport — no venue, just shoes and the open road or trail.
Related exercises
Squat
A foundational lower-body movement where you bend at the hips and knees to lower down and stand back up.
Goblet squat
A squat variation where you hold a single weight close to your chest for balance and control.
Jump squat
An explosive squat variation where you spring off the floor at the top of the movement.
Explore across the knowledge base
Follow the threads that connect Wall sit to the rest of SocialSportHub.
Movement patterns
- SquatA knee-dominant pattern: bending the hips, knees and ankles to lower and rise while keeping the torso upright — the foundation of lower-body strength.
- BackpedalControlled backward locomotion performed while facing forward, staying low and pushing off the balls of the feet in short strides to stay reactive and keep play in view.
- DecelerationThe athletic pattern of actively braking and absorbing momentum to slow or stop under control, producing eccentric forces that oppose the direction of travel.
- GlideGlide is continuous, low-resistance locomotion in which the body holds a streamlined shape so that momentum generated by a preceding propulsive action carries it smoothly across a surface or through a medium.
- Shuffle (Lateral Shuffle)A low, athletic side-to-side stepping pattern in which the feet never cross, used to reposition and stay balanced and reactive while keeping the shoulders square to a target.
Adaptive sports
- Seated SportsSports played from a seated position — on the floor, on a bench or in a chair — so that people who benefit from a stable seated base can take part.
- Wheelchair SportsSports played from a wheelchair — often a specialised sports chair — so that wheelchair users can take part, train and compete.
Techniques
- DeadliftA strength exercise that lifts a loaded barbell from the floor to a standing position by extending the hips and knees together.
- Flip TurnA fast turn in freestyle where the swimmer somersaults at the wall, pushes off on their back and rotates to continue swimming.
- Push-UpA bodyweight exercise that lowers and raises the body by bending and straightening the arms while holding a rigid plank line.
- Bodyweight SquatA foundational lower-body exercise that lowers the hips by bending the knees and hips, then stands back up, using only body weight.
- PlankA static core exercise that holds the body in a straight line supported on the forearms and toes.
Positions
- Defensive midfielderA defensive midfielder sits in front of the defence, breaking up opposition attacks and shielding the back line.
- Central midfielderA central midfielder operates in the middle of the pitch, linking defence and attack while contributing to both.
- SetterThe setter is volleyball’s playmaker, taking the team’s second contact and delivering accurate sets for hitters to attack.
- StrikerA striker is the main attacking player in football, positioned furthest forward with the primary job of scoring goals.
- Power forwardThe power forward plays near the basket in basketball, using strength to rebound, score inside, and defend the paint.
Disciplines
- Speed ClimbingA timed format where climbers ascend a route as fast as possible, most recognizably as a head-to-head race on a standardized competition wall.
- Short TrackShort track speed skating is contested on a compact oval of about 111 metres, where several skaters race together in a pack and finishing position decides the result.
- KataKata is the solo karate discipline of performing set sequences of blocks, strikes, kicks, and stances against imagined opponents.