Muscles worked
This is a static hold, and the quads of your standing leg do nearly all the work of holding the knee angle. Your glutes and outer hip hold your pelvis level, and the hip flexor of the raised leg works to keep that foot up. As nothing moves, the load sits in one position all set, which is why the thigh burns so clearly. The knee angle sets the difficulty: the closer to a right angle, the harder, and the higher up the wall, the easier.
Common mistakes
- Your feet are too close to the wall. Your knee then ends up far out over your toes and you tend to slide down. Step out until your shin is roughly vertical once you are in position.
- Your hands press on your thigh. It is a common way to cheat without noticing. Cross your arms over your chest or rest them against the wall beside you.
- You creep upwards during the set. As the thigh tires, your hips slowly rise and the exercise gets easier. Decide on the angle at the start and end the set when you can no longer hold it.
Variations and alternatives
- The wall sit with both feet on the floor is the step before, when one leg at a time is too hard.
- The Spanish squat also loads the quads with an upright shin and can be done as a hold or for reps.
- The assisted pistol squat when you want to move from holding still to moving on one leg.
Sets and reps
Here you count seconds per leg. Two to four holds of 15 to 45 seconds per leg suit most people, with each leg resting while the other works. Hold for the same time on both sides and let the weaker leg set the time. More set-ups are in the guide to sets and reps.
Add five seconds at a time. Once 45 seconds comes easily, lower yourself closer to a right angle at the knee or rest a heavy rucksack on the thigh of your standing leg. Making a hold harder over time is progressive overload, just as with weights. A burning thigh is part of it, knee pain is not. If it hurts, stop and ask a doctor or physiotherapist to check it.