A wall sit is a static exercise where an athlete leans their back against a wall and bends their knees until their thighs are parallel to the floor, providing an excellent quadriceps workout. The length of time held varies, and it can be done on each leg individually to check for imbalances in leg strength. It is popular among athletes who need strong leg muscles.
A wall sit is an exercise that involves leaning your back against the surface of a wall and then bending your knees until your thighs are parallel to the floor. Balancing in this position provides an excellent quadriceps workout. This is a static exercise, so it provides a constant and targeted tension on the thigh muscles and increases the strength and endurance of the muscle.
To perform a wall sit, the athlete begins by standing about two feet from a wall and looking directly away from the wall. Then, while he keeps his feet firmly planted on the floor, the athlete bends his knees until his back touches the wall. He then slides further down the wall until his knees are bent at about a 90 degree angle. For more intensity, the athlete may choose to lift one leg off the ground and into a wall sit with full weight supported on the other leg. However, if an athlete uses this variation, he or she should be sure to perform the wall sit using the other leg as well, to maintain the same force on each leg.
Once the athlete has reached this position, he or she must hold the position before sliding back down the wall and eventually resuming a standing position. Throughout the exercise, it is important to keep your back straight and your feet planted firmly on the floor. The athlete must also contract the abdominal muscles during the exercise, to maintain proper form and balance.
The length of time the athlete holds the position will vary depending on their level of fitness and the intent of the training. Sometimes athletes will do multiple repetitions of the exercise, holding the position for 20 to 60 seconds each time. An athlete may also choose to do a single repetition, but hold the position for a longer period of time. One last option is to simply hold the position for as long as possible. When performing the latter option, it is important that the athlete exercise caution when returning to standing, because quadriceps fatigue can make it difficult to return to a standing position.
Despite this difficulty, doing a wall sit for as long as possible can have several benefits. First, time provides a reference point for future wall sits: Ideally, as the quads gain stamina, an athlete can try to hold the wall a little longer each time. Also, an athlete can perform this type of wall sitting on each leg individually. If the total time for one leg is drastically greater than the other, this may indicate an imbalance in leg strength.
Regardless of which variation of a wall an athlete chooses, the benefits to the quadriceps are considerable. For this reason, wall squats are very popular among athletes who need to have strong leg muscles. It is a very common exercise for fencing, hockey, and sailing, and can also benefit track and field athletes.
Protect your devices with Threat Protection by NordVPN
