Wall Sit Exercises for Desk Workers

Wall sit exercises are easy to do in any small space. Desk workers can improve their core strength and correct their posture caused by long hours of sitting.

As a desk worker in an office, working from home, or even a student, its difficult to leave your workspace. Taking time out for exercise is difficult when your body aches and your mind is stressed out.

The only way to improve your overall well-being is by taking short breaks. Including light movement, like walking during the break, is a good idea. However, your strength declines because your body is not using its full physical potential.

Wall sits are simple exercises to include in your daily routine. Wall sit is a low-impact workout and only requires a wall as a support. Wall sit exercises are also best for those who don’t want to sweat doing cardio or aerobics and want to improve strength, balance, and posture.

POST CONTENTS
Benefits of doing wall sit exercises regularly
How to do a standard wall sit exercise?
Different variations of wall sit exercises

Disclaimer: All content in this post is for general health information only. Please consult a specialist physician before trying any new exercise, diet, or health advice. There are no affiliate links attached to this post. 

Benefits of doing wall sit exercises regularly

Easy to do in any small space

The lockdown has helped many fitness enthusiasts explore workout alternatives at home. The advantage of at-home workouts is that you can use whatever is available as gym equipment and modify exercises according to a small space.

Wall sit is an exercise that you can easily do in one place. It is a low-impact static workout but is effective when done correctly and for an extended period.

Complete lower body workout

Wall sit involves balancing your body using your core and lower body with the support of a wall. It is an easier version of a squat. When practising wall sits, your complete foot, including ankle, knee, and hips, also play an important role.

While balancing for 60 or 120 seconds, these bones and muscles become strong and improve stamina. Physiotherapists often recommend wall sit exercises for those recovering from a knee injury.

Easy to learn and modify

Wall sit is a compact workout where extreme movement is not required. With this advantage, you can still modify the wall sit exercise with weights, stretch bands, and arm and calf raises.

The basic form of the wall sit exercise remain same in which the back of your head, your shoulders, complete spine (especially the lower back), and your hips should be touching the wall. This symmetry corrects the structure and posture of your body.

Low-impact workout

All static workouts and stretches are low impact and benefit in different ways. Wall sits can be done as a warm-up exercise to activate your core muscles. When you focus on staying in one place while balancing on your feet, it improves concentration.

Improves overall balance and stability

On your first attempt, you will find wall sit exercise surprisingly difficult to balance even for 30 seconds. Focus on maintaining proper form, try to breathe calmly, take support of your lower body joints, and hold your body using your core muscles.

You may also experience shaking knees or ankles, but that’s normal because you are doing this exercise for the first time. Beginners should do wall sit exercise for only 10 to 15 seconds.

Once you feel confident, then you can increase the timing by 5 seconds per week. As you continue doing wall sit exercise on a regular basis, your balance and stability will become strong.

Improves shoulder mobility and corrects spine position

Wall sit exercise can be modified with arms raised overhead or at a 45-degree angle. Keeping your entire spine touching the wall with arm movement improves shoulder mobility.

If you do this exercise daily for a month, your slouched shoulders and neck will come into proper position, and you will look taller and improve your personality.

You may also like to read: The Best Sitting Posture For Watching Television To Avoid Backache

Core activation and strength

Wall sit exercise is an ideal beginner’s workout to understand how to use core muscles. While crunches are the most obvious choice for slim waist or to get 4 pac abs, doing wall sit will help you understand the proper technique of using bodyweight.

Wall Sit exercise is also recommended for people who cannot do crunches because of weight issues or have mild or severe back pain.

How to do a standard wall sit exercise?

As the name suggests, the wall sit exercise is sitting in a chair position with the support of the wall. As simple as it looks, there are specific do’s and don’ts to follow to gain maximum benefit from the exercise.

Step 1 Find an empty wall and place your back on the wall.

Step 2 Keeping your legs shoulder-width apart, walk forward two tiny steps.

Step 3 Slide down from the standing position into a chair position.

Step 4 (check) Your head, spine, shoulders, and lower back should be touching the wall. Keep your arms also on the wall or try to balance by keeping your arms stretched straight ahead.

Keep looking forward. Your knees should not be turning inwards but should be parallel to your ankles and hips. Your feet should be facing forward.

Step 5 Stay in this position for 10 seconds. Then relax.

You can do this exercise in your free time.

If you are trying this exercise for the first time, then the supervision of a gym coach or physiotherapist is very important.

This exercise is not recommended for recently injured people and those who have weak bones.

If you feel any pain while balancing on your legs then you should stop immediately and consult a doctor.

You may also like to read: Learn To Maintain Correct Posture Like A Dancer

Different variations of wall sit exercises

You can start with the standard Wall Sit exercise as described above. You don’t have to do all the variations in one day. Select any one variation to do in a day. Try to balance and stay in the position for 10 to 15 seconds according to your comfort. Start slow and only increase the time after a month.

1) Standard Wall Sit

Practice the standard wall sit exercise as described above for 10 to 15 seconds.

2) Wall Angels

From the standard wall sit exercise position, bring your arms stretched over your head. Slowly slide the arms down to the shoulders and then stretch them up again. Repeat 5 to 10 reps slowly.

3) Wall Sit Twist

From the standard wall sit exercise position, bring your arms in front of you and interlace your fingers. Slowly turn your upper torso to the right keeping your arms straight. Then turn to the left side. Repeat 5 to 10 reps.

4) Wall Sit with Dumbbell

From the standard wall sit exercise position, hold the dumbbell in front of you or over your knees. You can also do bicep curls as well as shoulder presses to improve shoulder mobility and strength. Repeat 5 to 10 reps.

5) Wall Sit with Stretch Band

Put a stretch band over your knees and get into the standard wall sit exercise position. While balancing, slowly engage your glutes, squeeze your thighs outwards and then release. Repeat for 10 reps.

6) Wall Sit Single Leg Lift

From the standard wall sit exercise position, slowly lift your left leg straight ahead, keeping the left knee stable and parallel to the right knee. Balance and stay in this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

7) Wall Sit Figure Four

Once you become comfortable doing single leg lifts, try wall sit figure four. From the wall sit exercise position, slowly lift your left knee and place the ankle gently over your right knee. Balance and stay in this position for 5 to 10 seconds. Repeat on the other leg.

8) Weighted Wall Sit

Weighted wall sit exercise can be done with a dumbbell, weights of different types, and even with a water bottle. You can add a 25-45 LB plate over your thighs to add intensity to wall sit exercise. It is a static exercise that activates and strengthens the entire lower body muscles and joints.

I hope you try the wall sit exercise at least once. If you are doing this exercise properly and daily, you will improve your posture and strengthen your core and lower body muscles.

References

9 Best Wall Sit Variations Proven to Build Strength and Endurance, May 6, 2022.

https://livelifehealthily.com/best-wall-sit-variations/

Wall Sit Exercise Guide – Benefits, How-To, and Variations, Written by Matthew Magnante, Last Updated January 4, 2023.

https://fitnessvolt.com/wall-sit-exercise-guide/