A sculpted behind not only looks good, but it also affects everything from the way you move to your body’s protection against injury. After all, your glutes make up the largest and strongest muscles in your body.
To keep your peach toned, one of the most effective exercises you can do is wall sits.
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“Wall sits isolate the entire body, including glutes, hamstrings and quads,” says Matt Haas, a personal trainer at Home Fit Headquarters. “Their main purpose is to increase muscular endurance as opposed to increasing muscle mass. Holding wall sits increases endurance and burns a lot of calories, which will lead to looking toned and defined.”
Whether you call it wall sits or wall squats, you can’t deny that they work wonders for your lower body. The best part is that you don’t need to hold them forever.
Related: Why Personal Trainers Love Bulgarian Split Squats for Glutes
How Long to Hold a Wall Sit to See Results
No, you don’t need to hold a wall sit for two minutes straight—trainers say between 20 and 30 seconds is best for a starting point.
At least 20 seconds is all you need, but you can work to build endurance and hold for three sets of 60 seconds with 30-second breaks in between, Haas states.
Whitney Berger, a yoga instructor, personal trainer and owner of WhitFit NYC, recommends starting at 30 seconds. Once you’re comfortable, extend the wall sit for a minute and see how you feel. Ideally, five minutes is the goal to see major changes—but don’t worry, we know that’s tough to do in the beginning. You can still see changes by holding that wall and sitting for a lot less time.
If you want a glute challenge, press forward into your heels. It is also a safe alternative to squats for people with lower back issues, Berger says.
Related: 40 Trainer-Approved Butt-Lifting Exercises to Help You Get Your Strongest Glutes Ever
Wall Sit Variations
There are several ways to do a wall sit. Here are a few to try.
Wall sit with exercise ball
This is the same as a regular wall sit, but place an exercise ball between your back and the wall. This requires a lot more balance and engages stabilizer muscles, Haas explains.
Wall sit with weight
Have a partner add a weight plate on top of your legs when you’re in the seated position, or hold dumbbells in your hands for an added challenge, Haas states.
Related: 10 Best Butt Workouts At Home
Single-leg wall sit
When you are in the seated position, extend one leg out in front of you for a few seconds, then return the leg and extend the other one, says Haas.
Wall sit with hip abduction
This is a basic wall sit pose, but add small pulses out with your knees, Berger explains. For an added challenge, lift your heels on the tips of your toes, then add the pulses. This will give you the burn in your glutes, thighs and calves.
Up Next
Related: If You Feel Pain In Your Knees During Squats, Here Are 9 Workouts to Try Instead
Sources
- Matt Haas, personal trainer at Home Fit Headquarters
- Whitney Berger, yoga instructor, personal trainer and owner of WhitFit NYC
