strength · beginner

Wall Sits

An isometric quad and glute exercise performed with the back against a wall at 90 degrees of knee flexion. Builds muscular endurance and is particularly useful for patellar tendinopathy management.

  1. 01Stand with your back flat against a wall, feet shoulder-width apart and about 60 cm from the wall.
  2. 02Slide down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the ground, creating a 90-degree angle at the knees.
  3. 03Keep your back flat against the wall and your weight distributed evenly through both feet.
  4. 04Hold this position for the prescribed duration.
  5. 05Press through your heels and keep your knees tracking over your second toes.
  6. 06To finish, slide back up the wall slowly — do not collapse forward.
Why it matters

Isometric quad exercises like wall sits are first-line treatment for patellar tendinopathy (runner's knee), providing immediate analgesic effects and promoting tendon remodelling. Beyond rehab, they build the muscular endurance runners need for sustained quad engagement on long runs, particularly during downhill sections where eccentric quad demand is highest.