Improve your leg strength and endurance each day with this 30 day wall sit exercise challenge. The wall sit works all the main leg muscles, especially the front of the thighs. All you need to do is to get into the wall sit position and then hold for the given number of seconds each day. The challenge is in a printable sticker format, so that you can put a sticker for each day in your planner or diary. You can also use the printable as a whole sheet if you prefer.
Benefits of the wall sit exercise
Disadvantages of the wall sit exercise
There are also a few drawbacks to this exercise:
- It’s a static exercise – it only trains the legs in one position
- It’s a strength exercise only and contributes little to cardiovascular fitness or weight control.
- Although the exercise can be progressed by increasing time held, long holds are time-consuming and boring!
How to do the challenge
You just need to get into the wall sit position following the instructions below and then hold for the given number of seconds each day. Please read these safety guidelines before exercising. Please also be aware that as the wall sit exercise involves holding a static contraction, it isn’t suitable for anyone with high blood pressure.
To come out of the wall sit, slide back up the wall and use your hands to push away from the wall.
Daily hold times
These are the number of seconds you should hold the position each day. You can get a printable copy by entering your e-mail address below, to use as a single sheet or stickers.
Instructions for printing and cutting
If you’re cutting manually, then download either the PDF or the PNG file in whichever size you want. To save PNG files to desktop, you’ll need to right click and select “save image”. Print onto a single sheet shipping label, or alternatively print onto plain paper and use a glue stick. Cut the stickers out with craft scissors or with a craft knife.
If you have a cutting machine, you can use the PNG file, together with the blackout files for easy tracing.
Sign up for My Fitness Planner updates and get the free printable download link e-mailed to you:
After you sign up, you’ll get 2 e-mails, one will have a link to your printable download and the other will be a welcome e-mail.
If the e-mails haven’t turned up within a few minutes, please check your junk folder, as some service providers have very strict filters.
Related to wall sit exercise challenge – more leg workouts for you to try:
Challenge FAQs
The first day of the challenge should feel like it needs a bit of effort, but not too much. If you really struggle with day 1, then you probably won’t get through the challenge. The idea with the challenges on this site is that the first few days get you used to the exercises and the daily habit. Usually about halfway through the challenge the effort levels start to increase more quickly.
Avoid challenges that increase effort levels very quickly – they’re simply not realistic. It’s unlikely that, for example, you would be able to increase how many squats you are able to do by 10 a day for 30 days, or increase your plank hold time by 10 seconds a day for 30 days.
In general, allowing muscles 48 hours between workouts is good because it gives our bodies time to recover and adapt. Challenges are generally short workouts and for a limited period of time (usually 30 days), so not having many rest days won’t be a problem. With challenges that alternate exercises each day, it’s not an issue, because you’re using different muscles.
Fitness improvements don’t always happen in a predictable way. Sometimes we’re just not as strong or energetic for no apparent reason, or we hit a plateau. If you get to a point where you’re struggling to complete the day’s challenge, you can try one of the following:
- Take a couple of days off and start again where you left off
- Do the challenge on alternate days rather than every day
- Instead of increasing the effort every day, stay at the same level for 2 or 3 days and then go onto the next day of the challenge
Obviously these solutions mean the challenge will last longer, but you’ll still benefit from doing it.
