How to do a wall sit: the position, how long to hold, blood pressure and your knees

The position

Back and bottom against a wall, feet walked out so your shins stay upright, knees in line with your toes, and breathing normally throughout.

Sources 1, 2

Depth is the dial

In 23 adults, heart rate and blood pressure rose steadily as they sat lower, from 134/76 mmHg at a gentle bend to 196/112 with the knees at a right angle. Start high and go lower over weeks.

Source 3

How long, for your legs

Our knee guides use 4 holds of 20 to 45 seconds at a comfortable depth. Our suggestion: once 45 seconds is easy, go 1 to 2 cm lower rather than longer, as the home blood pressure trial adjusted its height.

Source 1

How long, for blood pressure

4 holds of 2 minutes with 2 minutes' rest, 3 days a week, with the effort building from about 4 to about 8 or 9 out of 10 over the four holds.

Sources 2, 1, 4

What they do for blood pressure

Across 270 trials, isometric training (holding a muscle still under tension) lowered resting blood pressure by about 8/4 mmHg, and wall sits ranked best for the top number. The trials were small and the certainty is low, so wall sits are an add-on to walking, not a replacement.

Sources 5, 4, 6, 7

Breathe, and don't hold to failure

Straining against a held breath sends blood pressure very high: count out loud instead. Deep holds to fatigue pushed the lower number past 115 mmHg in nearly everyone within about a minute, which is why the routine starts shallow.

Sources 8, 9

How depth is described

Blood pressure studies describe depth by the angle at the back of the knee: 135 degrees is a gentle bend, and 90 degrees a right angle, with your thighs about level with the floor. Knee studies often count the other way, as degrees of bend from a straight leg, where 90 degrees is the same right angle. We use plain words: a gentle bend, and thighs level with the floor.

Sources 3, 10

Deeper is harderEmerging evidence

In 23 adults holding 2-minute wall squats at angles from 135 to 90 degrees, heart rate rose from 76 to 119 beats a minute and blood pressure from 134/76 to 196/112 mmHg.

Source 3

Mark your depth

Mark your height on the wall with tape so every hold matches. The home trial used a marker, and changed the height 1 or 2 cm at a time.

Source 1

How much they lower blood pressureEmerging evidence

Across 270 randomised trials (15,827 people), isometric training lowered resting blood pressure by 8.2/4.0 mmHg, more than aerobic exercise (4.5/2.5), dynamic resistance training (4.6/3.0) or interval training (4.1/2.5), and the wall squat ranked as the most effective type for the top number. In a 2022 meta-analysis cited by the 2024 review, wall sits lowered blood pressure by 11.4/5.1 mmHg, leg-extension holds by 10.0/3.7 and handgrip by 8.3/4.1; the differences weren't statistically significant.

Sources 5, 4

How sure we can beMixed evidence

In 24 trials of adults with raised blood pressure (1,143 people), isometric training lowered clinic readings by about 7/4 mmHg and 24-hour diastolic pressure (the lower number) by 2.4, but 24-hour systolic pressure (the top number) didn't fall significantly, and the certainty was very low to low. The 2024 European Society of Cardiology (ESC) guideline keeps aerobic exercise first and calls isometric results inconsistent. A guide by trial authors suggests isometric training as an extra, or for people who can't manage other exercise, and the British Heart Foundation points out that every type of exercise in the big review lowered blood pressure.

Sources 6, 7, 11, 12

The wall sit trialsEmerging evidence

Small trials, mostly in adults with high-normal readings or untreated stage 1 high blood pressure:

• 77 adults with untreated high blood pressure, 12 weeks at work: the top number fell by 12.9 mmHg with wall sits and 11.2 with handgrip, against 0.4 in the control group; one session a week then kept it down for 12 more weeks.
• 24 people with untreated stage 1 high blood pressure, 4 weeks at home: clinic readings fell by 12.4/6.2 mmHg, and 24-hour readings by 11.8/5.6.
• 24 men with high-normal readings, a year of wall sits: 8.5/7.3 mmHg lower than the control group, with 77% of sessions done and no drop-outs.
• 30 adults, 4 weeks at home: setting the effort by feel worked about as well as setting it by heart rate testing.
• 30 inactive adults: full-effort wall sits lowered clinic systolic pressure by 15 mmHg, while a low-effort sham didn't.

Sources 2, 13, 14, 1, 15

Keeping it goingEmerging evidence

In 100 adults, after 4 weeks of training 3 times a week, one or two sessions a week kept blood pressure lower, though by less than three sessions did, and stopping lost the fall within 4 weeks. In the workplace trial, one session a week kept it down for 12 more weeks.

Sources 16, 2

In the NHSEmerging evidence

In an NHS feasibility trial of 41 people with untreated stage 1 high blood pressure, a 6-month programme could be delivered with no study-related adverse events, but 34% withdrew.

Source 17

Who the trials coverEmerging evidence

Mostly adults with high-normal readings or untreated stage 1 high blood pressure, not severe high blood pressure. In pooled data from 326 people in 12 studies, about half of them on blood pressure medicines, the effect didn't depend on medicines, age or other traits. In 80 adults, those with a body mass index (BMI) of 25 or more had a smaller fall in diastolic pressure after 4 weeks of leg holds than those with a normal BMI.

Sources 18, 19

Blood pressure during the holdEmerging evidence

Blood pressure rises markedly during squat holds and wall sits: a trial-style session in 26 men with raised blood pressure peaked at about 171/113 mmHg, and in a meta-analysis the 2024 review cites, the top number rose by about 46 mmHg in squat holds and 33 in handgrip holds. What stays lower than in a clinical exercise test is the heart's workload, and pressure falls quickly when you stop, often below where it started.

Sources 20, 4

Holding to fatigueEmerging evidence

In 62 mostly young, healthy adults, a wall sit at about a right angle held until fatigue pushed diastolic pressure past 115 mmHg in 98% of them, after about 50 seconds on average, at an effort of about 6 out of 10. Those with high-normal or mildly raised blood pressure got there 15 to 20 seconds sooner, and women sooner than men. No adverse events were reported.

Source 9

A held breathStrong evidence

Straining against a held breath drives blood pressure to extreme levels: in 5 experienced bodybuilders, peaks averaged 320/250 mmHg in heavy two-leg presses, measured directly in an artery.

Source 8

Leg strengthEmerging evidence

Holds build strength mostly near the angle you hold. In a review of 26 studies, holding at longer muscle lengths, which for the thighs means a deeper knee bend, built more muscle and carried over better to movement. We found no trial of wall sits on their own for leg strength or muscle size.

Sources 21, 22

The kneecapEmerging evidence

In two lab studies of wall squats done as moving reps (18 and 16 adults), the pressure behind the kneecap was higher between about 60 and 90 degrees of knee bend than in a one-leg squat, and at the deepest bends it was higher with the heels close to the wall, where the knees travel past the toes, than with the feet further out. The authors suggest a bend of up to about 50 degrees to keep it lowest.

Sources 10, 23

Knee osteoarthritisEmerging evidence

In 90 adults with knee osteoarthritis, one or three wall squats held for up to 3 minutes, a little shallower than a right angle, made them less sensitive to pressure pain straight away, but didn't change their knee pain.

Source 24

Tendon painMixed evidence

In 6 volleyball players with jumper's knee, holds eased pain for at least 45 minutes, but pooled trials found isometric exercise no better than other exercise for tendon pain overall. The largest patellar tendon trial, in 76 patients, started with holds on a machine and beat eccentric exercise at 24 weeks.

Sources 25, 26, 27, 28

Eye pressureEmerging evidence

In 13 studies of healthy adults, leg holds raised eye pressure. In 25 people with glaucoma doing pulling and curling holds, eye pressure rose more at a harder effort and quickly returned to normal afterwards.

Sources 29, 30

For your legs

The dose our knee guides use: 4 holds of 20 to 45 seconds at a comfortable depth. Our suggestion is 2 or 3 days a week, and once 45 seconds is easy at a depth, going 1 to 2 cm lower rather than holding longer, as the home trial adjusted its height.

Source 1

For blood pressure

4 holds of 2 minutes with 2 minutes' rest, 3 days a week, as in our high blood pressure guide and its workout. The routine is set out below.

Sources 2, 1, 4

No normal time for your age

We found no published norms for wall sit times at any age. Hold time depends on how low you sit, so a time means little without the depth: our suggestion is to compare yourself with yourself at a marked depth.

Beside squats, not instead of them

Because holds build strength mostly at the angle you hold, our suggestion is to treat wall sits as an endurance and rehabilitation hold, and to keep squats or lunges for strength through the whole range.

Sources 21, 22

The routine

The routine in our high blood pressure guide, from the trials:

• 3 days a week, with a day between: the home trials left 48 hours.
• Warm up, then do 4 holds of 2 minutes with 2 minutes' rest between: stand, walk about or sit.
• Pick one depth for all four holds, so the end of hold 1 feels about 4 out of 10, hold 2 about 5 to 6, hold 3 about 7 and hold 4 about 8 to 9. If you're outside those numbers, move 1 to 2 cm up or down next session.
• Move your feet as you go lower, so your shins stay upright.
• Breathe normally throughout; counting out loud helps.
• Stand up slowly and walk for a minute afterwards.

Sources 1, 2, 4

Another way to set the depth

The workplace trial started everyone at a gentle bend and stepped them down every 2 or 3 weeks, to a little shallower than a right angle by week 10.

Source 2

Keep it going

The fall builds over about 4 weeks. After that, three sessions a week kept the most; one or two kept less, and stopping lost it within weeks.

Sources 16, 2

An extra, not a replacement

Do the routine alongside brisk walking or cycling on most days and 2 or 3 strength sessions a week, as the ESC and our high blood pressure guide advise. If you already have a walking routine, the British Heart Foundation says you may not need to change it. A handgrip squeeze is the alternative if wall sits hurt your knees.

Sources 7, 12

Count out loud

Never strain against a held breath. Breathing normally was part of the home trial's instructions, and our high blood pressure guide suggests counting out loud to keep you breathing.

Sources 8, 1

Start shallow and build the effort

Deep holds to fatigue pushed diastolic pressure past 115 mmHg within about a minute in nearly everyone, and in a trial-style session, 6 of 26 men with raised blood pressure went past it. That's why the routine starts shallow and builds the effort over the four holds.

Sources 9, 20

Stand up slowly

Blood pressure can fall below its starting level for a few minutes after a hold, more after wall sits: in studies the 2024 review cites, the top number fell by about 17 to 23 mmHg. Stand up slowly and walk for a minute, especially if you're prone to fainting.

Source 4

With pain behind the kneecap

Keep the bend small, up to about 50 degrees, where kneecap load was lowest in lab studies. If you go deeper, walk your feet out so your shins stay upright: at deeper bends the load was higher with the heels close to the wall. Our runner's knee guide uses 4 shallow holds of 30 seconds.

Sources 10, 23

Knee osteoarthritis

Wall squats eased sensitivity to pressure pain for a while but didn't change knee pain in a trial. Follow the pain rule in our knee arthritis guide.

Source 24

Tendon pain

Holds can ease kneecap tendon pain for a while in some people, but they're no better than other exercise overall. Our jumper's knee guide covers the staged loading programme from the largest trial.

Sources 25, 26, 28

Knees past your toes

In a free squat, knees past the toes is normal, as our squat guide explains. In a wall sit the wall takes your balance, so walk your feet out until your shins are upright: at deeper bends, kneecap load was higher with the heels close to the wall.

Sources 23, 1

Feet too close to the wall

At deeper bends, your knees travel past your toes and load the kneecap more. Walk your feet out until your shins are upright.

Sources 23, 1

Going to a right angle on day one

Depth raises the effort and the blood pressure, and the trials started at a gentle bend.

Sources 3, 2

Holding your breath

It sends blood pressure much higher. Count out loud instead.

Source 8

Pushing on your thighs

Our suggestion: rest your hands by your sides or on your chest, so your legs do the work.

Holding to failure

Deep holds to fatigue pushed diastolic pressure past 115 mmHg within about a minute in nearly everyone.

Source 9

Standing up fast

Blood pressure dips after a hold. Stand up slowly and walk for a minute.

Source 4

Knees caving in

Keep your knees in line with your toes, as our wall sit page cues.

Ask first, or choose another optionEmerging evidence

At the effort used in trials, side effects were rare: one per 38,444 holds in pooled trials, though the trials were small. Some people still need advice first:

• Untreated readings of 160/100 or higher: ask your GP first, as our high blood pressure guide advises. In one study of 26 men with raised blood pressure, 6 went above 115 mmHg diastolic during wall sits.
• Coronary artery disease or other heart disease: ask your cardiac team before large-muscle holds such as the wall sit, because blood pressure can drop sharply afterwards.
• Marfan syndrome, another connective tissue disorder, or disease of the aorta (the main artery from the heart): isometric training isn't suitable.
• Glaucoma: eye pressure rises during leg holds, more at a harder effort, so ask your eye team first, especially if your glaucoma is advanced.
• Severe or proliferative diabetic retinopathy: the American College of Sports Medicine advises avoiding isometric holds and holding your breath, so ask your eye team first.
• Knee pain, frailty or poor balance: go shallower, or use the handgrip squeeze instead.
• Prone to fainting: blood pressure dips after holds, so stand up slowly, or choose another option.

Sources 6, 20, 4, 29, 30, 31

Stop, and get advice the same day (NHS 111 or your GP)

Stop if you feel dizzy, or have chest pressure, unusual breathlessness or palpitations during a hold, and get medical advice before you train again, as our high blood pressure guide advises. Dizziness that won't go away or keeps coming back needs a GP.

Source 32

Call 999 (911 in the US)

Chest pain that doesn't go away, spreads to your arm, neck, jaw, stomach or back, or comes with sweating, feeling sick, light-headedness or breathlessness. Someone who faints while exercising. Signs of a stroke, such as a drooping face, a weak arm or slurred speech, even if they pass.

Sources 33, 34, 35

NHS 111 (urgent care in the US): knees

A knee that is very painful, won't take your weight, is badly swollen or has changed shape, or locks or gives way.

Source 36

"Wall sits are the best exercise for blood pressure, better than walking"Emerging evidence

They gave the biggest average drops, but in small, low-certainty trials, mostly in people with high-normal or untreated stage 1 readings, and the effect on 24-hour readings is uncertain. The ESC keeps aerobic exercise first, and the British Heart Foundation says that if you already walk regularly, you may not need to change your workouts.

Sources 5, 6, 7, 12

"Isometric holds are dangerous with high blood pressure"Mixed evidence

At the effort used in trials, side effects were rare, one per 38,444 holds, and the wall sit trials we read reported no adverse events. But blood pressure does rise markedly during a hold, and deep holds to fatigue push it very high, so start shallow, breathe, and skip them with aortic disease or Marfan syndrome.

Sources 6, 2, 17, 20, 9, 4

"Hold it as long as you can"Emerging evidence

Held to fatigue at a right angle, a wall sit pushed diastolic pressure past 115 mmHg in about 50 seconds in healthy young adults. The blood pressure routine uses 2-minute holds at a depth where the effort builds from about 4 to about 8 or 9 out of 10.

Sources 9, 1

"Your knees must never pass your toes"Emerging evidence

In a free squat that's normal, as our squat guide explains. In a wall sit the wall takes your balance, so walk your feet out until your shins are upright: at deeper bends, kneecap load was higher with your heels close to the wall.

Source 23

"Wall sits tone your thighs and burn fat"Emerging evidence

Holds build strength mostly at the angle you hold, and we found no trial of wall sits for muscle size; squats and lunges build strength through the whole range. No exercise burns fat from one place: 6 weeks of tummy exercises didn't reduce belly fat in 24 adults.

Sources 21, 22, 37

"There's a normal wall sit time for your age"

We found no published norms. Hold time depends on depth, so our suggestion is to compare yourself with yourself at a marked depth.