Today we take apart the squat against the wall - an effective exercise for the hips and buttocks. As the name suggests, its essential difference from other types of squats is the presence of vertical support. Squats near the wall allow you not only to qualitatively work out the muscle groups of the lower body, but also to improve your posture, dilute a bored training complex with a new task, and also increase or decrease the load.
Features and variations of the exercise
At first glance, it seems that wall squats are an easy task, with a gentle load on the muscles. Indeed, squatting, leaning on the support, the athlete partially relieves the back, and even does not spend energy on maintaining balance.
However, there are many ways to complicate the task:
- Pick up a dumbbell or kettlebell;
- Squat in slow motion;
- Squat, fixing the position at the lowest point for 30-60 seconds;
- Tighten the muscles of the buttocks and abs;
- Do jump squats.
Isometric squats near the wall are also distinguished, which form a load on static endurance. Static means motionless.
During any physical activity, our muscles contract in three ways:
- Eccentric (lowering the barbell, squatting in a squat, extending the limbs);
- Concentric (lifting a barbell, lifting in a squat, bending the limbs);
- Isometric - when the muscles contract, but not stretch, fixing in one position. This is exactly what happens when, squatting against a wall, the athlete pauses static.
Thus, the athlete increases the strength and endurance of his muscles, improves body control, and increases flexibility. The closest "relative" of the isometric wall squat is the plank, beloved by all glamorous athletes.
Thus, the exercise can be called universal. It can be successfully practiced by both advanced athletes who want to increase their load, and beginners or athletes recovering from an injury (excluding isometric exercise).
Please note that this exercise heavily loads the knee joint, so it is contraindicated for people with diseases in this area.
Execution technique
Let's figure out how to do wall squats - we will analyze the technique at all stages.
- Press your back against the wall, put your feet shoulder-width apart, slightly turning the socks out. Straighten your arms in front of you (if you are using weights, press the projectile to your chest, the dumbbells are held in the lowered hands at the sides). Bend your legs slightly at the knees;
- The back remains straight during all stages, the gaze looks forward;
- As you inhale, slowly lower yourself down, sliding your back along the support until the hips form an angle of 90 degrees with the knees;
- Imagine that you are sitting in an imaginary chair. Sit as long as you can;
- On exhalation, smoothly return to the starting position;
- Do 3 sets of 20 reps.
What muscles work
The wall squat uses the following muscles:
- Quadriceps femoral (quadriceps);
- Big gluteus;
- Press;
- Calf muscles;
- Flounder;
- Muscles of the back of the thigh;
- Back extensors.
The benefits and harms of exercise
The benefits of the wall squat exercise are known to all experienced athletes.
- The muscle tone of the legs improves;
- A beautiful body relief is formed;
- The fat burning process starts;
- Strength and endurance of the muscles develops;
- The athlete learns to concentrate and focus;
- The muscles of the core are strengthened.
Squats against the wall can cause harm only if a person is engaged in the presence of contraindications. First of all, these are diseases of the musculoskeletal system, in particular of the knees. Also, you cannot squat if you have any conditions that are incompatible with physical activity.
But do not forget, no matter how useful this or that exercise is, to achieve maximum effect, you cannot dwell only on it. Therefore, diversify your activities. Jog in the park, for example. Or do push-ups from your knees. In general, do everything to achieve the desired shape.
Squat face to wall
Let's talk separately about squats facing the wall - one of the variations of this exercise.
It helps to work out the correct technique of the classic squat. The bottom line is as follows:
The athlete stands against the wall with his face, touching it with the tip of his nose. The arms are spread apart and the palms also slide along the support. During lowering and ascending, the distance between the tip of the nose and the wall remains unchanged - no more than 1 mm, while the knees should not touch it.
The exercise clearly demonstrates the correct squatting technique. It teaches you not to bend in the back, pull the knees out of the toe line, and these are, as you know, the most common mistakes beginners make.
So we sorted out the squat technique near the wall, now you can successfully practice it. As soon as the body gets used to the load with your own weight, we recommend that you start using weights. Never stop at the achieved result!
