Wall sit form check: a live coach on your phone
The wall sit is a simple test of leg endurance: with your back flat against a wall, slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are near a right angle, and hold. The common faults are sitting too high, sliding too low and creeping up as the legs tire. Formanti times the hold and tells you when your position drifts.
No equipment needed. Practise at home. Just do the rep properly in front of your phone. Bodyweight squats, push-ups and lunges need nothing at all, and you can check the hinge and press patterns with a very light weight or none: the coach judges your movement, not your kit.
What good looks like
- Stand with your back flat against a wall and your feet about a step in front of you, hip-width apart.
- Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor and your knees are near a right angle, over your ankles.
- Keep your back against the wall and your weight in your heels, with your arms off your thighs.
- Breathe steadily and stop the hold when you creep up out of position.
Common mistakes and how to fix them
Sitting too high
Knees that are straighter than a right angle make it easier and less useful. Slide down until your thighs are parallel to the floor.
Sliding too low
Sinking far below parallel loads your knees more than your thighs. Come up until your knees are near 90 degrees.
Creeping up as you tire
Rising out of position stops training the legs at the intended angle. End the hold when you cannot stay at the right depth.
What Formanti checks on your wall sit
The clock starts when you have settled into position and stops when you leave it.
- Hold time: your goal (20, 30, 45, 60 seconds), or open. the longer you stay in good form, the better; time out of form is shown separately
Your position
What is judged the whole time you hold it, side-on to the camera.
- Knees: 75–118°. knees near a right angle
- Thighs: 0–20°. thighs parallel to the floor
What you hear and see when you are off
Slide down a little more
The coach says: “Slide down a little more”
On screen: Slide down a little more.
Drill: Wall sit with a chair behind you at the right height, and sit just above it.
Slide up a little: you're too low
The coach says: “Slide up a little”
On screen: Slide up a little: you're too low.
Drill: Wall sit with a chair under you at knee height as a guide.
Get your thighs parallel to the floor
The coach says: “Thighs parallel”
On screen: Get your thighs parallel to the floor.
Drill: Wall sit in front of a mirror, checking that your thighs are level.
Drills you can do alone
- Chair-guided wall sits: place a chair at the right height in front of you, and sit just above it as a guide.
- Short repeated holds: three sets of 20 to 30 seconds at the right depth, resting between sets.
How to set up your phone
Phone at hip height, 2 metres to your side, so your whole body is in view. Back flat against a wall. Film from the side: the line of your body is judged from there. It all runs on your phone and nothing is uploaded.
Beta: It cannot see the wall, so it cannot tell whether your back is actually against it. It judges the angles of your legs and your torso from the side. Guide values, new and not yet checked against real people.
Frequently asked questions
Can the phone see the wall?
No. It judges the angles of your legs and your torso from the side, so it cannot tell whether your back is actually against the wall.
How long should a wall sit be?
As long as you can hold the right position. 30 to 60 seconds is a good goal for most people; the timer starts when you settle at the right depth.
More lifts to check
Deadlift · Squat · Push-up · Lunge · Overhead press · Bent-over row · Romanian deadlift · Bicep curl · Tricep extension · Lateral raise · Glute bridge · Pull-up · Dip · Sit-up · Jumping jack · Plank