Stronger Buns for Your Marathon Run: The Argument Between Wall Sits and Squats
Looking to build upon your glutes? It’s okay, as even I’m guilty of being interested in sporting a peachy, round butt (a strong one, of course). Just for the record, I’m also a man, and I have no problem with that. There’s a reason why “bubble butts” at the gym are a common sight, and it’s because people are doing the work required to obtain them.
Whether you’ve got a flat butt or a flabby one, doing either wall sits or squats will help you improve upon its appearance - but which one is going to be the perfect fit for you?
Not only are there people out there who prefer calisthenics to weights workouts, but there are also instances where previous injuries prevent you from using them as a whole. And while you can grow wid hips without exercising at all, for bigger and stronger buns, you will need to put in the work.
What Muscles Will Wall Sits Help Develop?
Your lower body muscles will thank you for welcoming wall sits into your routine, especially if you’re eyeing up squatting on regular basis in the future. You can hop right into squats and pray you’re ready for the heavy lifting, or you can improve upon your base and begin with wall sits; I would highly suggest doing so if you lack lower body strength. If you have to, make sure to measure your fitness level to know where to start.
I don’t want to call anybody a “weakling” or “chicken legs”, but wall sits are perfect for those of you who have been neglecting your lower body routines for the last couple of years. You’ll be able to hit just about every part of your lower body with wall sits, and you’ll likely be trembling (waiting to break!) after 30 seconds or so.
In regards to the muscles that are being developed while doing wall sits, you can expect to see results in your:
- Quadriceps
- Calves
- Glutes
- Hamstrings
- Hip Flexors
- Lower Body Joint Stability
Leapfrogging over wall sits and straight into squats is never a good idea, but then again, maybe you prefer having your quads give up on you before you truly let them develop. Sounds like a strange technique, but maybe it’ll work!
Why Do Some People Prefer Squats?
As I’ve talked about time and time again, there are loads of people in the fitness world that believe “plates are superior”. If you aren’t lifting weights to build your body, you’re useless and should be ashamed of yourself.
In all honesty, it doesn’t matter how you go about building up your lower body; wall sits aren’t going to be good for building mass, but they’re an essential fitness exercise for beginners, offer a perfect exercise for teenage girls and help with building stability.
You’re bound to notice results if you remain committed to wall sits, but it will likely be in the muscle stamina department. When you’re looking to build up loads of muscle on your glutes, quads, and calves, squats are going to be your best bet.
Oh, and also, a strong pre workout as well, will definitely help you get to your goals faster. My personal Favorite is this one if you want to give it a try.
The Benefits of Using Wall Sits
Wall sits are something that you see plenty of hot girls and old people doing at the gym, and there’s a reason for that. These are people who aren’t interested in building loads of muscle mass and prefer to focus on stability and endurance.
When you get older, you’re going to notice that your joints aren’t as “reliable” as they used to be. I’m in my mid-thirties and my shoulders barely work, but the muscles on top of them look fantastic! I will be honest with you, I have worked up a sweat time and again to get them ripped...you can too.
But the point here is; joint health and stability are incredibly important, and wall sits will help you maintain that with ease.
Hitting every single part of your lower body with one action is hard to achieve when you aren’t doing squats or (the right number of lunges each day), but wall sits offer all of the benefits of squats without any of the weight involved.
Comparing Wall Sits to Regular Squats
When compared to regular squats, wall sits are looked at as being the “little brother” in a sense. As I’ve already said numerous times, this is best left for people who are either unsure of their lower body strength or just want a more relaxing workout to do.
This is perfect for when you’re training legs and have an off day, but don’t want to waste any time. If your body feels good and you can get into a wall sit, doing a 30-second rep 10 times (for 3 sets) is surely going to get the blood pumping.
Squats are better for:
- Building muscle
- Engaging more of your core
- Those of you who prefer to train with weights (if you have some budget adjustable dumbbells)
- People who like to keep track of weight lifting progress
Wall Sits are better for:
- Building muscle endurance
- Improving the stability of your lower body
- Going through a less intense exercise - pretty much like using resistance bands or the booty belt workout.
- People who want to avoid using weights
Like most things in life it will come down to what you prefer on a personal level, so think long and hard about what you’d like to do. If you want to build massive quads and a stuffed butt that will have other gym-goers in awe, squats are your best bet; if you want stability and longevity, wall sits will work in your favor.
Will Wall Sits Help Improve Your Squats?
Wall sits are known to burn many calories (and in turn, fat) when done consistently, but you could also argue that an intense set of squats make for a better exercise to boost your metabolism and will help you burning nearly the same amount.
Exerting energy quickly is more of a squat thing, while wall sits are based on longevity - you’re trying to see how long you can sit on the wall without your will breaking. Think of it as a version of planks and push-ups, with the only difference being that planks and push-ups work the upper body.
It might sound a bit overboard, but get into a wall sit right now and let me know how you feel after 45-seconds; if the answer is “good”, congratulations, you’re likely someone who works out and is in shape. Otherwise, you’re probably reading this article from the floor because you can’t stand up anymore.
If you are not, well, get yourself a good pre workout to help you push yourself. I personally use this one here by 4 Gauge as it is a beta alanine-free pre workout that gives you the pumps without making your face all itchy or chipping away at your focus..and much more, as you can tell by the facts outlined in our 4-Gauge pre workout review.
Wall sits will help you get through longer squat sets (if you plan on doing 100 push-ups 100 sit-ups 100 squats challenge or the 1000 squat challenge as I did you need to be good at wall sits), as well as hit them even harder when leg day comes around. Training your lower body to withstand the pressure of sitting on nothing at all is a skill, and it’s one that takes time.
If you’re willing to master the art of wall sits, it’s only a matter of time before you move on to squats and conquer them as well. You could also choose to rely on strictly wall sits due to knee, back, or any other kind of injury, You can also get you a hack squat machine and try hack squats as they are easier than regular squats; I personally avoid squats because my knees sound like peanut brittle.
How I Do My Wall Sits
It’s a very simple process, and you can likely imagine what the exercise calls for. I just use my closet door, but all you need is a wall (preferably a comfortable one) with plenty of cushioning underneath.
Why cushioning, you may ask? Well, if you get serious about wall sits you’re bound to fall on your butt after a set at some point - having your legs give out on you is a common occurrence and gives me a strange sense of pride.
- Step 1. Find a comfortable wall to sit on
- Step 2. Facing forward with your back pressed against the wall, spread your feet shoulder-width apart
- Step 3. Slowly slide down on the wall into a “wall sit” position
- Step 4. Hold this position for 30 seconds
- Step 5. Feel your butt cheeks burning up
- Step 6. Come back up and complete the rep!
Your back should be against the wall (like you would with wall angles exercise) the entire time you’re doing this, and you’ll want to focus on squeezing the muscles in your lower body. If you’ve followed my instructions, you should have successfully completed a wall sit - congratulations!
Now you can get out there and build a pair of glutes that even your parents would be proud of.
Related Readings:
- Different Types Of Squat Racks
- What Happened When I Started Doing 100 Jumping Jacks a Day
- Should I Train Shoulders After Chest Day?
- Sumo Deadlift Smith Machine: Can It Help You Build Better Gains?
- Seated Tricep Press: How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits, and Alternatives
- Top 5 Essential Core Exercises
