Alternate Leg Kick Sit Against Wall

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your back against a flat wall and feet hip-width apart, roughly two feet away from the base.
2. Slide your back down the wall until your thighs are parallel to the floor, creating a 90-degree angle at both the hips and knees.
3. Press your entire spine, from the tailbone to the shoulder blades, firmly against the wall.
4. Place your hands at your sides against the wall or cross them over your chest to avoid using them for support.

How to do it

1. Exhale and brace your core as you straighten one leg out in front of you until the knee is fully locked and the leg is parallel to the floor.
2. Hold the extended position for one second, focusing on a peak contraction in the quadriceps and maintaining a level pelvis.
3. Inhale as you slowly lower the foot back to the starting position with control, ensuring your hips do not shift or drop.
4. Repeat the movement with the opposite leg, alternating sides for the duration of the set while keeping the stationary leg at a 90-degree bend.

Form checklist

• Keep the lower back pressed flat against the wall at all times to prevent arching.
• Ensure the stationary knee stays aligned over the ankle and does not cave inward.
• Maintain a 90-degree angle in the stationary leg; do not allow yourself to slide up the wall.
• Keep your head and shoulders back against the wall to maintain a neutral cervical spine.

Pro tips

• Drive the heel of the stationary foot into the ground to maximize glute and hamstring tension during the kick.
• Flex your toes toward your shin (dorsiflexion) on the kicking leg to increase calf and quadriceps engagement.
• Imagine pinning your belly button to the wall to ensure the transverse abdominis is fully supporting the unilateral load.

Make it harder

• Hold a dumbbell or medicine ball at chest height to increase the resistance on the legs and core.
• Slow down the tempo to a 3-second count for both the extension and the lowering phase to increase time under tension.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the alternate leg kick sit against wall work?

The alternate leg kick sit against wall primarily targets the calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps, and also works the obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the alternate leg kick sit against wall?

The alternate leg kick sit against wall requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the alternate leg kick sit against wall good for beginners?

The alternate leg kick sit against wall is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• 3 Point Standing HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Cone Single Foot Lateral HopsIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• 4 Way Single Leg HopAdvanced · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps
• Alternate Knee Cross Over Sit Against WallIntermediate · calves, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps