The 8 best wall yoga exercises

Yoga is an incredibly powerful and effective practice that plays a key role in maintaining a healthy, balanced, calm state of wellbeing. Amid our busy lives, it offers a much-needed opportunity to pause, look inward, connect with ourselves, and truly feel what is happening within.

No matter your activity level, body type, age, range of motion or experience, yoga is adaptable to everyone. It makes you and your body feel good, with an understanding and appreciation for every muscle.

In this blog, we explore the many benefits of practising wall yoga; highlighting how it enhances the body’s awareness as well as calms, nurtures and energises both the mind and body.

Yoga wall exercises are an excellent way to begin and deepen your yoga journey, whether at beginner, intermediate, advanced, or senior level.

What are the benefits of wall yoga?

Having support from the wall (especially if balance is an issue) helps you feel more secure, stable and balanced, making it easier to hold poses with less strain. The added support enhances focus on breathwork, which results in a more profound muscular release and reduced tension.

Wall yoga is a holistic practice with many benefits covering a lot of bases, including:

Reduction of stress and anxiety: Certain poses alleviate pressure off the head and neck, supporting the nervous system and promoting deeper relaxation.
A calm mind: Yoga wall exercises relax the body with a mindful, focused concentration on deep breathing leading to a meditative, peaceful state.
Increased circulation: Sitting or standing for long periods can lead to foot oedema (swelling due to fluid build-up). Wall yoga poses that involve elevating the legs help reduce this as fluid drainage takes place, promoting healthy blood flow back to the heart.
Relief of muscle cramps: Wall yoga positions can effectively relieve stress, tension and discomfort in sore muscles. This provides relief from various types of cramps, including menstrual and leg cramps, as well as headaches and back aches.
Sleep improvement: Relaxing the body helps to ease and relax the mind, creating an ideal situation for a restful night’s sleep.

What are the best wall yoga exercises?

Having explored the benefits of wall yoga, below are some of the best wall yoga exercises to achieve great results.

1. Chair pose

Start with your feet together about a foot away from the wall, whilst keeping your back against the wall.
With your abs engaged and your spine lengthened, slowly inhale and lift your arms overhead, in line with your ears.
On the exhale, bend your knees, lean 45 degrees forward, and lower your hips as if on your way to sitting in a chair. Use the wall to support the glutes without putting too much weight into it.
Hold the pose for 3 to 5 breaths, before returning to standing.

Benefits of the chair pose

Perhaps one of the most common wall yoga exercises, the chair pose improves balance and builds cardiovascular health. The pose particularly strengthens the core, thighs and ankles.

2. Mountain pose

With your back against the wall, place your feet hip-width apart and two inches away from the wall.
Try to keep your buttocks, shoulder blades, and head close to the wall.
Lengthen your spine and neck by reaching the crown of your head to the ceiling while keeping your shoulder relaxed and away from your ears. With your palms facing outwards, point your fingers down to the floor, grazing the wall.
Breathe into the pose 5 to 10 times, ensuring you are supported by the wall, but be sure not to lean into it.

Benefits of the mountain pose

This is a great all-rounder, engaging a range of muscles such as the quadriceps, knees, calf muscles, core, neck and shoulders. You will notice an improvement in your posture, alignment, and balance.

3. Eagle pose

Standing once again with your back against the wall, bend your knees slightly, cross your right thigh over your left thigh, and put your right foot against your left calf.
If you’re a beginner, cross your left hand over to your right shoulder and your right hand under and into your left armpit. Be sure not to force this, and go as far as you are able. If you can’t reach, you can always place your hands on opposite shoulders and give yourself a hug.
If you’re more advanced, bend your elbows out in front of you and cross them one on top of the other, also crossing your wrists so that your palms connect.
Hold this pose for 5 breaths once in position, then switch sides.

Benefits of the eagle pose

This move really gets to those muscles that could do with a good stretch. Whether it’s tight shoulders, back or hips, this pose helps you relieve tension and tests your balance, endurance and focus.

4. Wall-supported tree pose

Stand with the side of your body facing the wall, your closest foot about a foot away.
Reach your arms overhead, and rest the arm closest to the wall, on the wall for balance, keeping your palm facing outwards and your shoulders relaxed.
Now, place the base of your foot furthest away from the wall, against the opposite leg, either above, on, or below the side of the knee.
Hold this pose for several breaths before switching sides

Benefits of the wall-supported tree pose

This pose helps open the hips while stretching the thighs and strengthening the ankles and legs. A good practice for balance and concentration.

5. Wall-supported shoulder opener

Still standing side on to the wall, place the closest hand at shoulder height, palm facing the wall.
Slowly rotate away from the wall. Your opposite shoulder will rotate around, opening your chest toward the ceiling. Ensure you relax and draw your shoulders down.
Hold this pose for several breaths before switching sides and repeating.

Benefits of the wall-supported shoulder opener

This move is excellent for supporting and maintaining and healthy posture, by releasing any extra tension in your shoulders and chest.

6. Wall-supported lunge twist

Standing to face the wall about two feet away, place your right hand against the wall and step your right foot back, bending your knees into a lunge position.
Slowly twist your torso towards the left, reaching your left hand behind you at the same time.
Hold this pose for several breaths before repeating on the other side.

Benefits of the wall-supported lunge twist

This move is great for spinal mobility, aiding healthy digestion as well as stretching out the hip flexors and thighs.

7. Legs up against the wall

Sit on the floor, with your right side close to the wall. Bend your knees, draw your feet in and swing your legs up against the wall as you lie flat on your back (your hips should be close to or against the wall).
Place your arms in a position comfortable for you.
Stay here for around 3 minutes, relaxing with each breath you take.
To release, gently push yourself away from the wall to bring your feet back to floor level, and stay here for a few moments.
Slowly roll onto your side before moving into an upright position.

Benefits

This pose helps reduce leg swelling and varicose veins while alleviating stress, anxiety and tension symptoms. It also enhances blood circulation and supports effective lymphatic drainage.

8. Wide leg straddle with legs up against the wall

Use the same method as above to start with your legs up the wall.
Slide your feet far apart until you feel a comfortable stretch on the inside of your hip/thighs. Try to keep your legs as straight as possible without locking the knees.
Once you feel the stretch fade, continue to widen the legs slightly each time, to deepen the stretch.
Hold this pose for several breaths..

Benefits

Whilst boosting circulation, this pose also helps open the hips and groin area as well as stretch the glutes, piriformis and lower back.

Whether you’re practising in a yoga studio or simply using a blank wall at home, you have everything you need to explore these poses with ease.

Does wall yoga really work?

Ask yourself what kind of results you’re looking to achieve from your yoga.
- Do you want to build muscle?
- Do you want to improve posture and flexibility?
- Do you want to increase your energy levels and calm your mind?
If the answer is yes, then dedication to regular wall yoga is a great way to support these goals while also offering plenty of therapeutic benefits.
Making time in your day for wall yoga exercises—even if as little as 15 minutes—can make a significant difference in enhancing your mobility, posture, energy levels, and overall headspace.

Important considerations to keep in mind when practising wall yoga

As with any exercise practice, it’s important to approach wall yoga with caution, especially if you have existing health conditions or are simply new to yoga.

Start slowly, pay attention to your alignment for each wall pose, and refrain from staying in any position longer than you feel comfortable. Always listen to your body and avoid doing anything beyond your comfort zone.

If you do have any concerns or reservations about starting wall yoga, it’s always wise to speak to a healthcare professional before you begin.

Specialist yoga insurance through Insure4Sport

As calm and relaxing as yoga can be, there is still a risk of accident or injury.

Specialist yoga insurance through Insure4Sport can protect yoga instructors, yoga teachers, and yoga practitioners from potential financial risks and liabilities that may arise from their yoga.

Whether it’s wall yoga, or any other type of yoga you’re into, get a quote online today to see how much your cover could cost.