How to Perform Wall Slides and Simple Squat Exercises
In this video, we demonstrate how to perform wall slides and simple squats. These exercises are great for recovery, correction, activating muscle groups, and building strength. This demonstration is catered to cancer survivors but beneficial to anyone.
My name is Russ Davies, and I’m a trainer with Survival to Strength. I’m here today with Nita, a client I’ve been working with for about a year, and we’d like to demonstrate a couple of exercises that may be beneficial.
One of the exercises we’ll discuss today is part of our postural restoration program. People who have undergone treatments in the chest area or pectorals as part of their therapies often experience tightness in these areas. This tightness can pull the shoulders inward, causing the head to move forward, which may disrupt shoulder motion and overall posture.
The exercise we use for this is called a "Wall W." To start, position yourself against a wall with your feet hip-width apart, facing straight forward. Check the arch in your back—notice how much of the back is away from the wall. Adjust your shoulders so they don’t rise above 90 degrees, and hold this position isometrically. Initially, this is held to allow the muscles to stretch, in combination with mobility exercises, until the person can sustain the position for two minutes.
Once the isometric hold is mastered, we can add motion. Begin by exhaling to bring the ribs down, then inhale to expand the chest, stretching the soft tissue while moving the shoulder blades to glide around the rib cage. Throughout the exercise, we watch for distortions, such as the head coming forward, shifting to one side, or asymmetry in the body. By continuing to work on this, we can restore posture and bring the body back to its natural alignment.
Another beneficial exercise focuses on building leg strength—either a squat or a sit-to-stand movement. To start, we use a chair with cushions to limit the range of motion. This allows gradual progress as strength builds. Over time, as you get stronger, you can remove the cushions to increase the range of motion, working toward a full squat.
Here’s how Nita demonstrates this: Start with your feet, knees, and hips aligned, maintaining good posture. Sit back, touch the chair lightly, and come back up. Repeat this motion, adjusting the chair height to suit your current strength and mobility level. As you improve, you can lower the chair height for a deeper squat. Aim for three sets of ten repetitions, resting between sets.
When performing a squat, focus on keeping the weight in your heels, sitting back, and ensuring your knees don’t come over your toes. This maximizes the activation of your glutes, which provide the power to drive you out of the squat position.
I hope you found these demonstrations useful. I’d like to thank Nita for assisting us today—it’s been a pleasure working with her over the past year. I also want to thank Fluid Health and Fitness for the use of their facility and materials.
