Clamshell
Lying on your side with the knees bent and feet together, you open the top knee like a shell. It trains the gluteus medius and the hip's outward rotators with no equipment. Choose it as a warm-up or a light glute finisher.
Updated
Primary muscles: Glutes, Abductors. Equipment: Bodyweight.
Muscles worked
Equipment
How to do it
- Lie on your side with the head resting on the lower arm.
- Stack the hips, then bend the hips to about 45 degrees and the knees to about 90 degrees with the feet together.
- Brace the core and keep the top hip stacked over the bottom one.
- Lift the top knee as high as you can without the pelvis rolling back.
- Pause for one count at the top.
- Lower the knee under control and finish all reps before switching sides.
Watch for
- Pelvis rolling back to open the knee wider.
- Feet separating.
- Rushing the lowering.
Breathing
Exhale as you open, inhale as you close.
Tip
A mini band just above the knees makes it harder; switch to a heavier band when 20 slow reps feel easy.
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