Clamshell Exercise
How To Do Clamshell Exercise With Proper Form
Start by lying on your side with legs together and knees bent.
Engage your core and glutes.
Keeping your feet together, slowly lift your top knee.
Hold briefly at the top and activate your hips and glutes
For an added challenge, use a resistance band around your thighs.
Small Move, Big Hip Stability
The clamshell looks gentle, but it reaches the deep hip muscles that keep your pelvis and knees aligned. Strengthening them quietly improves how you walk, climb stairs, and hold steady on one leg, which is why it appears in so many rehab and prehab routines.
The Muscles It Targets
This move targets the gluteus medius on the outer hip, with the deeper gluteus minimus assisting. These stabilizers are key to keeping your knees tracking properly and your hips level.
When to Reach for It
Easy on the body and a staple for hip arthritis and knee support, the clamshell rewards control. Lie on your side with knees bent, keep your feet together, and open the top knee without rolling your hips back.
Clamshell Exercise Mistakes To Avoid
- Don’t let your hips rotate or your body shift position.
- Keep movements slow and controlled to maintain muscle engagement.
- If you feel your hips moving, try reducing the range of motion.
- Remember, focus on form over speed.
