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Strength Training
Banded Clamshell
Beginner
About This Exercise
Glute medius activation drill. Fires the lateral hip stabilizers that are often dormant from sitting. Critical for squat and lunge stability. [DEPRECATED 2026-04-30: consolidated into the cross-platform Clamshell canonical (id cmmtp998w001nvsrjfuua2o8m). Use that row for any new prescriptions.]
1Setup
Lie on your side with knees bent at 45 degrees and a mini band just above your knees. Feet together, hips stacked.
2Execution
Keeping your feet together, open your top knee as far as possible by rotating at the hip. Hold for 1 second. Lower with control. Complete all reps, then switch sides.
Pro Tips
- Do not roll your hips backward — keep them stacked
- Focus on feeling the burn in the side of your glute
- Place your hand on your glute medius to feel the contraction
- Slow and controlled — 2 seconds up, 1 second hold, 2 seconds down
Safety Notes
- !If you feel it in your hip flexors, check your hip alignment
Train This Exercise
Quick workout with this exercise