Clamshell

About This Exercise

A side-lying glute-medius isolation exercise. Targets the lateral hip stabilisers that are often dormant from sitting — critical for squat/lunge stability, single-leg balance, and pelvic control during running and rotational sports. Performed bodyweight or with a mini-band above the knees.

1Setup

Lie on your side with your knees bent at about 45°, feet stacked, hips and shoulders aligned. For the banded variant, place a mini-band just above the knees. Support your head with your bottom arm; the top hand can rest on your hip.

2Execution

Keeping your feet together and your pelvis stable, lift the top knee away from the bottom knee — opening like a clamshell. Pause briefly at the top with maximal glute-medius squeeze, then lower with control. Avoid letting the pelvis roll backward as you lift.

Pro Tips

• Pelvis stays stacked vertically — do not rotate as the knee opens
• Slow and controlled — the squeeze at the top is the point
• For the banded variant: band tension that lets you complete the prescribed reps with quality (range may be small if heavy)
• Place a hand on the side of your glute to feel the contraction