Clamshell
Lying on your side with knees bent and feet together, you open your top knee like a clamshell, working the abductors and the side of your glutes.
- Primary muscles
- Abductors
- Secondary
- Glutes
- Difficulty
- Beginner
- Logged as
- Reps
Loads from YouTube only when you press play. The video is by an independent creator.
Why do it
The clamshell isolates the outer hip with a small, easy movement, so it suits beginners, warm-ups and anyone who struggles to feel the side of their glutes working. Lying down means little else can help, but it also keeps the load light; a loop band above the knees is the usual way to make it harder. Compared with a side-lying leg raise, the bent knees shorten the lever, so it's easier and you can focus on slow, controlled reps.
How to do it
Lie on your side with your knees bent to about 90 degrees, feet together and in line with your hips.
Keeping your feet touching, lift the top knee as high as you can without rolling your pelvis back.
Squeeze the side of your glute at the top for a second.
Lower slowly and repeat, then switch sides. Place a hand on your hip to feel whether it stays still.
Common mistakes
Rolling your pelvis back
As the knee lifts, the top hip tends to tip back so the movement comes from your trunk. Stack your hips and keep a hand on the top one to check it stays still.
Letting your feet come apart
If your feet separate, the movement turns into a different leg lift. Keep your heels pressed together and only open the knees.
Rushing quick, tiny reps
Fast little flaps don't give the muscle time to work. Lift slowly, hold the top for a second and lower under control.
Sets, reps and progression
How many sets you do and how close to failure you take them depend on your goal and your week, not on the exercise. These guides cover it:
Alternatives that train the same thing
Same movement, a different angle or piece of equipment.
