How to do it:

  • Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent at about 45–60 degrees, feet together.

  • Rest your head on your bottom arm and place your top hand on your hip for support.

  • The top leg should be slightly forward over that bottom leg.

  • Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee upward as high as comfortably possible without rotating your pelvis.

  • Hold for 1–2 seconds, then slowly lower your knee back down.

  • Repeat for 10–15 repetitions per side.

  • Variation with resistance band: Place a resistance band around your thighs, just above your knees.

  • Perform the same movement against the band’s resistance to increase glute activation and strengthen hip stabilizers further.

Why it’s effective:

The Clam Shell targets the gluteus medius and minimus, which are key for lateral hip stability. Strengthening these muscles improves lower body alignment, reduces knee strain, and enhances balance.

Common benefits:

Strengthens outer hips and glutes, improves hip and pelvic stability, supports knee and lower limb alignment, enhances balance and gait mechanics and reduces risk of lower body injuries.