Clamshells

Flexopedia > Adductors & Hip External Rotation

Clamshells

Muscle Group Stretched: Adductors

Muscle Group Strengthened: Hip External Rotators, Glutes

Type of Stretch: Active Dynamic

Difficulty: All Levels

Suggested Prerequisites: none

Let’s bring it back to the 80s aerobic area with these clamshells! In addition to making you look super cool, clamshells area great strengthener of our hip external rotators and abductors (including our glutes) - both muscle groups we need to be strong to support deeper straddles and middle splits.

I like to pair this drill with reverse clamshells (which helps strengthen our internal rotators).

How To

Step 1

Start lying on your side with your hips stacked on top of each other (hip bones pointing straight forwards). Bend your knees and slide your feet a little closer to your butt, trying to keep the heels in line with your torso, not letting them come forward on your mat. I like to aim for a 90-ish degree bend in my knees, but it doesn’t have to be exact.

Step 2

Keeping your feet together, lift the top knee as high as you can without letting your hip bones fall backwards (only the leg should move, not the pelvis). This should feel like a strong squeeze in the outer hip (glutes). Then drop the knee back towards the bottom knee.

That’s one rep.

Repeat for 8-12 reps.

Modifications

Need to make it easier?

Keep the knee lift small.

Want to make it harder?

Lift your feet off the floor and keep them lifted as you “clamshell” your knees open and closed.

Add a resistance band around your thighs close to your knees.

Related Content

• Flexopedia: Reverse Clamshells

• Flexopedia: Fire Hydrants

• Flexopedia: Fire Hydrants with Foot Drop

• Blog Post: 6 Exercises for Hip Internal and External Rotation

• Blog Post: Help! My Outer Hips Hurt When I Straddle