How To Do Clamshell Exercise Properly For Strong Lower Body

• Lie down on the floor with your back straight. The feet need to be together.
• Rotate the body to the left side and bend at the knees. Bring the feet closer to the hips while the knees will slightly go forward.
• Stack the right leg on top of the left one. The feet should be joined together.
• You can support your head with the help of a pillow or the left hand.
• Engage the core muscles and start raising the top leg towards the ceiling. Keep the feet together throughout the lifting process.
• Lift the leg as high as possible. At top of the movement, it will look like the opening of a clam shell.
• Once you reach the top, hold the clam shell pose for 30 seconds to a minute.
• Do not arch or round the back as you raise the leg. The hips should also not roll forward or backward. These actions may lead to severe injuries.
• Lower your right leg back to the floor slowly and steadily.
• Repeat this process for 10 to 12 reps.

The clamshell is popular in any workout routine that focuses on strengthening our lower body muscles. It is easy to do and can be practiced at home with little space. Consistently doing this exercise could help to enhance our overall health.

Here are some benefits of clamshell workouts that can motivate us to add them to our exercise routine:

1. Strengthens The Hip Muscles

Clamshell is considered one of the top exercises we can do to increase our hip strength. By lifting the leg, our hip muscles will get activated, and consistent reps could help build powerful hips.

The clamshell is also a fantastic gluteus medius exercise due to the sideways lifting movement. The gluteus medius muscle is often overlooked while working out the glute, making it even more crucial.

2. Improves Balance

When we strengthen the hips and glutes with clam shells, it could help improve balance as well. Stronger hips mean that we’ll have a proper hip joint alignment while doing various physical tasks.

When the gluteal muscles are strong, they can aid to stabilize our pelvis. When the pelvic stability is good, it automatically implies better hip joint movement and better knee alignment as well. Moreover, this exercise also balances the muscles in the pelvic floor and thighs.

3. Decreases The Risk Of Injury

By doing the clamshell exercises properly, we could decrease the risk of various injuries in the hips and lower back. When we raise our legs, we’ll be extending the lower back and hip muscles, and this could offer pain relief if we have tight muscles.

Moreover, this exercise may also be used by runners as it helps reduce foot pain. Practice them before the running session to release any muscle tension present in our feet.

4. Enhances Muscle Tone

This workout can also enhance the muscle tone in the glutes, giving them a defined and rounded look. Practicing multiple reps of clamshells could help engage the gluteal muscles effectively, which will increase the fat burn in the area.

It is important to perform them consistently to get the desired muscle tone. This benefit won’t appear quickly and requires a committed workout routine along with a balanced diet to achieve.

5. Increases Range of Motion

When we raise the legs upward, we’ll also be working on the hips' range of motion. This movement involves the hip joint and could help reduce pain in the area.

Moreover, clam shells also engage the abductor muscles, which assist in moving the hips sideways. The hip rotators get activated during the exercise too, making it a fantastic hip mobility exercise out there.

1. Clamshell With Resistance Band

A resistance band can add an extra challenge to the clamshells workout. This equipment makes lifting the leg harder, and this could offer deeper muscle engagement in the glutes, core, and hamstrings.

While doing this variation, we must be careful not to overstretch the muscles by lifting too high, as this may lead to leg injuries.

Steps To Do:

• Start by lying down on the ground with back straight and feet joined together.
• Place the body on the left side, stacking the right leg on top of the left one.
• The head must be supported by your arm or a pillow.
• Bend the knees and bring the feet close to your hips. The knees must lie at 45-degree angle.
• Engage the core, and lift the top leg upwards.
• When the leg reaches the top, hold the pose for a few seconds.
• Return back to the starting position by lowering the top leg.
• Continue practicing this exercise for 10 to 12 reps.

2. Side Plank Clamshells

By combining the clamshells with the side plank, we’ll get a great exercise that can strengthen our core and oblique muscles. Holding its position may be challenging for beginners, as we need proper stability and core strength to go on for minutes.

If this workout feels challenging, we can start with the side plank and clamshells. Once we have mastered both, we could move on to this unique variation. Adding a resistance band can help boost muscle engagement.

Steps To Do:

• Get on the side plank pose on your left side. The right forearm and right leg should support the entire body weight.
• Bend the knees and keep your legs stacked on top of one another. The knees can slightly shift forward.
• The body should maintain a straight line with the hips and back properly aligned.
• Maintaining the side plank, open the top knee towards the ceiling.  Do not move the lower leg or the upper body during the process.
• Go as high as possible without putting strain on the knees or hips.
• Stay at the top for a few seconds, then lower the knee back to the ground.
• Conduct this activity for desired number of reps.

3. Clamshell With Dumbbell

Adding a dumbbell in the clamshells workout can further engage the gluteal muscles. This variation may be hard for beginners since we have to lift the legs while resisting the weight.

We must avoid using heavier weights as it may compromise our form and strain the lower back or hips. Moreover, the hips must not roll backward while performing this workout.

Steps To Do:

• Lie down on the floor on your side. Carry a dumbbell in the top hand and bend at the elbow. The elbows should be pressed close to the body.
• Bend the knees at 45-degree angle while the feet need to be together.
• Now, raise the top knee upwards. Lift the dumbbell at the same time. Engage the ab muscles during this lifting phase.
• Hold at the top of the movement for a few seconds, then lower the knee and the dumbbell down.
• Continue this activity for 5 to 7 reps.

4. Standing Clamshell

Are you bored of doing the same old clam shells in the side-lying position? The standing variation may be all we need to add some fun to our routine. This variation is fantastic for targeting the glutes and hamstring muscles effectively.

Standing clamshell could be used to prepare our legs and hips for exercises like wide squats and sumo deadlifts too. This workout also challenges our ankle and hip stabilizers, making us stronger for running and jogging.

Steps To Do:

• Stand tall with the back straight. Loop a resistance band around the thighs.
• The feet should be close to each other and pointed in front of you.
• Place the arms by your sides. You could also clasp them at the chest level.
• Now, raise the left leg through bending at the knee. The lower leg should extend behind.
• Raise the left leg outwards, feeling the resistance of the band. You can lean forward to support the lift.
• Go as high as you can. Hold the lifted leg at top for 30 seconds.
• Bring the leg down to the initial position.
• Conduct this exercise for desired number of reps.

When practicing the clam shell exercise at home or gym, it's important to do it safely to avoid unnecessary injuries. The key factor to keep in mind is form - maintaining proper form can significantly decrease the risk of injury during the exercise.

Here are some safety tips to make the clamshells safer and more effective:

1. Don’t Rotate The Lower Back

While doing the clamshells, we must be careful not to rotate the lower back. Doing so will actually defeat the purpose of this workout. Since clamshell is made for targeting the gluteal muscles, rotating the lower back can compensate the body’s focus away from the glutes.

We should only rotate our hips during the lifting process. The lower back should remain stationary, and the core should work harder to maintain this position.

2. Maintain Proper Momentum

Proper momentum is crucial for being safe and getting an effective stretch during the clamshells. We may have a habit of raising the leg too fast - this will not achieve any good outcome for our glutes.

Many people tend to lower their legs quickly, thinking this part is not as important. However, during the lowering phase, we could still burn fat and keep the targeted muscles engaged.

3. Avoid Overstretching

Overstretching is a common problem faced by beginners who are new to this workout. When we lift our legs, we must not go beyond our normal range of motion. Some people may have better mobility, while others may have less.

When the muscles get overstretched, we could suffer from various issues like muscle strain. To avoid this scenario, we must perform the movements slowly and halt the lift if we start to feel discomfort.

4. Progress Gradually

We should start the clamshells exercise slowly so that the muscles get adapted to the new stress. When we’re just starting the reps, our muscles may still be tight. Increasing the intensity right off the bat would only lead to injuries.

Perform the exercise slowly for some reps, then increase the intensity with resistance bands and dumbbells. Ensure that the body does not experience any pain while looking to make gradual progression.

1. Lateral Step Ups

Lateral step ups are one of the best alternatives to clamshells. They also engage the gluteus medius just like the clamshell. They are done in a standing position and require a step platform for successful reps.

We must start this workout with a step platform of a lower height. The surface should be stable and overstriding should be avoided.

Steps To Do:

• Stand tall with the back flat and shoulders relaxed. The step platform should be on your side.
• The feet must be close to each other. You could use a chair or handrail for support too.
• Next, step on the elevated surface with the closest foot. Keep the back straight throughout the movement.
• The other leg should hover on the floor.
• Stay in this pose for a few seconds, then lower the leg down.
• Continue doing this workout for desired number of reps.

2. Fire Hydrant

This clamshell alternative engages the gluteus maximus and core and does not require any fancy equipment - our body weight does the trick. Its movement mimics the way dogs raise their legs to pee on a fire hydrant.

Steps To Do:

• Get on the tabletop pose with the knees under the hips and hands under shoulders.
• Take a deep breath, and start lifting the right leg to the side. Maintain the bend in the knee.
• Raise the bent knee till it becomes perpendicular to the other leg. The arms should remain stationary during this process.
• Hold the pose for 30 seconds, then slowly bring the leg back to its original position.
• Do not arch or round the back while lifting the legs. Avoid twisting the upper body as well.
• Perform this workout for 5 to 7 reps, then switch sides.