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legs

Banded Clams

Lying on your side with your knees bent and a band above them, you open your top knee like a clam shell. Targets the small muscles at the side of the hip.

beginnermini bandmat

Banded Clams, start position
START
Banded Clams, end position
END
BEFORE YOU START1
  1. Slide the band to just above your knees.
HOW TO DO IT

Get into position

  1. Lie on your left side with your knees bent and your heels in line with your buttocks.
  2. Rest your head on your left arm, with your right hand on the floor in front.
  3. Keep your feet together.

Check: Your knees are bent at about a right angle, your feet are together, and your hips are stacked.

Open the top knee

  1. Keeping your feet together, lift your top knee as high as possible without rolling back.
  2. Hold for a second at the top.

Check: Your top knee is open against the band, your feet are still touching, and your hips have not rolled back.

Close slowly

  1. Lower the knee slowly back down, keeping some tension on the band.

Check: Your knees are back together with the band still slightly tight.

That is one rep. Do all the reps on one side, then roll over and switch.

Breathe out as you push out or lift; hold for a second; breathe in as you return over 2 seconds.

MUSCLES WORKED
Banded Clams: muscles worked, front view
Banded Clams: muscles worked, back view

abductorsglutescore

Red marks the muscles doing the work; amber the assisting ones. Same body for every exercise, so guides compare at a glance.

COMMON MISTAKES2
  • Rolling the hips back to open wider. The movement stops working the side of the hip. Fix: Keep your hips stacked; a smaller range is fine.
  • Feet coming apart. Fix: Keep your heels together; only the knee moves.
SAFETY1
  • Use a light band and high reps.
EQUIPMENT SETTINGS
  • mini band · placement: just above the knees
RELATED EXERCISES

variants: side lying leg raise, banded glute bridge, fire hydrants

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