The Clam
August 2010 | Fitness Level: General / Rehab

Start Position

Lie on your side with your head supported by either your arm or a pillow. Place your top arm either along the side of your body or in front of you as shown in the picture.

Bend both knees until there is a 45 degree bend in them and that the top leg is resting directly on top of the other.

Engage your core muscles by drawing your belly button in towards your spine.

Action

Carefully lift the top knee rotating the leg so that the knee moves to point up towards the ceiling, while the feet remain together. It is important that your body remains still throughout this movement so that your hips do not rotate backwards. To help maintain this perfect technique you can initially complete this exercise with your back and feet against a wall. You should feel a contraction in the top hip as you rotate your leg.

Return the knee to the start position and repeat.

Benefits

The clam is a fantastic exercise for strengthening the lateral rotators of the hip. This makes it a useful tool when helping clients recover from ITband syndrome or patella tracking disorders. It is also good for anyone who knees tend to collapse inwards or whose feet kick out to the side as they run.