Strong hips and glutes are a must if you want to run well – so if strengthening these areas is one of your goals, be sure to add the clamshell exercise to your strength training routine.
The clamshell exercise targets the hip abductors – a group of muscles located on the lateral side of the hip, which allow sideways movement – and is a great move for improving your balance and stability, too. Even better, it’s extremely simple to execute.
Here’s what you need to know about this easy but effective strength move.
Why do runners need strong hips and glutes?
The hip abductor muscles include the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, tensor fasciae latae, piriformis, sartorius and superior fibres of the gluteus maximus. These muscles are responsible for keeping your pelvis and femur (thigh bone) stable when you run. Weakness in these muscles can result in excess movement through the pelvis, which can negatively impact your running form and make you run less efficiently. Plus, it can cause stress and strain on the spine and pelvis, increasing your risk of injury. Runners also need strong hips and glutes to generate propulsive force against the ground while running.
Why should runners do the clamshell exercise?
According to Graeme Woodward, a UK Athletics Level 3 performance coach, strength and conditioning coach and We Run coach for West Yorkshire, the clamshell exercise is a staple in rehabilitation programmes where the goal is to initially strengthen the hip abductors.
‘By performing the clamshell with strict technique, the hip abductors are isolated in moving the upper leg out to stabilise the knee against valgus – or moving in – when loaded,’ adds Woodward. ‘This is really important in injury prevention, especially in women.’
How to do the clamshell exercise
How to do the inchworm exercise correctly:
- exercises to strengthen hip flexors.
- Activate your side abs and squeeze your glutes.
- week strength training plan for runners.
- Hold for five seconds, then lower back to the starting position. That’s one rep.
Over time, you will start to get stronger. So, to make the clamshell exercise more challenging, complete the move with a resistance band around your thighs. ‘The clamshell is an isolation exercise and the body will adapt to it quickly by gaining strength, so this needs to be overloaded by adding bands of increasing resistance,’ confirms Woodward.
