How to Do Clamshell

Clamshell is a glutes exercise using bodyweight, listed as beginner in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

Primary muscle

Glutes

Equipment

Bodyweight

Difficulty

Beginner

01 / Move with control

How to perform

How to do Clamshell

  1. 01Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent at a forty five degree angle.
  2. 02Stack your legs and rest your head on your lower arm.
  3. 03Lift your top knee as high as possible without rotating your pelvis backward.
  4. 04Pause at the top of the movement to feel the glute contraction.
  5. 05Slowly lower the knee back to the starting position and repeat.

Same guidance shown inside the A90 app

02 / Anatomy

Muscles worked by Clamshell

Primary Stabiliser Inactive

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Primary movers

  • Glutes Extends the hip, your main power generator.

Stabilisers

  • Core Stabilises the spine and transfers force.
  • Lower back Stabilises the spine during lifts and bends.
  • Forearms Grips and stabilises the wrist under load.

03 / A90 Coach

A90 Coach tip

Keep your feet glued together and focus the movement entirely on the glute medius.

Same coaching engine used inside the A90 app

05 / FAQ

Clamshell questions

What muscles does Clamshell work?

Clamshell is catalogued as a glutes exercise in A90 Training Club, with the glutes as its primary muscle group.

How do you do Clamshell correctly?

Lie on your side with your hips and knees bent at a forty five degree angle. Stack your legs and rest your head on your lower arm. Lift your top knee as high as possible without rotating your pelvis backward. Pause at the top of the movement to feel the glute contraction. Slowly lower the knee back to the starting position and repeat.

What is the A90 coach tip for Clamshell?

Keep your feet glued together and focus the movement entirely on the glute medius.

Is Clamshell suitable for beginners?

Clamshell is rated beginner in the A90 Training Club catalogue.

Do you need equipment for Clamshell?

No. Clamshell is listed as a bodyweight movement in the A90 catalogue, so you can train it with no kit.

A90 Intelligence

Put this into a real plan.

A90 Intelligence programmes clamshell into a 30, 60 or 90 day plan built around your equipment, then adjusts it as you train.

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