Clamshell to Reverse Clamshell

oec:clamshell-to-reverse-clamshell

A side-lying bodyweight drill alternating hip external and internal rotation to target the gluteal and deep hip musculature.

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Also called: Clam to Reverse Clam, Elevated Clamshell to Reverse Clamshell

How to do it

Lie on your side on the floor or a mat with your knees bent to roughly 90 degrees and hips flexed to about 45 degrees.
Stack your shoulders, hips, and knees directly on top of each other, resting your head on your bottom arm or a pillow.
Engage your core to ensure your pelvis stays perpendicular to the floor.

Elevate your entire top leg slightly so it hovers above the bottom leg.
Rotate the top hip outward to lift the knee while keeping the ankles touching or aligned (clamshell).
Reverse the motion by internally rotating the hip, bringing the top knee down toward the bottom knee while swinging the top foot and ankle upward (reverse clamshell).
Smoothly alternate between opening the knee and opening the foot without letting the top leg rest on the bottom leg.

Breathe continuously and steadily, exhaling during the end-range rotation on each movement.

Rolling the pelvis backward during the clamshell phase.: Keep the top hip stacked directly over the bottom hip, limiting knee lift to what your hip joint can achieve without spinal rotation.
Letting the top leg collapse and rest between transitions.: Maintain continuous muscular tension by keeping the top limb suspended throughout the set.

Work within a pain-free range of motion, especially during internal rotation if experiencing hip impingement symptoms.

This record: CC-BY-SA-4.0.