Clam exercise

This exercise is very important because weakness in the hips and gluteus causes downward stress into the knee.

• Improves the way you walk, stabilizes the pelvis when your walk
• Strengthens your ankles
• strengthens your hips and Gluteus Muscles

Muscles its working

Gluteus Medius

Gluteus Minimus

Tensor Fascia Latae

Sartorius

Lie on your side. Rest your head on your arm

Bend hips to about 45 degrees and bend your knees at 90 degrees. Make sure one hip is lying above the other.

 Separate your knees, but keeping your feet together.

Repeat for 30 seconds on each leg. If done correctly you should feel the muscles around the back of the hip bone (gluteus medius and minimus) working hard.

Focus on not allowing the alignment of the body to be disrupted with leg movement.

(See Image Below)



Reverse clam

Same as regular clam just you keep your knees touching, and separate you feet
(See Image Below)



Hip Abduction 
Lift the top leg up to about 30 degrees, keeping the foot parallel tothe ground and the thigh aligned with the body. 


 Runners-Side Lying
(See video)
Is like running horizontal (Fat Amy's favorite) but only one leg. The way i see it, its more like doing high knees.
So for all these different Clams you are on your side still hips even, knees bent at a 90 degree angle.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DhXMOTlr70


Tips
 You want to make sure you are doing this exercise on each side, and doing 30 seconds for each.
Make sure you keep your hip parallel.
You should be feeling the burn sensation on the side of your hip and bottom.

This exercise is probably my favorite, I can feel my muscles working hard and strengthening. I was so sore after the first time I did them, Being sore made feel good, I knew I was working hard.



http://www.sportsinjuryclinic.net/rehabilitation-exercises/hip-groin-exercises/clam