Running Move of the Month: The Banded Clamshell

Reccomended by GRP Biathlete Kelsey Dickinson

The banded clamshell demonstrated by Hallie Grossman

The February Move of the Month is the banded clamshell; both the regular version and the internal rotation variation. This is a great exercise to keep your hip and glute muscles balanced and firing properly. I credit clam shells with helping me rehab a lower back injury that I sustained in training a couple years ago. The running motion keeps us mostly within the sagittal plane, so balancing our hips in the lateral direction can help us reduce the chance of injury.

Find a 2 inch x 12 inch band. You will want to start with a lighter resistance and work into heavier resistance as you become stronger. Place the band above your knees and lie on your side with your knees bent in front of you, not quite at 90 degrees. Keeping your toes touching, lift your top leg as far as possible without rotating your body or lifting your lower leg.

For the internal rotation variation, start with your feet up in the air before lifting your top leg.

Start with 2 sets of 8-10 reps on either side, increasing to three sets and 12 reps with a heavier band after it begins to feel less challenging. I would also recommend mixing it up by occasionally doing less reps with a harder band (6-8) or higher reps (12-15) with an easier resistance.

This is a good activation exercise to do before running or strength workouts. You can also do it when you are hanging out watching TV.