Firm, shapely butt cheeks can give you a surge of confidence during bikini season. However, getting to this point might require some work, especially if you’ve been sedentary during the colder winter months. In addition to classics, such as lunges and squats, surprise your rear end with the clam exercise. This seemingly effortless exercise can target your glutes slightly differently, which might be just the boost you need. For ultimate butt-sculpting action, do the exercise with perfect form.
Step 1
Lie on your side on an exercise mat. Extend your arm up and rest your head on it, or place your elbow on the floor so you can place your hand on the side of your head for support.
Step 2
Bend your knees 90 degrees and bring them forward until thighs are at a 45-degree angle from your body. Your feet should be directly in line with your buttocks.
Step 3
Contract your abdominals to help keep your body stable. Ensure that your shoulders, hips, knees and feet are stacked directly on top of each other. Avoid rolling your body forward or backward, and don’t round or sway your back; keep it straight. This is your starting point.
Step 4
Raise your upper knee off your lower knee as far as you can without breaking your form. Separate only your thighs, knees and calves, but keep the sides of your feet in constant contact with each other. Mimic the motion of a clam shell opening. Avoid rolling on your back to open your leg even further. Only raise your leg as far as you comfortably can and focus on the consistent contraction in your glutes.
Step 5
Exhale at the top of the clam exercise, and then inhale as you slowly reverse the motion, closing up the clam shell by bringing your knee back toward the non-working knee. Don’t allow your knees to touch. Instead, keep a 1-inch distance between your knees and immediately go into the second repetitions.
Step 6
Perform the clam exercise up to 12 times before switching sides. Repeat the exercise up to three times with each leg.
Tips
To make the clam exercise more challenging, hold a dumbbell in your hand and place it on the outside of your upper thigh for extra resistance. Alternatively, tie a resistance band around your thighs.
Perform the clam exercise in front of a mirror so you can double-check your form.
