A clamshell is often seen as a hip abductor exercise, but so long as you think about squeezing a ball when closing your shell, so to speak, you can get in some inner-thigh work, too, says Henderson. You can even use a small exercise ball in between your thighs to amp up that inner-thigh engagement.
- Lie on your left side on the floor with your legs and feet stacked, your left hand supporting your head, and your right hand resting on the ground in front of your chest. Bend your knees slightly and bring them a few inches in front of your hips. Engage your core by bracing as if someone is about to punch you in the gut.
- On an exhale, drive your right knee up toward the ceiling, lifting your right leg off of your left while keeping your heels glued together. Imagine your legs opening up like a book.
- On an inhale, slowly lower your right knee back to meet the left.
Do 10 to 12 reps. Switch sides; repeat.
Megan Falk is an experienced health and wellness journalist and editor whose work has been published by PS, Shape, Livestrong, Women's Health, Well+Good, mindbodygreen, Wide Open Spaces, and other outlets. She has served as an editor on Equinox's content team and at Shape, where she primarily covered exercise tips, fitness modalities, workout trends, and more.
