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The exercise involves walking forward and backward, in a mini-squat, with a resistance band around your legs.
Plus, its easy to do anywhere, no fancy equipment required.
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Want to set your glutes on fire?
physical therapist atBespoke Physical Therapyin New York City
Getting a little lower will really light up, aka activate, your butt and hip muscles.
These muscles play a crucial role in hip strength and stability.
Monster walks also work your gluteus maximus, aka the booty muscle.
They build strong abductors
Few exercises fire up your abductors like monster walks, Lampa says.
Abductors often get overlooked on leg day.
They improve hip stability
Sit at a desk all day?
Odds are your hips are tighter (and weaker) than you think.
The good news is, monster walks can help fix that.
The result: stronger, more stable hips.
physical therapist atBespoke Physical Therapyin New York City
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They improve your exercise form
Do yourknees cave in a little when you squat?
Monster walks are your solution to better form.
Your gluteus medius is the key muscle that keeps your hips and pelvis stable while you run.
They require minimal equipmenttypically just a resistance bandand can be performed anywhere, Sampson says.
Youll be hard pressed to find another exercise thats more convenient or accessible.
Heck, you’re free to even rep out some monster walks at the office between meetings.
Thats actually the best way to learn how to perform the movement, Sampson says.
Thats probably why people get loosey-goosey with form.
Not sure if your form is on point?
Use these cues, courtesy of Sampson and Lampa, for good form.
All you have to do is switch the position of the resistance band.
That means placing the band around your feet, which is furthest from the hip, increases the difficulty.
Frequently asked questions
How often should you do monster walks?
For the best results, three to four times a week.
Try kicking off leg day with some monster walks for serious muscle activation.
Adding them to your warmup preps your body for heavy hitters like squats and deadlifts, Sampson says.
Whats the difference between monster walks and lateral walks?
The main difference is the direction of movement.
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