Banded Lateral Walk

Direct work for the gluteus medius — the muscle that stops your knee caving and your hip dropping.

DIFFICULTY
Beginner
EQUIPMENT
Band
PRIMARY MUSCLES
Gluteus Medius · Glutes
ALSO WORKS
Obliques
HOW TO DO IT
  1. 01Loop a band just above the knees, or around the ankles for more difficulty.
  2. 02Drop into a quarter squat with the chest up.
  3. 03Step sideways, keeping tension in the band the whole time.
  4. 04Take 10–15 steps each direction without letting the knees collapse inward.
COACHING CUES
  1. 01Stay low the whole set — standing up mid-set kills it.
  2. 02Push the knee out against the band on every step.
  3. 03Feel it on the side of the hip, not the front of the thigh.
COMMON MISTAKES
  1. 01Standing tall and turning it into a walk.
  2. 02Letting the trailing leg snap in instead of controlling it.
  3. 03Band so heavy the knees cave anyway.

Note: Reference material, not a prescription. Load, volume and whether this movement suits you at all depends on your assessment — if something hurts, stop and get it looked at.

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