The Oyster Exercise Is the No-Equipment Butt-Sculpting Move You Need to Add to Your Routine

Not only is the low-impact move super easy on your joints, but it also protects your knees from high-intensity exercises that can cause pain like jump squats and burpees. "The gluteus medius helps in external rotation of the hip, and strengthening it also prevents internal rotation of the femur, which prevents internal rotation at the knee, keeping it tracking properly to prevent injury," exercise physiologist Michelle Lovitt tells Self. So what are you waiting for? Mastering it will only take you a minute, tops.

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How to perform the oyster exercise.

According to the American Council on Exercise, there are only a couple steps to performing the oyster exercise.

1. Lie on your side with your knees bent to 90 degrees.

2. Raise your top leg, keeping your feet touching the entire time, then lower it back to the ground.

Yep, it's that easy. All you need is 15 to 20 repetitions on each side during your workouts to help increase your strength. And if you want to take things up a notch, you can make things more challenging by bringing a resistance band into the mix. Just secure it around your thighs above your knees and you're good to go.



If planks kill your wrists, add these exercises into your routine. Or, try these exercises to get Michelle Obama-level arms—no weights necessary.