Target Overlooked Lower-Body Muscles With the Monster Walk Exercise

If you’re looking for a simple but super effective way to fire up your lower body, the monster walk is your new BFF. The exercise involves walking forward and backward, in a mini-squat, with a resistance band around your legs. It gets its name because, let’s be real, you end up waddling around like a creature from a horror movie—big, wide steps that feel anything but natural.

OK, you might look silly doing it, but, don’t get it twisted: the monster walk is a serious exercise. Whether you’re prepping for leg day or just want to improve your overall strength and stability, this exercise targets those often-overlooked muscles that keep your hips and knees strong. Plus, it’s easy to do anywhere, no fancy equipment required. Let’s break down why the monster walk deserves a spot in your routine and how it can take your lower body game to the next level.

How to do the monster walk exercise with perfect form every time

1. 1.
   Place a resistance band above your knees.
2. 2.
   Start with your feet shoulder-width apart and knees slightly bent (think: a mini-squat).
3. 3.
   Push your hips back and keep your back flat.
4. 4.
   Step one foot forward and diagonally outward, keeping tension on the band. Avoid dragging your feet.
5. 5.
   Repeat, stepping forward with the other foot. Take small, controlled steps while keeping the knees in line with the second and third toes.
6. 6.
   Keep walking forward until you complete all your reps. Then repeat the movement walking backward.

TIP

Want to set your glutes on fire? Bend a little more at the knees, says Tatiana Lampa, CPT, CFSC, corrective exercise specialist and creator of the Training with T app. Getting a little lower will really light up, aka activate, your butt and hip muscles.

Muscles you’re working

“Monster walks primarily target the hip abductor muscles, particularly the gluteus medius, gluteus minimus, and tensor fasciae latae (TFL),” says Cynthia Sampson, PT, DPT, CPT, a physical therapist at Bespoke Treatments in NYC. These muscles play a crucial role in hip strength and stability.

Monster walks also work your gluteus maximus, aka the booty muscle. “As the largest muscle in the body, it helps stabilize the hip by acting as both a hip extensor and external rotator, aiding in the outward rotation of the hip,” Sampson says.

Who should (and shouldn’t) do the monster walk exercise

Monster walks are for you if you’re looking to:

• Strengthen your hip abductors
• Address any weakness in your gluteus medius
• Reduce patellofemoral pain (i.e., pain around the kneecap) (“Studies have shown a strong link between hip abductor weakness and knee pain,” Sampson says.)
• Improve knee stability

Weak hips and wobbly knees are pretty common, especially as we age, so banging out a bunch of monster walks might be a smart prevention tactic for most of us.

On the flip side, if you already have a knee or hip injury, approach monster walks with some caution. People who’re recovering from surgery or anyone who can’t bear weight on their joints without pain should check in with their doctor to get the OK, Sampson says.

5 benefits of monster walks

The monster walk might look a little funny, but the benefits it brings to your lower body are seriously no joke.

1. They build strong abductors

Few exercises fire up your abductors like monster walks, Lampa says. Abductors often get overlooked on leg day. But these side booty muscles are massively important: they help stabilize the pelvis and hips during movements like walking and running, Sampson says.

2. 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 movement activates hip muscles (smaller, stabilizing muscles) that often go underused or neglected, Sampson says. The result: stronger, more stable hips.

Hip stability comes with some big bonuses: less pain and a reduced risk of injury (not just in the hips but also in the knees), Sampson says.

3. They improve your exercise form

Do your knees cave in a little when you squat? Monster walks are your solution to better form. The movement strengthens your gluteus medius, which “helps take the pressure off nearby joints, like your knees, and improves your form during exercises like step-downs, lunges, and squats,” Sampson says.

Good exercise form isn’t just for show: it can help you lift more efficiently and lower your injury risk.

4. They make you a better runner

Most runners are always looking for ways to run more efficiently, and monster walks might be the secret weapon you need. Your gluteus medius is the key muscle that keeps your hips and pelvis stable while you run. A strong gluteus medius helps prevent hip drop when you shift to one foot, reducing your risk of injury and knee pain, Sampson says. So, if you want to improve your running form and stay injury-free, it’s time to get your monster walk on.

5. They’re an easily accessible exercise

Whether you train at home, in the gym, or at a park, monster walks are for you. “They require minimal equipment—typically just a resistance band—and can be performed anywhere,” Sampson says. You’ll be hard pressed to find another exercise that’s more convenient or accessible.

So if you have a band and a few minutes to spare, nothing stands between you and stronger abductors. Heck, you can even rep out some monster walks at the office between meetings. No band? No problem. That’s actually “the best way to learn how to perform the movement,” Sampson says. “Once you’re comfortable with the form, add a resistance band to further challenge your hip strength, hip stability, and muscle engagement.”

Common mistakes when doing monster walks

Monster walks are deceptively simple: you’re essentially just walking with a resistance band around your legs, right? That’s probably why people get loosey-goosey with form. Problem is, when you don’t have proper technique, the exercise becomes less effective (and may even cause discomfort).

Not sure if your form is on point? Sampson and Lampa say these are the most common monster walk mistakes:

• Not having enough tension on the band
• Overarching the back
• Excessive hip and toe turn out
• Trunk swaying left and right
• Bringing the knees too far forward (without pushing the hips back)

With a few simple tweaks, you can transform your monster walk technique. Use these cues, courtesy of Sampson and Lampa, for good form.

• Keep your feet wide enough to maintain constant tension on the band
• Push your hips back
• Maintain a flat back (engage your core and tuck your tailbone under)
• Keep the knees in line with the second and third toes
• Take small, controlled steps

Modifications and variations

Another reason to love monster walks: You can easily adjust them to accommodate your fitness level. All you have to do is switch the position of the resistance band.

“The farther the band is from the muscle you’re working, or the longer the lever, the more challenging the exercise becomes,” Sampson says. That means “placing the band around your feet, which is furthest from the hip, increases the difficulty.”

• Beginner: Band above the knees
• Intermediate: Band at the ankles
• Advanced: Band around balls of the feet

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. You’ll feel your lower body fire up, ready to crush the main workout as soon as you start, Lampa adds.

Alternatively, you can use them as a finisher to burn out the lower body muscles or even add them to the meat of your program (think: paired in a superset with an inner thigh exercise), Sampson says.

What’s the difference between monster walks and lateral walks?

The main difference is the direction of movement. “Monster walks involve stepping forward and diagonally outward in a mini-squat position, working both the glutes and hip muscles in multiple planes of motion,” Sampson says. “Lateral walks, on the other hand, focus on side-to-side movement, specifically targeting the glutes and hip abductors with a more isolated lateral motion.”