The Monster Walk is a great exercise for helping people who are having issues due to poor activation or weakness of the glutes, primarily gluteus medius. Poor activation of the gluteus medius can lead to a number of musculoskeletal ailments involving many different areas including the knees, hips and even the back. Strengthening them by resisting abduction during a functional movement can be a very effective solution. The Monster Walk has become a staple exercise prescribed in many physical therapy clinics.
See the product links below the video demonstration to purchase resistance bands/mini-bands for use with this exercise.
How to perform the Monster Walk:
- choose a band with moderate resistance
- place the band around the ankles; adjust difficulty by moving band up or down the leg with lower being more difficult
- the back should remain straight and body should remain facing forward; limit twisting
- knees should be bent at about 45 degrees and not allowed to buckle inwards
- slowly walk forward or backward while keeping constant tension on the band
Variations:
- move one foot forward or back and then return to start position
- put the band on the forefoot to also incorporate resistance to internal hip rotation
Video demonstration:
video source: Registered Physiotherapist Brenna Casey