Monster Walk: The Monster Walk is a common resistance training exercises for strengthening / activating the glutes.

1. Step both legs through the band . (Band can be around knees, ankles, feet or toes)
2. Get into a quarter squat position bending slightly at the hips and the knees and drive your knees / ankles out and into the band.
3. Stay on your heels and keep the toes pointing forward. Maintain a quarter squat position and start walking. Take little steps so as not to lose your positioning. Walk to the left and to the right for 10-12 steps in each direction. Lift and control the trail leg and maintain pressure on the band. Control the torso / core position.

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 by many personal trainers and strength and conditioning coaches.

Muscles Worked

Monster walks work / activate the muscles in your hips and glutes. In particular the hip extensors and abductors (gluteus medius and tensor fasciae latae).

 

Common Mistakes

Control trunk / core.

Maintain control of the trunk / core while performing the exercise. It is common to see athletes compensate through the core / trunk to take larger steps or because of fatigue. The back should remain straight and body should remain facing forward, with limited twisting.

Control trail leg.

Maintain controlled steps, in particular the eccentric trail leg to overload the target muscles. It is common to see athletes performing the exercise too quickly and losing control / not developing strength in the lateral hip muscles.

Band Tension.

Maintain tension in the band. If the band is slack or not as tight as it could be then the resistance is not great enough to get the most out of this exercise.

Variations

1. Forward Monster Walk

Step forward and out to the side with one foot. Then step forward and out to the side with the other. Take “monster,” big steps, keeping the feet as wide apart as possible while moving forward and maintaining control of the torso.

2. Backward Monster Walk

Step backward and out to the side with one foot. Then step backward and out to the side with the other. Take “monster,” big steps, keeping the feet as wide apart as possible while moving backwards and maintaining control of the torso.

3.  Band Position

The band can be placed around the knees, ankles, feet or toes to increase the difficulty of the exercise. The higher up the leg the band is placed, the easier the exercise. The further down the legs the band is placed the harder the exercise  due to the increased lever length.

4. Body Position

Low monster walk (more of a squat) and a straighter leg monster walk variations are also common.

Check out these other resistance training exercises:

• Face Pull
• Bench Press
• The Turkish Get Up
• Front Squat.
• Shoulder Press – Standing Barbell
• Deadbug – Abdominal Exercise
• Overhead Barbell Squat
• Lunge
• Monster Walk
• Goblet Squat
• Swiss Ball Hamstring Curl
• Seated Cable Row
• Ab Roller

Learn more about resistance training by studying a  Cert 3 in Fitness, Cert 4 in Fitness, or Diploma of Fitness with Fit Education.