What is the difference between a monster walk and a lateral band walk?

Both use a loop band to make the hip abductors work, but the Band Monster Walk travels forward with each foot stepping slightly outward, while the Band Lateral Walk steps straight sideways. Many programs use both, since together they train the hips to resist the band in two directions.

Where should the band go?

Above the knees, as shown, is the easiest position and a good place to start. In a small study of nine healthy men doing forward monster walks, moving the band from just below the knees to the ankles or around the forefeet raised gluteus medius activity, and the forefoot position also raised gluteus maximus activity compared with the knee position. Move the band lower only once you can keep your knees out and your steps controlled.

How many steps should I do?

A common starting point is 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 steps forward, resting briefly between sets. Increase the number of steps or use a stronger band once you can finish every step without the knees caving in or the feet coming together.

Can I walk backward too?

Yes, many coaches have you walk the same distance backward after going forward, keeping the same half squat and knee-out tension. It works the same hip muscles and lets you train in a small space without turning around.

Why do I feel it more at the front of my hip than in my glutes?

The tensor fasciae latae at the front and side of the hip also pulls the legs apart, so it can take over when the hips are not sitting back. Sit your hips back slightly into the half squat, keep your toes pointing forward and press your knees out, and the work usually moves toward the side of the glutes.

Band Monster Walk

What Is the Band Monster Walk?

Band Monster Walk is a compound exercise that primarily targets the glutes and hips and also engages the quadriceps and core. It is a beginner-level movement: with a loop band around your legs just above the knees, you walk forward in a half squat while pressing your knees out, so the muscles on the outside of your hips have to work on every single step.

The point of the exercise is to train the hip abductors, mainly the gluteus medius and gluteus minimus, in a standing position where the feet stay on the floor. These muscles keep the pelvis level and the knees tracking over the toes whenever you stand on one leg, which happens with every stride when you walk, run, climb stairs or lunge. Because the band constantly tries to pull the knees together, each step teaches the hips to resist that inward collapse while the legs keep moving forward.

That makes it a common warm-up drill before squats, deadlifts, lunges and running, and a familiar part of hip and knee strengthening programs. It also works as a light finisher at the end of a lower-body session. The half squat keeps the quadriceps working the whole time, and the trunk has to stay steady so the pelvis does not sway from side to side.

Band position is the main way to change the difficulty. A band above the knees, as shown here, is the easiest setup, and sliding it down to the ankles or around the forefeet lengthens the lever and makes the hips work harder. Walking forward combines the abduction effort with normal stepping, while the Band Lateral Walk moves straight sideways, and the Band Lateral Walk (X-Band) steps sideways with a long band crossed in front of the legs and held at the waist.

The exercise suits beginners, runners, field and court athletes, and anyone who wants steadier hips and knees. If holding a half squat while stepping is too much at first, build up with the Bodyweight Squat, the Clamshell and the Glute Bridge, then start with a light band and short steps.

Muscles Worked

MuscleActivation

Gluteus Medius: Primary
Tensor Fasciae Latae: Primary
Gluteus Maximus: High
Gluteus Minimus: High
Vastus Lateralis: Medium
Vastus Medialis: Medium
External Oblique: Low
Rectus Femoris: Low
Soleus: Low
Gastrocnemius (Medial Head): Minimal

Instructions

Place a loop resistance band around both legs, just above your knees.
Stand with your feet about hip-width apart and bend your hips and knees into a half squat, chest up and torso leaning slightly forward.
Press your knees outward against the band so it stays tight, and bend your arms at your sides.
Step forward and slightly outward with one foot, keeping your knees apart and staying low.
Step the other foot forward and slightly outward in the same way, never letting your feet come together.
Keep your hips level and your torso steady as you walk, letting your arms move naturally.
Continue alternating steps at a slow, controlled pace for the planned number of steps.
Stand up, step your feet together and remove the band.

Common Mistakes

Letting the knees cave in
Allowing the band to pull the knees together takes the work off the hips and puts the knees in a stressful inward position.
Bringing the feet together
Letting the feet close up between steps lets the band go slack, so the hips get a break on every stride.
Standing up between steps
Rising out of the half squat as you walk lowers the demand on the glutes and turns the drill into an ordinary walk.
Swaying the torso
Rocking the upper body from side to side to swing each leg forward replaces hip strength with momentum.
Rushing the steps
Moving fast and letting the band snap the legs back in removes the controlled tension that makes the exercise work.
Rounding or arching the lower back
Slumping forward or overarching the spine to stay low shifts strain onto the lower back instead of keeping a neutral, braced trunk.

Injuries

Band Monster Walk is a low risk exercise when performed with proper technique. The only resistance is a light loop band and the feet stay on the floor, so the joints take little impact. The usual problems come from form: letting the band pull the knees inward stresses the inside of the knees, and rounding or overarching the lower back to stay low shifts strain onto the back.

Keep the knees pressed out over the toes, stay in a comfortable half squat, brace the trunk lightly and take short, controlled steps. Choose a band you can hold apart for the whole set; if your knees start to drift together or your torso starts to rock, end the set early or switch to a lighter band. Check the band for nicks before use and make sure it lies flat on your legs so it does not roll or snap.

To make it easier, use a lighter band, take smaller steps, use a shallower half squat or start with the Clamshell and the Glute Bridge. To progress, use a stronger band, move it down to the ankles or around the forefeet, sit a little deeper into the squat or walk a longer distance. The side-stepping Band Lateral Walk is a good next exercise for the same muscles.

Stop if you feel sharp pain in the knee, the front of the hip or on the outside of the hip, or if you cannot keep your knees from collapsing inward. People with existing hip or knee pain, such as tendon pain on the outside of the hip, should get guidance from a physical therapist on band position and squat depth before adding this exercise.

Overview

Primary Focus: Glutes and hips & groin
Equipment: Resistance bands
Modality: Strength
Difficulty: Beginner

Alternative Exercises

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What is the difference between a monster walk and a lateral band walk?: Both use a loop band to make the hip abductors work, but the Band Monster Walk travels forward with each foot stepping slightly outward, while the Band Lateral Walk steps straight sideways. Many programs use both, since together they train the hips to resist the band in two directions.
Q: Where should the band go?: Above the knees, as shown, is the easiest position and a good place to start. In a small study of nine healthy men doing forward monster walks, moving the band from just below the knees to the ankles or around the forefeet raised gluteus medius activity, and the forefoot position also raised gluteus maximus activity compared with the knee position. Move the band lower only once you can keep your knees out and your steps controlled.
Q: How many steps should I do?: A common starting point is 2 to 3 sets of 10 to 20 steps forward, resting briefly between sets. Increase the number of steps or use a stronger band once you can finish every step without the knees caving in or the feet coming together.
Q: Can I walk backward too?: Yes, many coaches have you walk the same distance backward after going forward, keeping the same half squat and knee-out tension. It works the same hip muscles and lets you train in a small space without turning around.
Q: Why do I feel it more at the front of my hip than in my glutes?: The tensor fasciae latae at the front and side of the hip also pulls the legs apart, so it can take over when the hips are not sitting back. Sit your hips back slightly into the half squat, keep your toes pointing forward and press your knees out, and the work usually moves toward the side of the glutes.