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Glute Ham Raise

Difficulty: ⭐⭐⭐ Advancedhinge

Home Setup

Anchor your feet under a heavy couch or have a partner hold your ankles while kneeling on a cushioned surface, then slowly lower your torso forward while keeping your body straight from knees to head

Heavy couch or bedYoga mat or cushionTraining partner

💡 Pro tip: Place a pillow in front of you to catch yourself at the bottom position until you build enough strength to control the descent

Gym Setup

GHD machine adjusted so your knees are just behind the pad and ankles are secured firmly under the ankle rollers

Safety: Start with assisted variations or band assistance - the eccentric portion is extremely demanding and can cause severe hamstring soreness or injury if progressed too quickly

💪 Muscles Worked

HamstringsGlutesErector SpinaeGastrocnemiusCore Stabilizers

⭐ Why This Exercise?

The Glute Ham Raise is essential for powerlifters as it builds exceptional hamstring strength and eccentric control, directly improving deadlift lockout and protecting against hamstring injuries during maximal lifts. This exercise uniquely trains the hamstrings through both knee flexion and hip extension simultaneously, creating functional strength that transfers directly to the competition lifts while addressing the posterior chain weakness common in lifters who focus primarily on squats and deadlifts.

Make It Easier

Regressions for building up strength

1. Band-Assisted Glute Ham Raise

GHD machine + resistance band + power rack

Resistance band attached to a high point provides assistance throughout the movement, reducing the load by 30-60%

2. Eccentric-Only Glute Ham Raise

GHD machine

Focus only on the lowering phase with a slow 5-second descent, then use hands to push back up, building eccentric strength first

3. Sliding Leg Curl

Sliders or towels + smooth floor

Similar hamstring activation pattern but with adjustable difficulty based on body angle and reduced eccentric demand

Make It Harder

Progressions for advanced athletes

1. Weighted Glute Ham Raise

GHD machine + weight plate

Holding a weight plate to chest increases resistance throughout the entire range of motion

2. Banded Glute Ham Raise

GHD machine + resistance band

Band around neck attached to base increases resistance progressively as you rise, making the top portion more challenging

3. Paused Glute Ham Raise

GHD machine

Adding 2-3 second pauses at parallel and quarter positions eliminates momentum and increases time under tension

↕️ Similar Movements

Nordic Hamstring Curl
Partner-assisted variation with similar movement pattern but typically more accessible for beginners
Romanian Deadlift
Complimentary hip-hinge movement that trains hamstrings through hip extension with less knee flexion emphasis
Lying Leg Curl
Isolated knee flexion exercise that targets hamstrings but without the hip extension and core stability demands
Back Extension
Uses same equipment but emphasizes hip extension and lower back rather than knee flexion
Good Morning
Another posterior chain exercise that complements GHR by loading the hamstrings in a stretched position under hip flexion

Form Checklist

✓Keep your body in a straight line from knees to head throughout the entire movement - avoid breaking at the hips
✓Drive your knees into the pad while pulling your heels toward your glutes to initiate the upward phase
✓Control the descent for 3-5 seconds, resisting gravity rather than falling forward
✓Keep your chin tucked and core braced to maintain spinal neutrality
✓Focus on hamstrings doing the work - if you feel it primarily in your lower back, reset your position

Common Mistakes

  • •Breaking at the hips and turning the movement into a back extension instead of maintaining a rigid torso position
  • •Dropping too quickly on the eccentric phase, which increases injury risk and reduces training effect
  • •Hyperextending the lower back at the top position instead of maintaining neutral spine alignment
  • •Not securing feet properly, causing them to slip out and potentially causing injury
  • •Attempting full range of motion before building adequate eccentric strength, leading to uncontrolled descent

📈 When to Progress

Progress when you can complete 3 sets of 8-10 controlled repetitions with a 3-5 second eccentric phase and no form breakdown, and you experience minimal soreness (DOMS) in the 48 hours following the workout, indicating your hamstrings have adapted to the stimulus