Back Extension

How to perform the Back Extension

1. Set up on the bench (or in a stable supported position) with shoulder blades retracted and depressed, feet planted, and a tight upper-back position against the pad.
2. Grip the load so the wrists stack directly over the elbows; wrists bent backward leak force and stress the joint.
3. Lower the load to the chest (around sternum level) under control, keeping the elbows at roughly a 45-degree angle from the torso — not flared to 90 degrees.
4. Touch lightly without bouncing, then press back up by driving through the mid-foot and pushing the upper back into the pad.
5. Finish the rep with the elbows extended but not aggressively locked, keeping the shoulders set and away from the ears.
6. Reset the brace between reps rather than chaining sloppy reps together as fatigue builds.

Suggested working range: 12–20 reps. Default progression: double progression.

Common mistakes

• •Flaring the elbows out to 90 degrees from the torso, which puts the front of the shoulder in the wrong position.
• •Bouncing the load off the chest to artificially shorten the working range.
• •Letting the wrists bend backward so the load sits on the fingers instead of stacking over the forearm.
• •Losing the upper-back tightness mid-set, so the shoulders roll forward off the pad.

Variations & alternatives

Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.