Glutes · Compound movement
Reverse Hyperextension
A compound exercise for the glutes, with the hamstrings and back working too. You need a glute-ham developer.
Looping the start and end of the movement.
Primary muscle
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings, Back
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Reverse Hyperextension
- Lie face down on the reverse hyper pad with the hips at the edge and grip the handles.
- Hook the feet under the roller or hold the pendulum so the legs hang down loaded.
- Raise the legs behind you by extending the hips until they are roughly in line with the torso.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top without swinging the legs up past a neutral spine.
- Lower the legs under control, resisting the pendulum rather than letting it drop.
- Keep the torso pinned to the pad so the movement comes from the hips, not the lower back.
Suggested working range: 12–20 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Swinging the legs up with momentum and hyperextending the lower back at the top.
- •Using the low back to heave the weight instead of extending the hips.
- •Letting the pendulum drop fast and yank the lumbar spine at the bottom.
- •Raising the legs far past hip height, which arches the spine under load.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in one of these when the equipment is taken or the main lift has stalled.
Use this exercise in a program
The Reverse Hyperextension fits into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize glutes volume.
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