Glutes · Compound movement
Reverse Hyperextension
A compound exercise that targets the glutes with secondary work in hamstrings, back. Performed with glute-ham developer.
Primary muscle
Glutes
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings, Back
Equipment
Machine
Difficulty
Intermediate
How to perform the Reverse Hyperextension
- Start with the bar (or dumbbells) at the hips, feet hip-width apart, and a slight bend in the knees that is locked in for the whole rep.
- Push the hips back as if closing a car door with your butt; the knees do not bend further as the hips travel back.
- Keep the load dragging along the legs in contact with the body throughout the descent — letting it drift forward puts the lower back in charge.
- Descend until you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings; for most lifters that is around mid-shin to just below the knee, never deeper than a flat back allows.
- Drive the hips forward to stand tall, finishing with squeezed glutes and stacked ribs — no hyperextension of the lower back at the top.
- Reset the brace standing up before the next rep rather than rebounding out of the stretch.
Suggested working range: 12–20 reps. Default progression: double progression.
Common mistakes
- •Bending the knees deeper as the load descends, which turns the hinge into a partial deadlift.
- •Letting the load drift forward off the legs, putting the lower back in charge of the lift.
- •Hyperextending the lower back at lockout instead of just standing tall with the ribs over the pelvis.
- •Going past a depth the hamstrings can give without losing a flat back.
Variations & alternatives
Swap in a related movement if equipment, recovery, or progression demands it.
Use this exercise in a program
The Reverse Hyperextension fits naturally into hypertrophy and strength splits that prioritize glutes volume.
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