Glute ham raise
Log this in the trackerAlso known as: GHR
A hamstring curl done with your own bodyweight on a glute ham developer.
What it is
You anchor your feet and lower your torso under control, then pull yourself back up with the hamstrings. It trains the hamstrings at both the knee and the hip.
Muscles worked
Primary: Hamstrings. Secondary: Glutes, Calves, Spinal erectors.
How to perform it
- Set the foot plate so your knees sit just behind the pad, ankles locked under the rollers.
- Start upright with hips extended and the whole body in one line.
- Lower forward slowly, resisting with the hamstrings, until your torso is near horizontal.
- Pull back up by curling the heels toward you, keeping the hips straight.
Common form faults
- Breaking at the hips so it becomes a back extension. Keep hips locked in line with the shoulders; if you cannot, use your hands on the pad to assist.
- Falling through the bottom of the lowering phase. Shorten the range you control and extend it weekly; assist with a band or your hands until then.
Programming
Hard work: 3 to 8 reps is plenty for most. Excellent hamstring insurance alongside a hinge; do not chase numbers.
Plan your training
Variations & substitutions
Frequently asked questions
- Glute ham raise or Nordic curl?
- They train the same job. The GHR machine supports the hips and is easier to scale; the Nordic needs nothing but an anchor and is harder.
- I cannot do one at all. What now?
- Do the lowering phase only, over four or five seconds, and push off the floor to return. Strength on the way down comes first.