Hamstring exercise
Glute-Ham Raise
Train the hamstring through its full range at both the hip and the knee.
- Equipment
- GHR bench
- Sides
- Both sides together
- Positions
- All positions
- Tempo
- 40X1
Setup
GHR bench with the pad set just below the hip crease, feet secured.
How to do it
- With your hips extended, lower yourself forward under control and then pull yourself back up by driving your heels into the footplate, initiating with the hamstrings rather than the lower back.
- Do 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps, adding load once you can do it strictly.
- Set the pad below the hip crease - too high and you cannot get the hip extension the exercise depends on.
Coaching cues
- Pad below the hip crease
- Initiate with the hamstrings, not the lower back
- Hips stay extended
Common mistakes
- Using lumbar hyperextension to complete the rep
- Pad set too high, which blocks the movement
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Load | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | Bodyweight or loaded | 3 | 6 to 10 | 2 min |
| Size | Bodyweight or loaded | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 90 sec |
Tempo 40X1: Take 4 seconds to lower it, no pause, lift it as fast as you can, hold for 1 second at the end of the lift.
Related exercises
- Hamstring Slider CurlTrain knee-flexion hamstring strength with no equipment at all.
- Romanian DeadliftLoad the hamstrings in a lengthened position, which is where they get injured.
- Single-Leg Romanian DeadliftCombine hamstring loading with the hip control that cutting demands.
- Nordic Hamstring CurlBuild eccentric knee-flexor strength in the hamstrings.
- Razor Hamstring CurlGet high eccentric hamstring force with less soreness than the Nordic.
- Back SquatBuild maximal bilateral lower-body strength, the foundation of scrum drive and contact.