Glute Ham Raise
Rigid from ears to knees. The glute ham raise trains the hamstrings at the hip and the knee in one movement, lowering the torso forward by straightening at the knee alone. Hinging at the hip cheats the range and removes the point. Assistance is expected at the start: the unassisted version is a long way past most people's first attempt.
Setup
- Ankles locked in the GHD, knees on the pad, body prone and straight.
- Arms crossed on the chest.
How To Do It
- Lower the torso forward by straightening at the knee, staying rigid from head to knee.
- Go as far as you can control, then pull back by contracting the hamstrings.
- Add hands to the floor if you cannot control the bottom yet.
Breathing
Inhale down, exhale up.
Common Mistakes
- Hinging at the hip to cheat the range.
- Attempting the full version before you can control the eccentric.
Programming It
Three sets of 5-10, or as many as you can control.
Why This Exercise Works
The GHR loads the hamstrings at the knee under a long eccentric, which is the specific quality associated with resisting strains. It is brutally hard, most people cannot do one unassisted, and it is worth building toward for exactly that reason.
Where You Should Feel It
Hamstrings, at an intensity most people have never felt, especially on the way down. Cramping is common the first few times.
Where It Fits in a Program
Trains the hamstrings at both the hip and knee in one movement. It belongs after the heavy work, when precision matters more than load.
Progressing and Regressing It
To progress the glute ham raise: add a plate at the chest, or slow the lowering. To regress it: push off the floor with the hands, or use a band for assistance.
Who It's For
Anyone who sprints or wants serious hamstring strength. Assistance is expected at first. The unassisted version is genuinely hard.
Equipment and Substitutions
What you need for this one: a GHD machine. No machine? The free-weight versions below train the same muscles and ask more of your balance, which is a fair trade in both directions.
Related Exercises
- Deficit Deadlift · Hamstrings, Glutes, Back
- Good Morning · Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back
- Band Good Morning · Hamstrings, Glutes, Lower Back
- Single-Leg RDL · Hamstrings, Glutes, Balance
- Band Deadlift · Hamstrings, Glutes, Back
- Jefferson Curl · Hamstrings, Spine
- Nordic Curl (Assisted) · Hamstrings
- Romanian Deadlift (RDL) · Hamstrings, Glutes, Back
Common Questions
What muscles does the glute ham raise work?
The glute ham raise primarily trains the hamstrings, glutes.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Three sets of 5-10, or as many as you can control.
What are the most common glute ham raise mistakes?
Most often: hinging at the hip to cheat the range; attempting the full version before you can control the eccentric.
Do I need a GHD machine to do this?
This version uses a GHD machine, and it trains the hamstrings, glutes. The machine buys you stability, not a different muscle. Anything below that loads the same direction will build the same thing.
Is this safe if I have an existing injury?
The glute ham raise puts the shoulder and elbow under load through a range many people have lost, so a cranky shoulder usually objects here before anything else does. Pain that pinches at a specific point is worth assessing; ordinary training discomfort is not. Not medical advice.