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Toning your glutes and hamstrings is critical for your athletic performance. Plus, keeping these areas in good shape can help you look and feel better, and help reduce the change of injuries in the future.

Your hamstrings and glutes are some of the most important parts of your body. They help with stability, provide the explosive start for runners and long jumpers, and other athletes. But we’ll dig into the benefits of this Exercise a little later.

Like any exercise, doing your glute-ham raises properly is critical for getting the kind of results you need. We’ll walk through proper form, some of the most common mistakes and how to fix them. We’ll also cover some alternative exercises that you can do to help work up to a glute-ham Raise, or to help add some variety to your workouts.

Of course, we’ll also cover some of the best equipment options so that you can get started on the right footing.

Benefits of Glute-Ham Raises

Since your glutes and hamstrings are such important parts of your body, it makes sense that there are a lot of benefits that come along with strengthening these muscles.

While there are a ton of all over benefits, here are some of the most important:

Remember, that’s an incomplete list. There are tons of other benefits to this exercise. Since it’s a relatively low impact exercise, it’s also a great option for people who are just looking to improve their overall body tone and fitness.

If you’re looking for a true all-body workout routine, including glute-ham raises in your program is critical.

That doesn’t mean that glute ham raises are easy. Even established athletes keep the reps minimal when it comes to glute ham raises. Aim for about 3 sets of 5-10 reps, but it’s okay to start with lower repetitions if needed. Even a single, well-done glute-ham raise is better than none at all.

How to Properly do Glute-Ham Raises

Glute ham raises are like any exercise. Proper form is critical for getting the results you want, and even for avoiding stress injuries and other problems.

The most common way to do a glute-ham raise is with a specially designed GHD machine. GHD machines are meant to keep your knees slightly bent, helping to isolate the muscle movement in your hamstrings. They provide a brace for your feet so that you can be stable throughout the exercise, and a bench to support your knees and thighs while extended.

To get into a GHD machine, place one knee on the brace, bend your leg and tuck your ankle into the ankle brace. Your foot should be able to touch the backplate of the machine in this position.

In front of the bench there are two handles, grab those to brace yourself while positioning your other leg.

When you’re ready, release the handles and slowly lower your upper body until it’s parallel to the floor.

Press your toes into the footplate and use your hamstrings (primarily) and your glutes to lift your upper body until you’re completely upright.

Squeeze your hamstrings and glutes tight in this position and hold it for a moment before lowering your upper body for your next rep. Repeat until you’ve completed this set.

All of these movements must be slow and controlled. Moving with too much momentum will engage different muscles and runs the risk of injuring your low back and hamstrings.

If the exercise is too much at any point, grab the handles on the front of the GHR machine and stand up to take a break and gently stretch.

Here is a great video of how to do GHRs properly:

Common Mistakes when doing Glute-Ham Raises

When you’re learning a new exercise, it’s easy to make some form mistakes, either because you don’t know what the exercise is supposed to look and feel like, or because your muscles just aren’t quite ready to use proper form.

Here are some of the most common mistakes.

Too Much Momentum

Momentum up and down can seem like it makes glute-ham raises a lot easier. However, when you’re moving too quickly you’re putting a lot of stress on your low back and hamstrings, especially when you do stop in between different movements.

Remind yourself to slow down as you do this exercise. Even one very slow rep is better than a dozen reps done too quickly.

Bending Your Hips

Another common problem is letting your hips bend while you’re performing this exercise. Unlike moving too quickly, bending your hips doesn’t generally pose a safety risk, but it does reduce some of the benefits of the exercise.

Essentially, bending your hips is less effort for the muscles you want to train, so the strength gains are also less substantial.

It’s okay if you notice a slight bend in your hips when you’re first starting, especially at the end of a set. Just try and fix it on your next rep and keep it in mind for future workouts.

Hyper Extending Your Back

Another common problem for many people is hyperextending their back through this exercise. Your back should be straight the whole time, but it’s common to curve your back upward as you complete the glute-ham raise.

There are two main causes of hyperextending your back. The most common problem is that your hamstrings aren’t quite strong enough to keep your back straight, so you’re engaging the muscles in your back more than you need to compensate.

The other common cause is that you’re moving too quickly, and that’s why hyper-extending your back can be dangerous.

As long as you’re moving slowly, hyperextending your back shouldn’t cause too many problems. But, if you’re struggling to keep your back straight and can’t correct your posture, ask for a spotter.

They’ll be able to take a little of your weight as you complete the glute-ham raise, strengthening your hamstrings until you can complete the exercise on your own.

Alternatives to Glute-Ham Raises

While it’s possible to do a glute-ham raise on the floor without a GHD machine, it isn’t ideal. Here are some common alternatives that will help you work the same, or similar, muscle groups.

Squats

Squats are one of the most common leg and low back exercises. They’re a little harder on your low back than a good glute-ham raise, but they’ll still focus on many of the same muscles and help build strength and mobility.

For a more challenging workout, add some weight (we like using kettlebells).

Body-Weight Glut- Ham Raise

If you have a spotter, you can also do a glute-ham raise from the floor. Start facedown on the floor with your spotter gripping your ankles (or you can wedge your feet under something like a push-up assist or even a couch). Flex your hamstrings and glutes to raise your upper body off the floor, bending at the knees and not the hips.

Gently lower yourself down and repeat.

Feel free to use your arms to help if you can’t get off the floor without them at first.

Reverse lunges

Reverse lunges use the same form and posture as a regular lunge, but moving backward, not forward. This helps activate your glutes and spinal erector muscles in a different way, building strength and mobility throughout your low back, glutes, and legs.

You can do these with or without weights.

Donkey kicks

Starting on all fours, raise one leg in a controlled kick straight back and up. You should feel tension through your glutes and spinal erector muscles during the kick.

Be careful not to kick out to the side, since that activates different muscles and you won’t get the same benefits.

Lower your leg and repeat on the other side. Continue until you’ve finished your set.

Once you have these down, add a resistance band for a more challenging workout.

Glute Bridges

Glute bridges are another great exercise to strengthen your glutes.

For this exercise, you want to lay flat on your back, bring your heels towards your butt, and push your hips up until only your shoulders and your heels are touching the ground — flexing your glutes.

Using an exercise band here can help position your legs correctly.

Best Exercise Equipment for Glute-Ham Raises

Having the right equipment makes doing glute-ham raises a lot simpler, but we’re also going to cover some equipment you can use for alternative exercises as well.

That way you can start strengthening your glutes and hamstrings, even if you can’t get a GHD machine right away.

GHD Machine

Of course, since GHD machines are designed specifically to provide the support you need for a glute-ham raise, they’re a fantastic option. But they can be a little on the pricey side if you want to do glute-ham raises at home.

You’ll most often find this equipment at gyms. Still, we’ve picked one of the best options for you if you’re looking to build a home gym.

Titan Fitness Glute-Ham Developer

This durable machine is designed to fit people of all shapes and sizes. Adjusting for different users is also simple, even if you’re going from someone with a very tall build to someone considerably shorter.

Its heavy-duty steel frame is designed to last for years with only minimal maintenance (mostly cleaning). The padding is firm but provides enough cushion to keep you comfortable. Better yet, it’s not so soft that you’ll find yourself fighting against the padding as you work out.

The machine is also easy to put together and use. That means it’s a good option even if you aren’t in your forever home quite yet. You can just disassemble the machine to make it easier to move, and put it back together as you settle in the new place.

This GHD machine will really help you take your strength training to the next level, even if your lunges and squats have left you in a plateau.

Resistance Bands

Resistance bands designed to fit around your ankles or legs and can easily take your workout to the next level by providing just a little more resistance as you work your muscles. They’re good for squats, glute presses, and many other exercises, depending on the set you purchase.

The set we’ve picked will help you break through your squat plateau, but they’re also fantastic for pushups, planking, and a dozen other exercises. They really are a fantastic addition to any body-weight resistance workout.

This set of 5 resistance bands is a real steal since you’ll be able to use them at every part of your workout routine, from challenging exercises that need little resistance, to exercises you really want to push to the next level.

The color-coded bands are easy to tell apart, durable, and work for a wide range of different exercises.

The 100% natural latex used for each band also resists tearing and wear. You’ll be able to use each band for years before it needs replacement.

Resistance bands are also a great value since they can be adapted for a huge range of exercises. Today they might be boosting your squats, but tomorrow they’ll be supporting your upper arm workout, and much more.

Kettlebell (squats)

It’s hard to say no to the classics. Kettlebells are a fantastic tool for helping overcome squat plateaus and training for weightlifting endurance.

Since kettlebells come in a huge range of weights and designs, you can also work through different options to build your strength and endurance, without the risk of injuries that comes from diving in at the deep end.

This Kettlebell 5, 10, 20, and 25 lbs weights, giving you the flexibility to choose the option that makes the most sense for your current fitness level, and move up as your strength training progresses.

The ergonomic handle is great for ensuring that you have a good grip, whether you’re chalking your hands or covered in sweat. It’s comfortable in your hand, preventing pinching and slowing the development of unwanted callus.

But the vinyl finish on the rest of the kettlebell helps protect the steel, while also reducing noise if you accidentally drop the tool. Plus, since it’s a little softer, it’ll help prevent damage to your floors as well!

A kettlebell is one of those small pieces of exercise equipment that belongs in every home gym. Their versatility allows you to incorporate them in tons of exercises at home that are great for weight loss.

Yoga Mat (for body-weight exercises)

Yoga mats are a fantastic addition to any home workout kit. They’re great for warm-up and cool-down stretches and provide the padding you need for a lot of bodyweight exercises and even some forms of resistance training.

This yoga mat offers just enough cushion, without making it feel like you’re sinking into a mattress pad while you work out.

The non-slip texture will prevent the mat from moving around on the floor. It also helps keep your feet and hands in place, even when you’re trying challenging balance poses.

The mat also makes seating and lying exercises (like floor glute ham raises) a lot more comfortable and sustainable. No more bruises from hard flooring or rug burn from carpets.

We also appreciate that this mat is available in several different colors and has its own carry strap in case you plan on traveling with your yoga mat. Whether you’re working out at home or at the gym, this mat is a great option.

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