Hyperextension

Technique

Position yourself face-down on the hyperextension bench with your hips resting on the pad and ankles secured. Cross your arms over your chest or behind your head, and lower your torso down until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings. Raise your torso back up until your body forms a straight line, without arching your lower back past neutral. Keep the movement controlled rather than using momentum to swing up.

Steps

1. Position yourself face-down on the hyperextension bench with your hips resting on the pad and ankles secured
2. Cross your arms over your chest or behind your head
3. Lower your torso down until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings
4. Raise your torso back up until your body forms a straight line
5. Keep the movement controlled rather than using momentum to swing up

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back past neutral at the top instead of stopping at a straight line
• Using momentum to swing the torso up instead of controlled hamstring/glute drive
• Lowering too far into excessive lumbar flexion at the bottom

Variations

• Weighted hyperextension holding a plate against the chest
• Hyperextension with a pause at the top for extra glute contraction
• Single-leg hyperextension for a unilateral hamstring/glute challenge

FAQ