- EquipmentBodyweight
- PatternIsolation
- Reps10 to 20 reps
- Joint loadLower back
Set up on a back extension bench with your hips on the pad and your ankles under the rollers. Cross your arms on your chest.
First cueMove from the hips.
How to do the Back Extension
Set up. Set up on a back extension bench with your hips on the pad and your ankles under the rollers. Cross your arms on your chest.
- Lower your torso forward under control.
- Lift back up until your body forms a straight line.
- Stop at the straight line rather than leaning back.
Form cues
- Move from the hips.
- Keep the neck neutral.
- Squeeze the glutes at the top.
Common mistakes
- Hyperextending at the top.
- Swinging up with momentum.
Muscles worked
Main target: Lower back. The erector spinae run either side of the spine. They straighten the back and hold it straight under a load, in every hinge, squat and carry.
On the way: Glutes and Hamstrings.
Its other side: Abs, in the trunk pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Back Extension, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Hanging Leg Raise Superset partner: it trains the other side of the trunk pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cable Woodchop Same core session: it trains the obliques.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Back Extension first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Back Extension 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Hanging Leg Raise 3 × 6 to 20 reps
- Cable Woodchop 3 × 10 to 20 reps
- Crunch 3 × 10 to 30 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Jefferson Curl
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Reverse Hyperextension
Machine
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
Its variations: Prone Cobra and Reverse Hyperextension.
Do before it: Bird Dog (bracing) and Prone Cobra (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Back Extension is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Back Extension?
Set up: Set up on a back extension bench with your hips on the pad and your ankles under the rollers. Cross your arms on your chest. Steps: 1. Lower your torso forward under control. 2. Lift back up until your body forms a straight line. 3. Stop at the straight line rather than leaning back. Form cues: Move from the hips. Keep the neck neutral. Squeeze the glutes at the top. Common mistakes: Hyperextending at the top. Swinging up with momentum.
What muscles does the Back Extension work?
It trains the lower back as its main target and works the glutes and hamstrings on the way.
What can I do instead of the Back Extension?
At home: Jefferson Curl. In a gym: Reverse Hyperextension. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Back Extension with?
Good partners in the same workout are Hanging Leg Raise and Cable Woodchop.