- EquipmentOther
- PatternHinge
- Reps5 to 12 reps
- Joint loadKnee
Set up in a glute-ham developer with your feet locked in, knees just behind the pad and torso upright or level with the floor.
First cueKeep the hips extended.
How to do the Glute-Ham Raise
Set up. Set up in a glute-ham developer with your feet locked in, knees just behind the pad and torso upright or level with the floor.
- Lower your torso forward under control until your body is level with the floor.
- Curl your body back up by pulling with the hamstrings, pressing the toes into the plate.
- Finish upright with the hips straight.
Form cues
- Keep the hips extended.
- Pull with the hamstrings.
- Use your hands to help at first.
Common mistakes
- Bending at the hips so it becomes a back extension.
- Setting the pad in the wrong place.
Muscles worked
Main target: Hamstrings. The hamstrings run down the back of the thigh. They bend the knee and extend the hip, which is why both a curl and a hinge train them.
On the way: Glutes and Calves.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Glute-Ham Raise, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Squat Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Same legs session: it trains the abductors.
A complete workout around it
4 movements, the Glute-Ham Raise 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.
- Glute-Ham Raise 3 × 5 to 12 reps
- Back Squat 3 × 3 to 12 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Nordic Curl
Bodyweight
Gym or cable swap
Cable Romanian Deadlift
Cable
Less load on the knee
Romanian Deadlift
The Glute-Ham Raise loads the knee by the catalog's joint rule, the one the app's workaround mode uses; this one does not.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Nordic Curl.
Other variations of the Nordic Curl: Assisted Nordic Curl.
Do before it: Assisted Nordic Curl (same movement, lighter), Leg Curl (same movement, lighter), Glute Bridge (glutes switched on) and Banded Hamstring Curl (same movement, lighter).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Glute-Ham Raise 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 Glute-Ham Raise?
Set up: Set up in a glute-ham developer with your feet locked in, knees just behind the pad and torso upright or level with the floor. Steps: 1. Lower your torso forward under control until your body is level with the floor. 2. Curl your body back up by pulling with the hamstrings, pressing the toes into the plate. 3. Finish upright with the hips straight. Form cues: Keep the hips extended. Pull with the hamstrings. Use your hands to help at first. Common mistakes: Bending at the hips so it becomes a back extension. Setting the pad in the wrong place.
What muscles does the Glute-Ham Raise work?
It trains the hamstrings as its main target and works the glutes and calves on the way.
What can I do instead of the Glute-Ham Raise?
At home: Nordic Curl. In a gym: Cable Romanian Deadlift. With less load on the knee: Romanian Deadlift. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Glute-Ham Raise with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Squat, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.