

#Hyper extensions how to#
Read our guide to discover how to do this useful 45-degree back extension alternative. You’ll need a partner to sit on or hold your legs down, but other than that, this variation is very similar. You can also do it on a standard flat gym bench. Flat bench hyperextensionsĭon’t let lack of access to a 45-degree back extension machine prevent you from doing this tremendous posterior chain exercise. Read our hip thrusts guide to find out more about this great exercise. You can also do it without a bench and while lying on the floor, making it an ideal home workout exercise. While this exercise IS usually done using a barbell, you can also do it with a weight plate or dumbbell resting on your hips, or just use your body weight for resistance. The main advantage of this exercise over other back extension variations is that it doesn’t put much pressure on your lumbar spine, so it’s relatively lower back-friendly, even if you use heavy weights. However, the truth is that they work your entire posterior chain, including your lower back. Barbell hip thrustsīarbell hip thrusts are usually seen as a glute exercise. Learn how to do cable the pull-through here. The main advantage of this exercise is that you can easily increase or decrease the resistance, making it a good move for beginner, intermediate, and advanced lifters.

In fact, if you analyze the movement, you’ll quickly see that this exercise is very similar to 45-degree back extensions. This makes it a little more lower back-friendly, although it’s still an effective lower back, glute, and hamstring exercise. The cable pull-through is a variation of the Romanian deadlift (exercise #2) but, instead of using a barbell or dumbbells, you use a low cable machine fitted with a rope handle. The increased range of motion should come from your hips and not by rounding your lower back.Ĭheck out our in-depth guide to learn more about this back extension alternative. Using a wider than normal grip means your range of motion is bigger than usual, and that increases lower back recruitment.īe warned, this exercise requires good flexibility and mobility. That said, the snatch grip is arguably the best alternative to 45-degree back extensions. You’ll have worked these muscles hard enough. In fact, if you deadlift regularly, you may not even need to do 45-degree back extensions. Snatch grip deadliftsĪll deadlift variations work your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. Read more about this awesome exercise in our detailed guide. Still, you can also do a version of this exercise using a flat bench and even a stability ball.

The most straightforward way to do reverse hyperextensions is with a dedicated machine. They allow you to lift moderate to heavy weights with very little stress on your lumbar spine. Reverse hypers are a popular accessory exercise with powerlifters. With reverse hypers, the opposite is true your legs move while your upper body stays still. When you do regular back extensions, your feet remain stationary while your upper body moves. Learn more about Romanian deadlifts here. However, you should still avoid rounding your lower back to ensure this exercise is as safe as possible. While it is similar to good mornings, it’s a little more lower back-friendly, which is good news if you suffer from lower back pain. Whether this is true or not, one thing we know for sure is that this lift is a great way to strengthen the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. Rumor has it that Romanian deadlifts are so-called because Romanian Olympic weightlifters used them in their training. You can also perform this exercise using a Smith machine.Ĭheck out this good morning exercise guide to learn how to do good mornings correctly and safely. Good mornings can be done using a barbell or a resistance band as preferred. Providing you do that, good mornings are not really any riskier than back extensions or any other lower back exercise.Īnd why are good mornings so-called? It’s because they look like you are greeting someone by bowing. This criticism is not unique to good mornings, but the position of the load means you’ll have to work extra hard to maintain a neutral (slightly arched) spine. That’s because, when done incorrectly, they could cause serious injury. Good mornings are a slightly controversial exercise. Whether you train at home or in a commercial gym, you can use these exercises to strengthen your lower back. Others work the same muscles but in a slightly different way. The best back extension alternatives involve similar movements but require different training equipment. The 12 Best Back Extension Alternatives.
