GLUTE-HAM RAISE: THE MOST COMPLETE POSTERIOR CHAIN EXERCISE YOU ARE PROBABLY SKIPPING

What Makes the Glute-Ham Raise Unique

The glute-ham raise, performed on a dedicated GHD machine, is the only exercise that trains both primary hamstring functions simultaneously in a single movement: hip extension and knee flexion. The exercise begins with the athlete face-down on the machine with feet secured, hips at the edge of the pad, and the body perpendicular to the floor. From this position, the athlete simultaneously extends the hips and flexes the knees to raise the body to an upright position. This combined hip extension and knee flexion mirrors the actual hamstring function during the swing phase of sprinting, making the glute-ham raise one of the most sports-specific hamstring exercises available. Research published in the American Journal of Sports Medicine found that hamstring strengthening through both hip extension and knee flexion functions significantly reduced hamstring strain injury recurrence compared to hip-extension-only training. The combination of these two functions in one exercise makes the glute-ham raise irreplaceable in a complete posterior chain program. Use leather lifting straps on the heavy deadlift and Romanian deadlift work that complements GHD training in a complete hamstring program.

The glute-ham raise also produces one of the highest hamstring eccentric loading demands of any exercise available. The lowering phase from the upright position back to the starting position requires the hamstrings to eccentrically control the body weight through knee extension, which is the same motion pattern that produces hamstring strains during sprinting deceleration. Training the hamstrings eccentrically through this range directly builds the eccentric strength that prevents strains, which is why the glute-ham raise and Nordic hamstring curl are the two exercises most commonly prescribed in hamstring injury prevention protocols.

How to Perform the Glute-Ham Raise

Setup on the GHD Machine

Adjust the footplate so the feet are secure and the hips sit at the edge of the hip pad. The knee pad should be positioned just above the knees when the legs are straight. The starting position has the body angled downward from the secured feet, perpendicular or slightly past perpendicular to the floor.

The Concentric Phase

From the starting position, drive the toes into the footplate and simultaneously extend the hips and flex the knees to raise the body upward. Keep the glutes contracted and the spine neutral throughout the movement. The goal is to arrive at the top position with the body upright or slightly past upright, with the hips fully extended and the knees bent at approximately 90 degrees. The entire posterior chain should feel maximally contracted at this top position.

The Eccentric Phase

Lower the body back to the starting position under deliberate control, resisting the descent with hamstring contraction throughout. A three-to-four-second eccentric is appropriate for building the eccentric hamstring strength that has the greatest injury-prevention benefit. Do not drop quickly through the eccentric phase. The slow, controlled lowering is where a significant portion of both the hypertrophy and the injury-prevention stimulus is generated.

Progression Stages for Athletes New to Glute-Ham Raises

Stage 1: Partial Range Raises

Begin with the footplate adjusted so the starting position is less steep than full range. This shorter range of motion reduces the absolute eccentric demand and allows the hamstrings to build initial strength in the movement pattern before the full range is attempted. Perform three sets of five to eight reps with controlled technique. Most athletes will find this stage genuinely challenging even at partial range.

Stage 2: Full Range with Assistance

Move to full range of motion and use a resistance band looped over the machine frame and around the hips to provide assistance during the concentric phase. The band reduces the load during the most difficult portion of the raise while still allowing the full movement pattern to be trained. As strength increases, use a lighter band until no assistance is needed.

Stage 3: Full Bodyweight Glute-Ham Raises

Full bodyweight glute-ham raises with controlled three-to-four-second eccentrics, performed for three to four sets of six to ten reps, represent the standard working load for this exercise. From this point, progressive overload comes through adding weight: holding a plate on the chest, using a barbell in the front rack position, or adding a resistance band for accommodating resistance during the concentric phase. Combine full glute-ham raises with knee sleeves for knee joint support through the deep knee flexion demand and hip circle band warm-up work before sessions to ensure the glute medius is activated alongside the hamstring and glute maximus work.

Programming Glute-Ham Raises

Two sessions per week of glute-ham raises, each consisting of three to four sets, provides the training frequency and volume that produces hamstring development and injury prevention adaptations without the recovery demands that would limit frequency further. Schedule sessions on lower body training days following primary squat or deadlift work. Use the GHD for both the concentric-eccentric strength raises and, on days where lower back recovery is a priority, for the reverse hyperextension movement described in the reverse hyperextension guide, which provides a complementary posterior chain stimulus with a lumbar decompression effect. The combination of heavy conventional deadlifts with lifting straps, glute-ham raises for full-range hamstring development, and reverse hyperextensions for lumbar health constitutes the most complete posterior chain training approach available in any commercial gym with a GHD machine.

Glute-Ham Raise vs Nordic Hamstring Curl: How They Compare

The glute-ham raise and the Nordic hamstring curl are both exceptional posterior chain exercises that train hamstring eccentric strength, but they differ in the muscle functions they emphasize and the equipment they require. The Nordic hamstring curl trains knee flexion eccentrically with the hip in a neutral position, producing the highest possible eccentric knee flexor stimulus per rep and making it the most potent hamstring strain prevention exercise available. The glute-ham raise trains both hip extension and knee flexion simultaneously, producing a more complete posterior chain stimulus but with a slightly different loading profile at the knee compared to the pure knee-flexion Nordic curl. For athletes with access to a GHD machine, using both exercises in the same program produces more comprehensive hamstring development than either alone: Nordic curls for maximum eccentric knee flexion intensity, and glute-ham raises for the combined hip extension and knee flexion pattern that mirrors sprint mechanics.

For athletes without access to a GHD machine, the Nordic hamstring curl can be performed with a partner holding the ankles or with feet anchored under a loaded barbell. This makes Nordic curls accessible in virtually any training environment and covers the most injury-critical eccentric hamstring function even without dedicated equipment. Once access to a GHD machine is available, add glute-ham raises as a complement to Nordic curls rather than a replacement. The combination builds the strongest, most injury-resistant hamstrings available through training, supported by leather lifting straps on heavy pulling movements and knee sleeves through every high-volume leg session. Invest in the posterior chain development that protects the athletic career and keeps heavy training productive across years rather than being repeatedly interrupted by hamstring injuries that consistent eccentric strength training prevents.

FINAL WORDS

The glute-ham raise is the posterior chain exercise that most strength athletes with access to a GHD machine are not using, despite the fact that it offers capabilities no other exercise replicates: simultaneous hip extension and knee flexion hamstring training, the highest eccentric hamstring loading available, and direct development of the sprint-deceleration strength that prevents hamstring strains. Add it to your lower body training twice per week, progress through the three stages systematically, and discover what complete hamstring development actually feels like. Support every heavy session with lifting straps on pulling work and Genghis Fitness knee sleeves on all loaded lower body exercises.