Exercise of the Week: Glute-Ham Raises
Glute-Ham Raise
In today's "Exercise of the Week", we have one of my favorite hamstring/posterior chain exercises of all time - the glute-ham raise.
Strangely enough, I remember the first time I ever did these. We were at Westside Barbell in Columbus, Ohio, and Dave Tate and Louie were taking us through a dynamic effort workout. We had just finished box squatting, and Dave had us all try the glute-ham since we didn't have one at that time at BSU.
Needless to say, it felt like my hamstrings were going to tear off the bone and EPIC muscle soreness ensued for days afterwards. It was awesome.
I'm a huge fan of glute-hams for several reasons:
- It trains the knee flexor component of our hamstrings. Many great posterior chain exercises like RDL's, good mornings, and pull-throughs focus more on the hip extension function.
- They get us off the leg curl machine.
- In my own experience, I always say a high correlation between my glute-ham performance and improvements in my squat and deadlift. Take it for what it's worth, but I feel they are a great strength builder.
To perform this exercise, it really helps to have a glute-ham bench (they can be purchased at www.EliteFTS.com). If not, you can always try the manual version, although they're even tougher.
Here are some exercise tips to help you out with your performance:
- Keep the stomach and glutes tight throughout. One of the unique benefits of glute-hams versus leg curls is the high-degree of co-contraction you can maintain throughout your core.
And for an extra-special bonus, it makes them much harder ;)
- The exercise can be performed either stopping at about parallel to the floor (as I show in this video), or where you fold all the way over to the bench. In the second version, you'd have two different components to the exercise - a trunk extension (to get you to parallel) and then the "curling" portion of the movement.
- DO NOT allow the hips to shoot back at the beginning. Try and keep a straight line from your knees to your shoulders. If you look like an "A" frame house, you're doing it wrong.
The glute-ham is a fantastic exercise, and hopefully one you'll add into your programming. Enjoy!
Stay strong
MR
Comments on This Entry
Posted by Barry at 01:00PM on October 05, 2009
Lyle McDonald says:
"I think GHR should be done with spinal/hip flexion extension. Esp if part of the goal is to hit the glutes. They have no function if all you're doing is knee flexion outside of stabilization. If you want active training of the glutes, you need actual HIP extension. that means flexing at the hip. Not keeping everythign inline and just flexing at the knee."
What do you think?
Posted by Dan at 01:01PM on October 05, 2009
What's the "manual version" of the exercise? My gym doesn't have a GHR apparatus. I've thought about doing them on the lat pull-down but the seat for that isn't wide enough. What options are there besides the actual GHR apparatus?
Posted by Barry at 01:14PM on October 05, 2009
I hook my legs under the support beam for the bench press, the bottom of which is maybe 5 inches off the ground. Stick a pad under my knees and just slowly drop forward to the floor and then push myself back up. Repeat. Just be sure whatever you hook your feet under is bolted down or is super heavy.
Posted by Clark Gillies at 03:48PM on October 05, 2009
Mike,
Regarding GHR technique, you mentioned starting at close to parallel to the floor. Is there any difference between dropping just a bit below parallel (as in the video) and starting right at parallel or is the difference between the two completely insignifcant?
With respect to the recent glute article on T-nation, there was little to no mention of GHR's, but wouldn't the glute activation from maintaining terminal hip extension during GHR's result in significant activation, since isometric contractions are supposed to be one of the best things for activation?
And lastly, are you of the mind that leg curls are completely worthless for athletes and non-athletes alike or can they be used periodicially provided that things like GHR's and deadlifts are staples in your program?
Posted by Mike Robertson at 04:41PM on October 05, 2009
@Barry - I don't think you need to ACTIVELY move into hip flexion/extension. Instead, if you're co-contracting the glutes/core, you're going to STAY in hip extension via an isometric the entire time.
@ Dan - Great answer from Barry.
@ Clark - No real difference between parallel or slightly below.
And I think you're right on with maintaining terminal hip extension - this is what I was alluding to in response to Barry's inquiry above.
As for leg curls, I just really don't see a lot of use for them. Tons of prime mover activation with no active stability just doesn't work in the real world.
Posted by Mitch Rothbardt at 08:52AM on October 06, 2009
I do these on a lat pulldown machine facing away from the cable stack. Just hook your ankles under the pad with your knees on the bench and have fun!
Posted by Doug at 09:53AM on October 06, 2009
Like Mitch, I have to MacGyver a pulldown machine to do GH Raises at my gym.
I also use jumpstretch bands to add or subtract resistance
Posted by Derek at 09:54AM on October 08, 2009
mike,
what do you think of the supine version using a swiss ball?
Posted by JP at 03:37PM on October 08, 2009
Mike - I find myself with a bit of a dilemma over training "knee flexion" with the hamstrings.
In terms of biomechanics, the hamstrings do two main things - 1) flex the knees, and 2) extend the hips. What I am concerned with here is "knee flexion", because from what I understand (from reading some of your work and others, and from logically looking at the action of the legs in motion), in actual motion, active knee flexion is rarely used.
When you run or walk (or kick), are you ever actively flexing at the knee (I.E. actually pulling your heels to your buttocks with your hamstrings) or is any flexion simply the result of gravity (as in the case of your knee bending when you flex at the hip to lift the knee up towards your chest), or momentum (as in the case of your knee bending when the hip has reached maximum extension during a running stride but your foot is still travelling rearwards)? The answer, from what I understand, is no.
So really, what the "knee flexion" function of the hamstrings is used for in motion is to resist/decelerate knee extension - it really functions only eccentrically in that capacity, as an antagonist to the quadriceps. So the question is, is training active knee flexion appropriate to the true function of the hamstrings?
As an example, let's look at the glute-ham raise off of the floor. Anyone who has tried these knows how crazy hard the concentric (active flexion) part is, but let's assume you are super diesel, and can do the full glute-ham raise off the floor, controlling all the way down and pulling all the way back up with the hamstrings.
Bearing in mind the actual function in motion of the hamstrings' knee-flexion ability (which is to act as antagonist to the quadriceps' knee-extension function), rather than simply increasing the number of reps, would it not be more appropriate to add weight to the descending/eccentric part of the GHR, and "cheat" on the way up by simply sitting back onto your heels, then repeat from the top? The loaded part of the exercise would then be specific to the true function of the hamstrings with regard to their "deceleration of knee extension" (rather than "knee flexion") ability, and you would be able to work with greater loads in that portion than you would otherwise be able to do if you were also concerned with being able to perform the concentric part.
Furthermore, would actively training the concentric part of the motion possibly be detrimental, in that it might train the incorrect neuro-muscular pattern of shortening the hamstrings, rather than resisting a lengthening of them? Is that simply a matter of semantics, or is there really a difference?
I know some might argue that increasing the contractile strength, whether through the concentric or eccentric motion, would benefit both, but I'm thinking that maybe the way the muscles are recruited in the concentric action may be inherently wrong for their actual purpose, which is resisting extension.
I'd appreciate your thoughts (or anybody else's) on this...
Posted by Mike Robertson at 06:33AM on October 09, 2009
JP -
I actually agree with you. Most elite-level sprinters have some degree of anterior pelvic tilt - it's what makes them fast, but it also leaves them prone to hamstring issues.
Along those same lines, you'll often see very strong quads with relatively weak hamstrings. When the lower leg is coming through, the hamstrings have a hard time counteracting the rapid knee extension, and thus you see a hamstring pull.
In our GHR training, we'll often focus heavily on the eccentric portion of the lift initially. From there if someone plays a sport where sprinting is critical, we throw in low-level reactive work, rapid decelerations, etc.
Again, it's not something you start a beginner of with, but it's necessary to progress the exercise - simply focusing on going up and down will be of limited value to the high-level athlete.
Hope that helps!
MR
Posted by Andrew at 04:18AM on October 13, 2009
Hi
I worry that performing natural glute ham raises (not on a glute ham machine) put a lot of pressure on my knees. Could natural glute ham raises be detrimental to my long term knee health?
Thanks
Posted by Pete Brown at 07:38AM on October 13, 2009
Mike,
I very much enjoy the Exercise of the Week section, obviously it brings out some good discussions. So if I may be so bold as to make a request for the KB Windmill as a future Exercise of the Week. Much appreciated. Pete
Posted by Travis Johnson at 02:45AM on October 27, 2009
Hello Mike,
I think JP brings up some very good points, and your reply to him is very helpful.
If I may, I would like to throw another thought into the mix here:
It seems to me that GHR are a closed-chain activity, while hamstring function with respect to decelerating knee extension (as discussed by JP) tends to happen in an open-chain environment (e.g sprinting).
If that is indeed the case (assuming I am not totally misunderstanding things here), would it not be useful to also have some open-chain eccentric loading as well to round out a conditioning program.
Any thoughts on this (by Mike or anyone) would be greatly appreciated...
Travis
Posted by Mike Robertson at 11:47AM on October 27, 2009
Travis -
I think you run the risk of getting too specific w/regards to what it "looks" like.
While I don't have research to back me up on this (there's not any, that I'm aware of) I would imagine the FORCES involved in a glute-ham raise would be much more similar to sprinting than anything you could do in open chain.
Just my .02. I'll be posting more on this front in the coming months, especially w/regards to bilateral vs. unilateral lifts.
MR