The Glute-Ham Raise bench is one of the BEST pieces of equipment you can use for developing the posterior chain
The posterior chain consists of the powerful muscles that run down the back side of the body...i.e. lower back, glutes, and hamstrings.
These muscles are the true power source of your body and are critical for squats, deadlifts, and all forms of Olympic lifting.
However, if your gym doesn't have a GHR bench or you train at home and there's no room for another piece of equipment (specifically a very EXPENSIVE piece of equipment), what do you do?
You do THIS.
This setup allows you to very closely mimic a GHR bench using a rack, a loaded barbell and a 45 degree back extension bench (which most gyms have and which are much cheaper than a full GHR bench).
How to DIY a Glute-Ham Raise in the Power Rack...
First, set the safety rails in the rack to about waist height. Set a bar on the rails and load it with 300-500 lbs (how much you load will depend on your bodyweight and how much extra resistance you plan on using, if any).
Move the back extension bench into the rack, with the ankle pads just below the bar. The bar should be pushed up against the back uprights of the rack.
You're going to using the bar to brace your heels under while performing the exercise, which is why it needs to be loaded heavily. You'll be locking your lower body into position with your mid-thighs on the pads of the extension bench (higher up than you would do for a regular back extension on this bench).
This is the big difference with this exercise compared to regular back extensions. The heels pushing up against the bar like this dramatically ramps up glute activation far beyond back extensions (which focus more on the lower back due to body positioning).
It's going to take a little tweaking to the setup to get it just right. You may have to adjust the height of the back extension machine a bit so that you get free movement.
You CAN do this with a flat bench, but it's much easier to set up (and gives you a greater range of motion) with the extension bench.
Start with your torso fully vertical and pointed downward. Make sure your lower body is solidly locked in.
Now come up, pushing hard against the bar with your heels. This will fire the glutes strongly. The hamstrings and lower back will kick in automatically.
Come all the way up until your body is straight from the knees to the head.
Hold for a few seconds, squeezing the glutes hard, then come back down under control.
Here's a side view of the exercise setup.
This exercise is very effective when done with just bodyweight. You can also add resistance in the form of dumbbells, weight plates or bands.
This is the exercise with a dumbbell held to the chest.
You can also hitch a band to the base of the bench then loop the other end around the back of your neck.
This gives you a harder contraction at the top due to the increasing stretch on the band.
You can also do BOTH at the same time.
I recommend doing this one for fairly low to mid-range reps (e.g. 3-6 reps). The posterior chain muscles are strong and need to be challenged with resistance. You CAN do higher-range reps, though, if you really want to.
Overall, this setup is a great way to mimic the effect of a Glute-Ham Raise bench, which is itself a fantastic lower body exercise and important assistance exercise for improving squat and deadlift strength.
Pair this one with a hip extension exercise like the Modified RDL for massive strength gains.
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Want more unique and challenging exercises to work your entire body with simple equipment? All you need is just a barbell, dumbbells and a bench. Check out The Best Home Gym Exercises You've Never Heard Of!
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