Glute Ham Replacement

[Cochise]

Hello Everyone,

I was wondering what exercise or collection of exercises would you use in the place of a Glute Ham Raise?? I will buy one one day but until then what would you do. I kind of think Arched back GMs would be decent .



Cheese

[XXXLTRP]

IN THE PAST I HAVE DONE BACK EXTENSIONS, STIFF LEGS, LEG CURLS, GOOD MORNINGS...AND UNTIL RECENTLY NEVER HAD ACCESS TO A GLUTE HAM RAISE. NOW THAT I HAVE ACCESS TO A GLUTE HAM RAISE, NONE OF THOSE EXERCISES HIT ME AS HARD AS THE GLUTE HAM RAISE. EVERY REP I FEEL LIKE MY HAMSTRING IS EITHER GOING TO CRAMP OR STRAIN.

[benmoorefan]

arched back gm's, or any kind of gm for that matter, isn't a good replacement, because much of the stress in a GM is on your back. what i like about ghr's is that they are very easy to recover from (since they don't stress the back), unlike gm's or deadlifts, but they still allow you to hit the hams and glutes hard after doing squats. to target the glutes and hams the way the GHR does, i'd have to use enough weight on a GM to fry my CNS for a few weeks. so, like XXXGAY, no replacement.

[Machine,MS,CSCS]

If you're training with a partner, consider kneeling with a partner holding your feet. Slowly fall into a push-up position and press back up, trying to let your hamstrings do most of the work.

Also, you can kneel down backwards on the seat of a lat pulldown machine. Hook your heels under the pads that are usually on top of your thighs. You'll also need a partner to push off of, but again, try to let your hamstrings do the work.

[BangVader]

I agree with everyone that there is no true replacement. The versions that Machine is talking about are good alternatives. The only problems (and why we all probably agree they are inferior) are that with a glute-ham bench you 1) get a full range of motion and the intensity is easily increase by holding a weight or band tension and 2) from a sports performance standpoint, the movement is initiated by pressing the balls of the feet and toes through the toe plate. This engages the glutes and hamstrings in a similar sequence as sprinting.

My athletes use a number of glute-ham bridge variations or "sprinters" with 1 or 2 legs on the floor, with a med ball, stability ball, etc. I found the best video I could demonstrating the exercise from Inno-Sport. Here's a link and the video is under "Sprinters":

http://www.inno-sport.net/Restorative-Warmup.htm

[Lisa K]

If you're training with a partner, consider kneeling with a partner holding your feet. Slowly fall into a push-up position and press back up, trying to let your hamstrings do most of the work.

Also, you can kneel down backwards on the seat of a lat pulldown machine. Hook your heels under the pads that are usually on top of your thighs. You'll also need a partner to push off of, but again, try to let your hamstrings do the work.



These are insanely cool!

[Machine,MS,CSCS]

These are insanely cool!

Yes, I'm pretty cool.

[19-chief]

BACK EXTENSIONS, STIFF LEGS, LEG CURLS, GOOD MORNINGS
i second these bc i do not have a GHR machine in my facility.

[jonboy]

My athletes use a number of glute-ham bridge variations or "sprinters" with 1 or 2 legs on the floor, with a med ball, stability ball, etc. I found the best video I could demonstrating the exercise from Inno-Sport. Here's a link and the video is under "Sprinters":

http://www.inno-sport.net/Restorative-Warmup.htm

We do those too, usually 1 leg on a box or a stability ball. Normally hold it at the top for a few seconds.

[Bronc]

All I have access to is the Roman Chair. How can I make this more "Glute-Ham" and less back extensors?

[CJB]

If you have a 45-degree hyperextension bench with an adjustable foot plate, you can sort of simulate a GHR. Push the foot plate all the way up to the top setting and put a couple aerobic steps under the back of it to reduce the angle.

Obviously, not a perfect substitute, but just a little piece of white trash engineering to change things up.

[Bronc]

Thanks CJB I'll give it a shot.

[ruspa81]

Personally I like to do Dimmel's or RDL's as GHR replacements.

[ben moore]

You can also do manual hamstring curls by hooking your feet under the pads on a lat pull down and putting your knees on the seat. Put a bench in front of you that you can push off of if need be. These are infinitely harder and different that GHRs but something I have used in the past.

[ben moore]

I've done CJB's method also, which is a good sub.

[Cochise]

Thank you all for your responses!!!!

[Bronc]

If you have a 45-degree hyperextension bench with an adjustable foot plate, you can sort of simulate a GHR. Push the foot plate all the way up to the top setting and put a couple aerobic steps under the back of it to reduce the angle.

Obviously, not a perfect substitute, but just a little piece of white trash engineering to change things up.

I tried the Roman Chair GHR variation like you suggested and they worked like a charm. I couldn't reduce the angle too much for fear of tipping it, but I just held 10lbs across my chest to increase the resistance.

Did Nothing but front squats and GHRs yesterday and my hams have never gotten hit like this before...good stuff.

[Cochise]

I was out of town last week and the gym I was at didn't have a a GHR. So, I decided to do some leg curls on a swiss ball.

Well, the soreness I experienced the next felt just like the soreness I had gotten from using a a real GHR. Has anyone used a swill ball to sub for GHRs and had any success?

Oh, I still intend to buy a GHR. I was just wandering if anyone had any thoughts on this.

Cheese.

[jonboy]

Hey Cochise, I have been doing these lately since my hamstring has been a little messed up for most of the summer. I had a strain at the bottom of my hamstring near the back of knee. While doing the leg curls (i was doing them off a platform, holding at the top for 2-3 seconds), they weren't aggrevating my hamstring at all unlike doing GHR's. I tried doing a GHR and it felt like my hamstring was going to rip off. Once im healthy i'd probally go back to them but for now its just those and RDL's.

[Cochise]

Jonboy,

Sounds like a sound plan. I wish you the best on your recovery.