The purpose of this article is to demonstrate a few floor glute ham raise options for you. If you don’t have access to a glute-ham developer machine at home, you can perform these glute hamstring raise exercises instead. They strengthen the same muscle groups.
Floor glute ham raise benefits
Everyone’s training program needs glute ham raises. It targets all three heads of your hamstrings, as well as your glutes, and recruits more muscle fibers than hamstring curls on a machine. As you perform bodyweight movements, your lower back, core, calves, and hamstrings are all worked, strengthening your posterior chain because of the knee flexion.
Basically, your posterior chain drives you forward. This set of muscles is critical if you want to run faster, jump higher, or pivot and rotate more fluidly and without causing injuries. Therefore, no matter what sport you do, this exercise will improve your performance.
1. Use Glute Ham Strap
Getting your own glute ham raise machine can be very expensive, so this is a suitable option if you don’t want to spend that much money on one. It lets you perform GHR without a machine almost anywhere without a partner by hooking under any sturdy bench or pad. As an assisted accessory, this strap can also be used in conjunction with a power rack or pull-up bar if you are not ready for full motion. With this strap, you’ll concentrate on your hamstrings and glutes without stressing your spine.
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See how it works in the video below.
2. GHR with Partner Assist
Partner-assisted floor glute ham raises require you to begin by kneeling on something like a mat or padding, folded or rolled up that provides comfortable and safe support for your knees. Your partner will hold your feet down as you lift your torso. It’d be good to have a foam roller underneath your ankles. That way, your partner can hold you down comfortably and better.
Check the video below on how to do this bodyweight hamstring exercise.
3. Hamstring Curl Strap
What if you don’t have a bench, a loaded barbell, or a partner to work out with? No problem! Just get this simple and cheap glute ham developer.
Ten seconds are needed to set it up. It’s as simple as stretching the strap, sliding it under a door, and closing it. Put your feet in, and let’s go!
Football players weighing 300+ pounds tested it and said it held up well during GHR. However, there are endless possibilities for how you can use the equipment. You can do sit-ups and squats with it, for example.
4. With a Bosu ball
GHR can cause knee pain for many people. Bosu balls eliminate knee pain because they provide a thick cushion for your knee joint.
You need to place your feet against a wall in order to do this bodyweight exercise. (In case you have a barbell, use that instead.) So you won’t get such support at your ankles. That means performing this exercise correctly is quite challenging. Therefore, it requires adequate hamstring and glute strength, so it is better suited to more advanced athletes.
5. Barbell Nordic Curl
If you have a home gym to lift weights, you indeed have a barbell as well.
Using a padded barbell, weight plates, and a balance knee pad, you’ll learn how to perform Nordic hamstring curls from the following video. Besides proper mechanics, you’ll discover standard sets and reps schemes, as well as variations (with resistance bands) for power, hypertrophy, or injury prevention.
6. Floor Glute Ham Raise Machine
Compared to traditional GHD machines, the floor ham machine offers athletes a compact solution for performing glute ham raises in any training environment. This machine doesn’t take up much room. The low-profile design makes it easy to store. Adjustable foot pads let you customize the height to your liking.
We recommend the Rogue Floor Glute Bench
The Rogue Floor GHD pad is equipped with wheels to be easily moved. You don’t get the flexibility of the total machine, but honestly, you can probably get back some of those features with a bit of creativity. It’s made of 11 gauge steel and offers six foot positions.
Learn more: Alternative exercises for the glute ham developer machine
To sum up
Ultimately, the floor glute ham raise is an excellent exercise to help you build strength in your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. It is also a perfect way to improve your balance, stability, and body awareness. You should have it in your workout routine.
Last update on 2023-10-02 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API