The Best Way to Use the Roman Chair for Glutes

Lower back extension machines, or what is more commonly known as the Roman chair, are among the most misused fitness equipment. When most gym-goers use this piece of equipment, they’re aiming for their backs. At the top of each repetition, the emphasis is on hyperextending the lower back so that the spinal erectors are primarily strengthened. This is undoubtedly beneficial to strengthening the lower back.

The question is if there is a unique Roman chair glute exercise.

The hyperextension bench can also make your glutes stronger and more defined. In this case, you want to minimize the lower back movement and maximize the hip movement. That’s why the exercise should actually be called hip extension or glute hyperextension.

To feel it in your butt and not your back, Brian gives you the following technique tweaks in this video.

This is a rare glute exercise that is shown in videos.

Roman Chair Hip Extension for Glutes with Rounded Back

This is an excellent idea to work on gluteus muscles instead of the lower back and spine muscles! Your back simply needs to be rounded. In this manner, the load is directed toward the gluteus muscle. Finding your optimal position will take some practice, but you will feel the difference once you do.

Here is how to do it:

• Your feet should be facing out at a 45-degree angle. The tweak in foot position makes the glutes work harder by forcing the hips externally. On the other hand, the hamstrings find it more difficult to assist with this setup, leaving the glutes isolated.
• Make sure you round your upper back. As you round your midback, you can create a posterior pelvic tilt. Therefore, the lower back moves more minor, and the hips move more. With this method, you’ll get way more glute activation, but the range of motion is a little shorter.
• Make sure you squeeze your glutes, hamstrings, and core at the top to recruit more muscles.

Two to three times per week, do at least three sets of each exercise. You can do 10-20 reps, but don’t go too far because this can get tough fast.

Exercises like this one have been efficient for me when it comes to my glutes. By using bodyweight, I perform higher reps. If I need more resistance, I’ll use dumbbells.

The only downside is that it might be done on only a 45-degree Roman chair. Due to the humped back, I do not recommend using weights of any kind.

To tell the truth, I was searching for other Roman chair exercises for glutes, but this move is the only one that is worth mentioning. Alternatively, you can use the glute-ham developer (GHD) machine, which is primarily made for targeting these body parts.