Glute Ham Raise with Extended Arms
- Músculo objetivo
- —
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Thighs
- Tipo
- Strength
The glute ham raise with extended arms is a bodyweight posterior-chain exercise that primarily works the hamstrings and glutes. Holding your arms straight out in front lengthens your lever and shifts your center of mass forward, making it a harder progression of the standard glute ham raise. It builds strong, resilient hamstrings and is popular for knee-flexion strength and injury resilience.
Cómo hacer el Glute Ham Raise with Extended Arms
- 1Set up on a glute-ham bench (or anchor your heels under a secure pad), kneeling with your shins on the pad and the balls of your feet braced against the footplate.
- 2Position the ankle hooks or pad so your heels are locked down firmly and your knees sit just behind the kneepad.
- 3Brace your core and squeeze your glutes so your body forms a straight line from knees to head.
- 4Extend both arms straight out in front of you at chest height and hold them there for the whole set.
- 5Lower your torso forward under control, hinging at the knees and resisting with your hamstrings until your body is roughly parallel to the floor.
- 6Keep your hips extended and your torso in line with your thighs as you descend — do not bend at the waist.
- 7Drive your heels into the pad and contract your hamstrings to pull your body back up to the upright start position.
- 8Complete your reps, then carefully release your feet and step off the bench.
Consejos de técnica
- Keep your glutes squeezed and hips fully extended throughout so the work stays in your hamstrings instead of folding at the hips.
- Move slowly on the way down — the lowering (eccentric) phase is where most of the hamstring strength is built.
- If holding your arms straight out is too hard, start with the standard arms-crossed glute ham raise and progress to extended arms over time.
- Brace your core and keep a neutral neck so your spine stays in one straight line from head to knees.
Errores comunes
- Bending at the hips instead of the knees, which turns the movement into a back extension and takes tension off the hamstrings.
- Dropping too fast on the way down, which removes muscular control and overloads the knees and hamstrings on the bounce.
- Letting the feet come loose from the pad, which kills your anchor and forces a sudden, uncontrolled fall.
- Pulling the arms back toward the chest to cheat, which defeats the extended-arm leverage and makes the rep easier than intended.
Preguntas frecuentes
What muscles does the glute ham raise with extended arms work?
It mainly works the hamstrings and glutes — the muscles of the posterior chain along the back of your thighs and hips. Holding your arms extended increases the demand on these muscles compared with the standard version.
Why are the arms held out in front?
Extending your arms forward moves your center of mass further from the pivot at your knees, lengthening the lever. This makes the exercise harder and forces your hamstrings and glutes to work against more resistance using only your bodyweight.
Is the glute ham raise with extended arms good for beginners?
It is an advanced bodyweight movement. Beginners should master the standard glute ham raise with the arms crossed first, then extend the arms once they can control the full range under their own bodyweight.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Because it is challenging and bodyweight-only, start with 3 sets of 5 to 8 controlled reps. Add reps before adding any external load, and stop the set once your form or hip extension starts to break down.
