Glute Ham Single Leg Hyperextension
- Músculo objetivo
- —
- Equipamiento
- Body weight
- Parte del cuerpo
- Hips
- Tipo
- Strength
The glute ham single leg hyperextension is a body-weight strength exercise for the hips and posterior chain, performed one leg at a time on a glute-ham developer. Anchoring on a single leg increases the demand on each side and exposes left-to-right imbalances, making it a useful unilateral variation for building hip extension strength.
Cómo hacer el Glute Ham Single Leg Hyperextension
- 1Set the glute-ham developer so the foot plate and ankle pads hold one leg securely, with the hip pad just below your hip bones.
- 2Secure your working leg between the ankle pads and let the other leg hang free or rest off to the side, keeping it out of the way.
- 3Position your body face-down over the hip pad with your torso extended and your hands crossed over your chest or behind your head.
- 4Hinge at the hips and lower your torso under control until it points roughly toward the floor, keeping your spine neutral.
- 5Pause briefly at the bottom without letting your lower back round.
- 6Drive your hips into the pad and raise your torso back up until your body forms a straight line from the working ankle to your head.
- 7Squeeze your hips at the top without arching past a straight line, then lower under control for the next rep.
- 8Complete all reps on one leg, then switch the working leg and repeat for equal volume on each side.
Consejos de técnica
- Move slowly and under control in both directions; the single-leg version is harder than it looks, so master the two-leg version first.
- Keep your spine neutral throughout instead of cranking into a deep arch at the top.
- Match the reps and tempo on both legs so the weaker side does not get short-changed.
- Brace your core before each rep to keep the work in your hips rather than your lower back.
- Set the hip pad just below the hip bones so you can hinge freely at the hip.
Errores comunes
- Hyperextending and arching the back hard at the top, which loads the lower spine instead of working the hips.
- Rounding the lower back at the bottom, which puts the spine in a weak position under load.
- Using momentum to swing the torso up, which removes tension and cheats the rep.
- Doing more or stronger reps on the dominant leg, which reinforces a left-to-right imbalance.
- Setting the hip pad too high so the movement comes from the spine rather than the hip hinge.
Preguntas frecuentes
What does the glute ham single leg hyperextension work?
It trains the hips and posterior chain through hip extension, one leg at a time. Working a single leg increases the load on each side and helps even out left-to-right strength differences.
Is the single leg hyperextension good for beginners?
It is fairly advanced because all the work falls on one leg. Beginners should build a base with the standard two-leg glute-ham hyperextension first, then progress to the single-leg version.
How many sets and reps should I do?
Since it is body weight, higher reps work well: aim for 2 to 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps per leg, controlling the tempo. Always perform the same number of reps on each side.
Why do this one leg at a time instead of both legs?
Anchoring on one leg roughly doubles the demand on that side and reveals strength imbalances between legs. Training each side on its own helps correct those imbalances over time.
Do I need any weight for this exercise?
No. It is a body-weight movement, and the single-leg setup already adds significant resistance. Focus on full range of motion and control before considering any added load.
