Legs · Compound

Glute Ham Raise

An advanced posterior chain exercise performed on a GHD machine, targeting the hamstrings and glutes through knee flexion. It is one of very few movements that train the hamstrings' knee-bending function against your full bodyweight, which builds hamstring strength that sprinting and heavy pulling rely on. Most lifters need months of assisted or eccentric-only reps before full reps arrive, and that progression is the program.

By Macros Inc Team Verified by Alex Dedmon Updated August 2026

Advanced Machine Compound Hinge
glute-ham-raise-poster
  • Level Advanced
  • Equipment Machine
  • Primary Muscles Glutes, Hamstrings, Lower Back
  • Movement Compound Hinge

Demonstration

Watch the Form Demo

Technique

How to Do the Glute Ham Raise

  1. Set the GHD so your knees sit just behind the pad and your ankles are locked under the rollers.
  2. Start upright with your body in a straight line from knees to shoulders.
  3. Lower your torso forward as slowly as you can by letting the knees straighten.
  4. Descend until your body approaches parallel with the floor or control runs out.
  5. Pull back up by driving your heels into the rollers and bending the knees.
  6. If full reps are not there yet, push off the floor or platform lightly to assist the way up.

Anatomy

Muscles Worked

legs
Primary muscles
Hamstrings
Secondary muscles
Glutes Lower Back

Do This

Form Cues

  • Set the pad so the knees sit just behind it and the hips can stay extended.
  • Keep the body in a straight line from knees to shoulders throughout.
  • Lower as slowly as you can and use your hands on the floor if needed.
  • Squeeze your glutes hard the whole way down. Losing hip extension is what turns it into a back exercise.

Avoid This

Common Mistakes

  • Breaking at the hips, which turns it into a much easier movement.
  • Dropping fast and catching yourself with the arms every rep.
  • Attempting full reps before the eccentric is under control.
  • Skipping the assisted progression and grinding out ugly partial reps with a bent hip.

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Variations & Related Exercises

Variations of this lift

Trains the same muscles

Put It Into Practice

Workouts Featuring This Lift

Advanced Program Glute and Strength Specialization Program

Glute and Strength Specialization Program

Three hip thrust sessions per week: heavy, moderate, and volume. An 8-week advanced glute block with targeted isolation work built…

Duration 8 Weeks
Frequency 4x / Week
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Intermediate Guide Hamstring Workout

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A dedicated hamstring session built around the hip hinge and knee flexion, run twice a week for six weeks to…

Duration 6 Weeks
Frequency 2x / Week
Level Intermediate
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