Hyperextensions (Back Extensions)Muscles Worked
Hyperextensions work the muscles along your lower back, the erector spinae, with your glutes and hamstrings helping you lift your torso from the hips. Done on a Roman chair or 45-degree bench, they let you train the lower back with just your bodyweight or a light plate.
PrimaryLower Back
- Equipment
- Other
- Level
- Beginner
- Type
- Isolation
- Force
- Pull
How to do it
- Set the hip pad so its top edge sits just below your hip bones, then lock your ankles under the foot pads.
- Start with your body in a straight line, arms crossed over your chest or hands lightly behind your head.
- Lower your torso slowly by bending at the hips with a flat back, until you feel a hamstring stretch or your back begins to round.
- Raise your torso by squeezing your glutes and lower back until your body is straight again.
- Pause briefly in that straight line, then lower into the next rep.
Form tips
- Stop when your body forms a straight line from head to heels, as there is no need to arch past it.
- Move at a smooth, steady pace and never swing up from the bottom.
- If the pad sits too high it blocks your hips from bending, so adjust it before your first set.
Why it made the list
No. 2 of 10
Best Lower Back Exercises
Best isolation-style movement for the erector spinae. Every gym has a Roman chair. Safe, controlled, beginner-friendly.
More lower back exercises
See it on your own body map
Log your Hyperextensions (Back Extensions) sets in KasMaker and watch your lower back, glutes, and hamstrings fill in on the map, weighted by how much you did. Logging and the body map are free on iPhone.
