Back Extension (Reverse Hyper)

Starting position

1. Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart and toes pointing forward.
2. Bend your knees slightly and keep that angle for the whole set.
3. Cross your arms over your chest or rest your hands lightly behind your head without pulling on it.
4. Set your shoulder blades back and brace your abs — back flat, with its natural lower-back curve.

Execution

1. Inhale and push your hips back as you tip your torso forward, keeping your back straight.
2. Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings — about parallel to the floor, or higher if your flexibility is limited.
3. Exhale, drive your hips forward and stand up, squeezing your glutes.
4. At the top stand tall and open your chest slightly without arching your lower back.

Common mistakes

• Rounded back in the bend — the lower back takes the load instead of the muscles.
• Leaning back hard at the top — compresses the lower spine with no benefit to the muscles.
• Locked straight knees — overstretches the back of the knee and pulls the back into rounding.
• Pulling the head down with your hands — the neck bends out of a neutral position.

Beginner tips

• Stand side-on to a mirror and check that your back stays flat throughout.
• Move slowly and under control, 2–3 seconds on the way down.
• Once 15–20 reps feel easy, progress to holding a dumbbell at your chest or using a resistance band.

Alternatives

• Hyperextension — same movement supported by a machine, bigger range of motion
• Glute Bridge with Bench Support — glute work lying down, without bending the torso
• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (Contralateral Dumbbell) — the next step with added weight