Hyperextension

Starting position

1. Adjust the machine so the top of the pad sits just below your hip bones — your torso must be able to bend freely at the hips.
2. Step in and lock your heels under the rollers, legs straight or with a slight knee bend.
3. Straighten your torso so it's in line with your legs.
4. Cross your arms over your chest or rest your palms on it; look forward and down.

Execution

1. Inhale and slowly lean forward, hinging at the hips without rounding your back.
2. Go down until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings — usually to about 90° between torso and legs.
3. Exhale and rise using your glutes and hamstrings until your body forms a straight line.
4. Don't arch back at the top — stop when your torso and legs are aligned.

Common mistakes

• Overextending the lower back at the top — the lumbar vertebrae take unnecessary stress.
• Pad set too high — you bend at the lower back instead of the hips.
• Jerking and using momentum — the exercise loses its point and becomes risky.
• Rounding the back at the bottom — the load shifts to the spinal discs.

Beginner tips

• Start with no added weight, 12–15 slow reps.
• Squeeze your glutes at the top — it helps you avoid arching.
• Later, once your form is steady, add weight by holding a plate to your chest.

Alternatives

• Glute Bridge with Bench Support — similar glute work without loading the lower back
• Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift (Contralateral Dumbbell) — same hip hinge with a free weight
• Back Extension (Reverse Hyper) — an option without a machine