Back Extension
A bodyweight or weighted exercise on a 45-degree or horizontal hyperextension bench, lowering and raising the torso with a neutral spine. It strengthens the spinal erectors, glutes and hamstrings.
Primary muscles
- Lower Back (Erector Spinae)
Secondary muscles
- Glutes (Gluteus Maximus)
- Hamstrings
- Sets
- 3
- Reps
- 10–15
- Rest
- 60–90s
How to perform
Main muscles working (thicker lines)
Starting position
Set up on a hyperextension bench with the pad at your upper thighs, ankles secured and body in a straight line, arms crossed on your chest.
Hinge at the hips to lower your torso with a neutral spine.
Lower until you feel a stretch in the hamstrings.
Raise your torso back up until your body is in a straight line.
Pause briefly, then repeat.
Breathing: Inhale as you lower, exhale as you rise.
Coaching tips
Neutral spine
Hinge at the hips
Stop at a straight line
Common mistakes
Hyperextending at the top
Jerking up with momentum
Pad set too high
Safety notes
Rise only to a straight body line; avoid arching past neutral.
Add weight gradually by holding a plate to your chest.
This information is general fitness guidance, not medical advice. Stop if you feel pain and consult a qualified professional.