Back Extension – Hyperextension

How to perform back extensions

With Hyper Extension Bench
1.    Lie face down on a hyperextension bench, tucking your ankles securely under the footpads.
2.    Adjust the upper pad if possible so your upper thighs lie flat across the wide pad, leaving enough room for you to bend at the waist without any restriction.
3.    With your body straight, cross your arms in front of you (my preference) or behind your head. This will be your starting position. Tip: You can also hold a weight plate for extra resistance in front of you under your crossed arms.
4.    Start bending forward slowly at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back flat. Inhale as you perform this movement. Keep moving forward until you feel a nice stretch on the hamstrings and you can no longer keep going without a rounding of the back. Tip: Never round the back as you perform this exercise. Also, some people can go farther than others. The key thing is that you go as far as your body allows you to without rounding the back.
5.    Slowly raise your torso back to the initial position as you inhale. Tip: Avoid the temptation to arch your back past a straight line. Also, do not swing the torso at any time in order to protect the back from injury.
6.    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

With No Hyper Extension Bench
1.    With someone holding down your legs, slide yourself down to the edge a flat bench until your hips hang off the end of the bench. Tip: Your entire upper body should be hanging down towards the floor. Also, you will be in the same position as if you were on a hyperextension bench but the range of motion will be shorter due to the height of the flat bench vs. that of the hyperextension bench.
2.    With your body straight, cross your arms in front of you (my preference) or behind your head. This will be your starting position. Tip: You can also hold a weight plate for extra resistance in front of you under your crossed arms.
3.    Start bending forward slowly at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back flat. Inhale as you perform this movement. Keep moving forward until you almost touch the floor or you feel a nice stretch on the hamstrings (whichever comes first). Tip: Never round the back as you perform this exercise.
4.    Slowly raise your torso back to the initial position as you inhale. Tip: Avoid the temptation to arch your back past a straight line. Also, do not swing the torso at any time in order to protect the back from injury.
5.    Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions

Videos: Back Extension

Muscles Targeted:  Lower Back, Glutes, Hamstrings.

Points to Note

The lower back is one of the most vulnerable areas of the body. Perform hyper extensions slowly and under control. Do not swing your weight up. All the work should be done by the lower back muscles. Keep your back straight throughout the entire motion. You can injure yourself if you arch your spine. Do not do hyper extensions if you have a bad back.

Variations Back Hyperextension

This exercise can also be performed without a hyperextension bench, but in this case you will need a spotter. Also, a similar exercise to this one is the good morning and the stiff-legged deadlift.
Stability/Swiss Ball Hyperextensions
Dumb Bell Barbell Hyperextension

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