Substitute for glute-ham and reverse hypers/Hip exercises

[TaydaTot]

So I want to add glute-hams and reverse hypers as assistance exercises for squats and DLs, but of course, my school gym has neither. Anything else I could do instead? I heard to mimic reverse hypers you can put an exercise ball on a bench, rest your chest on it, grab the bench, and do reverse hypers that way. Anyone ever do that? I know hamstring curls are not normally used as an assistance exercise but is it really that different from glute-ham raise? Could it serve as a passable substitute? Why or why not?

Also, I'm thinking about doing assistance work for hips. Anything besides the adductor/abductor machine? Is that machine a waste of time? I know girls use it all the time to try to "tone" their hips (which is bs) but could it be used for heavier weight to strengthen lateral hip movement?

Thanks for the replies.

[atypical1]

Good mornings would serve you well. You can do GHR's on the floor by bracing your feet or by using the lat pull down machine.

james

[eLvarouza]

First, what are your height, weight, age, and lifts at?

[ricepower]

First, what are your height, weight, age, and lifts at?

I think Rip gets beginners doing this kinda stuff, I dont think there is much harm in them for any level of trainee.

In addition to what atypical said though, romanian deadlifts & good mornings are like the ultimate/much superior combination of a glute-ham raise and back extension.

I would just focus on the core lifts for now, and see how you progress before you decide you need to train something specific with special exercises. If you do decide to do back hyper extensions may I strongly suggest you do not wildly churn out a hundred fast sloppy reps. Treat it more like a isometric hold lowering your torso very slowly building stability. Do not forget the musculature around the spine are there to keep it stable. Repeated stressed flexion can damage your spine in the same way as crunches aswell as not being as effective.

[NotNowChief]

Have a training partner? You might consider these. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ziMctmK7Vjg
If no training partner you just need something to hook your feet under. I use the calf machine at my gym.

[TaydaTot]

Hey ricepower, good point about spinal flexion being a lot like abdominal flexion. I make a point to limit my ab work to isometric type stuff (planks and crawling) but didn't really think about the back the same way. I will be sure not to flop around around like a fish; after-all, increased stability is my whole objective from adding supplemental work.

Atypical1, thanks for the recommendation on GMs. I have been doing them occasionally but will consider them a more regular supplemental exercise.

NotNowChief, that nordic hamstring exercise looks great. I'm sure I can find some heavy equipment to brace my feet against.

Any other ideas about exercises to help with strengthen and stabilizing the hips?

[NotNowChief]

Yeah its hard on the hamstrings and you'll feel it in the glutes and lower back to some degree as well.

[Wellhairedbeast]

Try hooking your feet under a standard barbell, when i get on to an intermediate program next year i might start doing them, and a standard barbell sits lower so it would be easier to anchor yourself with.

[NorthstarUK]

I've just added GH raises to my routine, having just started Westside. Doing them on the floor with your heels tucked under a barbell works well, but they are hard! esp if you lower yourself real slow, I can only manage about 6 reps even though my squat and DL are reasonably strong.

I also added RDLs, though I think SLDLs do pretty much the same thing (I may be corrected here!) and are a good glute ham exercise.

As stated above you might be better just concentrating on the core lifts and good form if you're a novice, they will hit your glutes hams pretty hard too. I've only started adding them as progress is becoming very slow in my squat and DL and i've run madcow / SL advances for 3 cycles.

[eLvarouza]

I think Rip gets beginners doing this kinda stuff, I dont think there is much harm in them for any level of trainee.

I think there's harm in doing them if you're a novice because you're wasting time. This is why I always ask for people's stats, because if someone is 6'0" 150lbs and squats 100lbs he doesn't need to be doing assistance work.

[TaydaTot]

Good points eLvarouza and NorthStarUK, I definitely don't want to get carried away with any assistance exercises. But occasionally I like to do them as finishers at the end of my workouts if I'm still a little fresh or want to do something different. They definitely aren't necessary or even that important in comparison to the big lifts but it would be nice to have them in my repertoire and to ad an exercise that is new and challenging while indirectly benefiting my core exercises.

[NotNowChief]

I've just added GH raises to my routine, having just started Westside. Doing them on the floor with your heels tucked under a barbell works well, but they are hard! esp if you lower yourself real slow, I can only manage about 6 reps even though my squat and DL are reasonably strong.

I also added RDLs, though I think SLDLs do pretty much the same thing (I may be corrected here!) and are a good glute ham exercise.

As stated above you might be better just concentrating on the core lifts and good form if you're a novice, they will hit your glutes hams pretty hard too. I've only started adding them as progress is becoming very slow in my squat and DL and i've run madcow / SL advances for 3 cycles.

yeah I'd class them a bit like chin ups- if you haven't done them before, even if you are string in other lifts then alot of people (me too) will be surprised at how hard they actually are.

[Westsider]

Does anyone know any good progressions for GHRs? I tried lowering myself more every time I did them but I just kept on getting stuck.

[FiveByFive]

I think there's harm in doing them if you're a novice because you're wasting time. This is why I always ask for people's stats, because if someone is 6'0" 150lbs and squats 100lbs he doesn't need to be doing assistance work.

What about if you have trouble activating glutes/hams on squats? When i started squatting i was very quad dominant, and only through what i've learned here have I been able to engage my posterior chain while squatting. I would imagine doing GHRs and similar exercises might help a novice who is unable to activate their glutes squatting. At the very least it would help them know what it felt like.

[Amiright]

I think its ridiculous to say that one should avoid either of these exercises... reverse hypers do amazing things for back health as well as strength, and sadly there is absolutely no replacement for the real thing.. the swinging weight helps expand your vertebrae. And glute ham raises are well worth the effort, natural ones are much harder as well. Assistance work isn't going to hurt if he has the time to do them, it will also keep a person entertained.. and I would hardly classify ghr as assistance, its as important as chins(but the effectiveness of ghr will always be argued.. in regards to raising squat etc..)

if you want to get good at GHR like everyone says for any other task... do a lot of GHR. Before every workout do 3x5, in a few weeks you'll be able to do 1 or more unassisted