Banded Glute Ham Raise
Banded Glute Ham Raise Exercise Description
The banded glute ham raise is a posterior-chain bodyweight exercise performed on a glute-ham developer with a resistance band for assistance. The primary drivers are the hamstrings through knee flexion, with the gluteus maximus assisting hip extension while the trunk musculature maintains a neutral spine. Using the band reduces the effective load, helping you control the full range and keep hips extended throughout. Expect a strong emphasis on coordination between knee flexion and hip extension without excessive lumbar movement. This variation is useful for practicing strict technique: stable pelvis, ribs stacked over pelvis, and smooth, controlled motion from the knees. Keep the movement deliberate, avoiding momentum or pushing with the hands so the hamstrings do the majority of the work.
- Muscle Groups: Hamstrings
- Target Muscles: Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semitendinosus
- Assisting Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Longissimus, Multifidus, Rectus Abdominis, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Resistance Band
- Exercise Patterns: Other
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors, Knee Flexors
- Joint Involvement: Single-joint
- Muscle Location: Inner Hamstring, Outer Hamstring
- Movement Direction: Other
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Banded Glute Ham Raise Exercise
‘- Adjust the glute-ham developer so knees rest on the pad and ankles are secured under the rollers.
– Stand in a tall kneeling position with hips fully extended, ribs down, and head/neck neutral.
– Securely anchor a long loop band in front/above you; place it across the upper torso (under the arms, across the chest).
– Lightly engage the glutes to keep the pelvis neutral; set the shoulders down and back.
– Take a breath, brace, and begin lowering by extending the knees while maintaining a neutral spine.
– Control the descent until your body is roughly horizontal (or just past), without arching the low back.
– Initiate the return by pressing your toes into the footplate and flexing the knees to pull your torso back up.
– Keep hips extended as you rise; finish tall with glutes engaged and ribs stacked.
– Maintain steady tension on the band; do not let it slip or snap.
– Avoid bending at the hips, hyperextending the lumbar spine, or using the hands/footplate for assistance.
Banded Glute Ham Raise Tips
‘- Set up in a tall kneeling position with knees on the pad, ankles under the rollers, hips fully extended, ribs down, and head/neck neutral.
– Anchor the band securely in front/above you and place it under the arms across the chest, keeping steady tension so it doesn’t slip or snap.
– Lightly engage the glutes to keep the pelvis neutral and hips extended throughout the movement.
– Keep the ribs stacked over the pelvis and maintain a neutral spine, avoiding lumbar arching or hyperextension.
– Begin each rep by taking a breath, bracing, and lowering by extending the knees while keeping the trunk rigid.
– Control the descent until your body is roughly horizontal (or just past), without bending at the hips.
– Initiate the return by pressing your toes into the footplate and flexing the knees to pull your torso back up.
– Rise with hips extended and finish each rep tall, with glutes engaged and ribs still stacked over the pelvis.
– Perform the motion smoothly and deliberately, avoiding momentum or using the hands/footplate for extra assistance so the hamstrings do most of the work.
Banded Glute Ham Raise Beginner Introduction
In the banded glute ham raise, the lifter works on a glute-ham bench with bodyweight plus an assistance band. This setup targets the back of the thighs and glutes while the core and lower back support a tall, aligned posture from head to knees. The band lightens the hardest part of the motion, allowing more controlled practice of the movement pattern without overloading the legs or letting the body collapse forward.
This variation centers on smooth coordination between bending the knees and driving the hips forward, rather than hinging at the waist. The torso stays relatively still while the legs do most of the effort, creating a strong mind–muscle connection with the hamstrings. Because the band helps manage resistance, it suits lifters who want to refine a strict, deliberate version of the exercise, emphasizing body awareness, tension through the midsection, and a clean, powerful finish in a tall kneeling position.