Setup & Positioning
"Set up on a glute-ham developer (GHD) with your knees just behind the knee pad and ankles secured under the foot rollers. Start in a tall, upright position with your torso vertical, core braced, and glutes engaged."
Key point: “Control every inch of the descent and ascent—this is about strength, not momentum.”
Home/No GHD Alternative: Kneel on a pad with ankles anchored under a bar or held by a partner (“Nordic hamstring curl” variation).
Execution (Bodyweight Version)
"From upright, slowly lower your torso forward by extending at the knees while keeping your hips extended. Go down under control until just before you lose tension, then contract your hamstrings and glutes to pull yourself back up to vertical."
Execution (Weighted/Progressed Versions)
- Chest-Loaded Plate/Dumbbell: Hold weight close to your chest for added resistance.
- Band Assistance: Anchor a resistance band in front of you and hold it for help during the concentric phase (great for beginners).
- Isometric Holds: Pause halfway down or at the bottom for time-under-tension training.
Body Alignment Cues
- Head/Neck: Neutral, gaze slightly forward.
- Shoulders: Stay back, chest lifted.
- Core: Braced to keep hips extended.
- Hips: Push forward slightly—don’t let them hinge backward.
- Knees: Stay aligned with hips, not flaring outward.
Where You Should Feel It
- Hamstrings doing the bulk of the work
- Glutes firing to stabilize hips
- Core engaged to resist arching
Where You Shouldn’t Feel It
- Sharp knee pain (usually from pad set too high or poor control)
- Lower back strain from arching or collapsing
- Excessive pressure on the neck or shoulders
Breathing
"Inhale as you lower with control, exhale forcefully as you contract hamstrings and rise back up."
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Collapsing quickly on the way down—control is key.
- Bending at the hips instead of keeping them extended.
- Overarching the lower back to compensate for weak hamstrings.
- Using too much load before mastering the bodyweight version.
