Glute-ham raise: log range before adding load
In short
For the glute-ham raise, record a consistent horizontal bottom position before adding load. Keep hip position and assistance comparable. Men’s Health recommends learning it with bodyweight first; fairlift adds a logging framework, not a growth claim.
Men’s Health’s November 4, 2026 guide gives two useful boundaries for the glute-ham raise (GHR): stop the descent when the body is horizontal, and learn the exercise with bodyweight before holding a plate. Those boundaries also help make a training log readable. Moving from eight repetitions to ten is hard to interpret if the later repetitions stop much higher.
Where does a GHR become a back extension?
The source describes a GHD setup with the ankles held between rollers and the knees against rounded pads. Start with the knees bent about 90 degrees, brace the trunk, and maintain a straight line from knees to shoulders as the body lowers. Knee motion drives the descent and return. Continuing below horizontal by folding at the hips adds a back-extension component. Sharing a piece of equipment does not make two movement patterns interchangeable in a log.
| Log entry | Movement boundary | Condition to compare |
|---|---|---|
| GHR | Lower and return through knee motion | Horizontal bottom and stable hips |
| Repetition with a back extension | Additional hip folding at the bottom | Label separately from the GHR |
| Loaded GHR | External weight held at the chest | Record bodyweight and loaded conditions separately |
When should you add a plate?
The guide places the exercise later in a session, after heavier compound lifts such as squats and deadlifts. It permits loading with a plate at the chest once the movement is learned, but gives no mandatory repetition threshold for doing so. The sequence below is fairlift editorial advice for organizing records, not a tested progression protocol from the source. Its purpose is to preserve the meaning of a repetition when load changes.
- Check ankle security and pad position, then record the bodyweight setup.
- Count repetitions against the same horizontal endpoint while holding the body line.
- Note any assistance or shorter range instead of treating those repetitions as identical.
- When adding external weight under the same conditions, record that weight as a new comparison condition.
Do more repetitions prove greater muscle growth?
A repetition record does not measure muscle size. The source mentions a small comparison with other hamstring exercises, but that does not establish a long-term hypertrophy ranking here. Treat a cleaner set at the same range as evidence about performance in that task. If assistance or the endpoint changes, establish a fresh baseline. Keep GHR work separate from squat, bench press, and deadlift 1RM records rather than converting accessory repetitions into a strength score. For research on a different knee-flexion exercise, see Nordic curls and the angle of peak force.
Frequently asked questions
Can GHR and back extensions share one log entry?
A GHR lowers and raises the body through knee motion; folding farther at the hips adds a back-extension component. Label the movement conditions separately even when the equipment is the same.
Should beginners hold a plate during GHRs?
Men’s Health recommends learning the movement with bodyweight before adding a plate. Its guide does not set a compulsory repetition target for adding load.
Do more GHR reps prove better muscle growth?
More repetitions can indicate better task performance when range and assistance are consistent. Repetition counts do not directly establish a change in muscle size.
Source: Men’s Health (published )