5 Reverse Hyperextension Variations for Women

Reverse hyperextensions can be done on a machine, while face down on a bench, a stability ball or while lying on the floor.

Glutes, hamstrings and lower back muscles can all gain strength and muscle mass by performing reverse hyperextensions, which also strengthens and stabilises the lower back.

You can work your glutes and hamstrings with reverse hyperextension without putting too much strain on your joints or your grip. The muscles in your lower back propel this action, but each repetition also involves a forceful hip extension.

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Best Reverse Hyperextension Exercises for Women

Reverse hyperextension not only increases strength but also loosens up the lower back. That's accomplished by applying traction to the eccentric part of the reverse hyperextension across the spine.

Hoewver, did you know that a reverse hyper machine can also be used for a variety of other fabulous exercises? Here’s a list of five variations women can do:

1) Pull Through

The pull-through is a fabulous reverse hyperextension exercise for developing the glutes, lower back and hips.

Here’s how to do it:

• Bend your knees, and grab the cable firmly in both hands while keeping your back to the cable station. The cable must lay on the floor between your feet.
• Pull the cable up till it rests between your knees while maintaining a 45-degree bend in your knees.
• Extend your knees while maintaining a tight grasp on the cable. Use your glutes as the main mover to propel your body forward.
• Tensing your glutes, hold the top part.
• To complete one rep, gradually lower yourself back to the starting position.
• Repeat for 10-15 times.

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2) Single Arm Row

The reverse hyperextension machine is an excellent place to do the single-arm row.

Here’s how to do it:

• Step back from the machine, and grasp the strap with one hand.
• If necessary, keep your hands on the device to provide support.
• Drive your arm back while maintaining a tight core; hold for a count, and slowly reposition the weight to where it was before.
• Perform eight to ten reps.

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3) Terminal Knee Extension

TKEs are a fabulous exercise to incorporate into your warm-up routine to engage your quadriceps and increase blood flow to the knee joint. You can do TKE with a load by wrapping the reverse hyperextension strap around your knee instead of a conventional band.

Here’s how to do it:

• With your band, create a loop, and firmly fasten one end at the knee.
• Take up the slack by putting your knee inside the loop.
• Stretch the band as you slowly extend your knee while bending and straightening your knees.
• Repeat for 15-20 times on each side.

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4) Single Leg Reverse-Hyper

Although it's more of a variant on the common reverse hyperextension, the single leg reverse-hyper feels like a separate exercise. You can reduce muscle imbalance and stop the strength of one side from making up for the other's deficiency by isolating one leg at a time.

Here’s how to do it:

• Begin by laying on your stomach on the bench.
• Loop the band around your right leg.
• As you lower your head to rest on top of your forearms, arrange your forearms so that they're parallel to the front edge of the bench. This is the starting point.
• Breathe in, and tighten your abdominal muscles. While maintaining your leg straight, lift your banded leg. On the lifted leg, your glute should be tense.
• To get back to the starting position, lower your leg. For the required number of repetitions, keep switching between the legs while controlling your breathing.

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5) Prisoner Hyperextension

During this variation of the reverse hyperextension, you maintain full flexion while keeping your hands behind your head. Simply put, that makes the movement more challenging and engages the shoulders and upper back more.

Here’s how to do it:

• Sit on the hyperextension bench with your lower legs resting against the lower pads and thighs prone to the pads. The top seat should be approximately hip level.
• When your torso is virtually vertical, lower your arms and shoulders by bending at the hips.
• Lift your body right back till your hips and waist are stretched.
• At the top, pause for a second, and fully engage your glutes and hamstrings.
• Repeat 15-20 times.

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Takeaway

Reverse hyperextension is an excellent technique to ease into the hip hinge if you're just starting off with lifting.

Like a pull-up that works your lats and upper back muscles, reverse hypers, as they're more frequently known, work your posterior chain. Reverse hypers can help you build the correct muscle strength and patterning so that you can go on to exercises like good mornings, RDLs and squats.