Glute-Ham-raise

[Markus Riedel]

I have the following setup:

A devious Smith machine. The bar is fitted with a cushion and loaded with plates that equals my bodyweight. The bar is resting on the lowermost hooks. I put my ankles under the bar and place my shins and knees on a soft bench. Voila

How to get the most out of this exercise. I am primarily focusing on hamstring strength/hypertrophy:

Do i have to flex/lock my feet?? In which direction do i have to point my feet??

I can go all the way down and up, but somehow it seems that i lose a bit of the tension in the hamstrings when going all the way down. (full ROM)...am i right??

What am i doing.. is it a Hamstring raise or is it a Glute-ham raise?


Please forgive me...i know that my grammar and spelling are bad
(Ich bin ein Berliner)

 

[Fatty4You]

It sounds like you are doing ham-raise, but i am not exactly sure what a glute-raise would be, unless its the same as a back extension, or a stiff leg dead lift or something. I guess if your hip is not extending, then your glutes aren't really doing much except keeping you rigid.

You are focusing on the hamstrings. The hamstring attaches very high on the lower leg and I assume this means that your toe direction has very little to do with the movement, unless, your toe pointing affects how close together your knees are. Personally, i would use what ever toe position is most comfortable and stable feeling.

I haven't done these very much though, so i dont know how right i am .

-Fatty

 

[edgecrusher]

The reason you ar elosing tension, is when you are flat, your hamstrings don't have to support your body. The reason the GHB raise hits so many areas, is due to the fact that you are normally digging your toes into a premade plate at the back of the machine, this activates the gastroc muscles. Also, the true GHB, raise has you go into a full stretch, similar to a hyper extension. For you, I would recomend pointing your toea ashard as possible, and do not let your body com all the way down. This will keep tension on your hamstrings as well as using your calves.

 

[b fold the truth]

just do the best that you can...that is all that I do.

B True

 

[coolcolj]

The manual ham raise on the floor is absicly liek aleg curl, a proepr glute hamr aise is different, sinc eyou pivot around the mid thigh and not arund the knee joint like the floor version.

But if you put something like a boxing bag in front of you thighs then your good to go.