Back Extension
Muscles worked: Glutes (assisted by hamstrings, back).
How to do it
- Lie face down on a hyperextension bench, tucking your ankles securely under the footpads.
- Adjust the upper pad if possible so your upper thighs lie flat across the wide pad, leaving enough room for you to bend at the waist without any restriction.
- With your body straight, cross your arms in front of you (my preference) or behind your head.
- Start bending forward slowly at the waist as far as you can while keeping your back flat.
- Slowly raise your torso back to the initial position as you inhale.
Coaching cues
The two cues IronPack shows on this exercise's card mid-workout:
- Pad at the hip crease
- Squeeze glutes to rise - don't hyperextend
Logging it
IronPack suggests working in the 10 to 15 rep range, progressing in 2.5 kg jumps when you own the top of the range. Bodyweight movement: log added weight only, and your records account for your logged bodyweight. Records are tracked automatically at every rep count from 1 to 12. Check your estimated 1RM from any hard set.
Related exercises
- Deadlift - back, glutes
- Sumo Deadlift - glutes, quads
- Trap Bar Deadlift - quads, glutes
- Kettlebell Swing - glutes
Track the back extension properly
IronPack logs every set, tracks your records at every rep count, shows these form photos mid-workout, and turns the training into a card game you play with your mates.
Get IronPack free on the App StorePhotos and steps: free-exercise-db (public domain). Cues, muscle weighting and logging guidance are IronPack's own app data. Last generated 2026-07-17.