# Reverse Hyper on a Bench: how to do it

- Main muscles: glutes, lower back
- Also works: hamstrings
- Equipment: bench
- Level: beginner
- 3D demo (side view): https://media.trainaq.com/exercises/reverse_hyper_on_bench/4021bc6724/side-m-720.mp4

## Steps

1. Lie face down on a flat bench with your hips at the end and your legs hanging off.
2. Hold the sides of the bench near the front.
3. Squeeze your glutes and lift both legs together until they are level with your body.
4. Pause for a moment at the top.
5. Lower slowly until your toes are just off the floor, then repeat.

## Cues

- Squeeze the glutes to lift.
- Legs long, feet together.
- Stop at level.

## Common mistakes

- Swinging the legs up.
- Lifting too high and arching the back.
- Bending the knees.

## The version in our demo

A reverse hyperextension on an ordinary flat bench, no machine: the hips at the bench's end, the legs lifting from just above the floor to level with the trunk.

## Starting position

Lie face down on a flat bench with the hip creases at its end, trunk and the front of the pelvis on the pad. Hold the sides of the pad near the front, head up a little. Let the legs hang nearly straight, feet together, toes just off the floor.

## The movement

Squeeze the glutes and lift both legs together, knees nearly straight, until they are level with the trunk. Pause, then lower under control until the toes are just off the floor. The trunk stays on the bench and the lower back doesn't arch past level.

## Breathing

Breathe out as the legs lift, breathe in as they lower.

## Tempo

0.5 s at the bottom, 1 s up, a 0.5 s hold, 1.5 s down.

## Form in numbers

| Measure | Target | Good range | Sources |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Legs at the top | level with the trunk (0°) | 0 to 10° below; never above |  |
| Legs at the bottom | 22° (male) / 30° (female) below level, toes 2 cm off the floor | toes just off the floor |  |
| Knees | 10° | ≤ 15° |  |
| Feet | together (ankles 9 cm apart) | — |  |
| Trunk | still on the pad | no rocking |  |
| Head | lifted a little (face off the pad) | neck in line or slightly up |  |

## Sources

1. [Mirafit, "Hyperextension vs Reverse Hyperextension" (flat-bench method: hips at the bench edge, legs off the end, raise the thighs to extend the hips, squeeze the glutes at the top)](https://mirafit.co.uk/blog/hyperextension-vs-reverse-hyperextension/)
2. [Exercise.com, "Reverse Hyperextension" (a flat bench is enough; feet together, abs braced, head in line with the trunk)](https://www.exercise.com/exercises/reverse-hyperextension/)
3. [ACE Exercise Library, prone hip extension exercises (squeeze the glutes, lift the legs without arching the lower back)](https://www.acefitness.org/resources/everyone/exercise-library/)

Source: https://trainaq.com/exercises/reverse-hyper-on-bench