Exercise guide · Intermediate · Compound

Exercise Ball Back Extension with Hands Behind Head: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

This exercise targets the spinal erectors and involves performing back extensions while lying face down on a stability ball, with hands placed behind the head for increased difficulty. It also engages the glutes and hamstrings as secondary muscles.

Primary muscles
Not recorded
Secondary muscles
Hamstrings , Glutes
Equipment
Stability Ball
Level · type
Intermediate · Compound
Demonstration of the exercise ball back extension with hands behind head
Front view: muscles worked by the exercise ball back extension with hands behind head. Secondary: hamstrings and glutes.
Back view: muscles worked by the exercise ball back extension with hands behind head. Secondary: hamstrings and glutes.
Primary Secondary

How to do the exercise ball back extension with hands behind head

  1. Step 1: Place the stability ball on the ground and lie face down on top of it with your hips resting on the ball.
  2. Step 2: Position your feet against a wall or other stable surface for support.
  3. Step 3: Cross your arms behind your head, with your hands touching the back of your head.
  4. Step 4: Engage your core and slowly lift your upper body off the ball, extending your back until your body forms a straight line from your head to your hips.
  5. Step 5: Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, then slowly lower your upper body back down to the starting position.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the exercise ball back extension with hands behind head by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.