Exercise guide · Advanced · Compound

Glute-Ham Raise: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The glute-ham raise is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings, with secondary emphasis on the glutes and lower back. It is performed on a glute-ham raise machine and requires significant strength and control to execute properly.

Primary muscles
Hamstrings
Secondary muscles
Glutes
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Advanced · Compound
Demonstration of the glute-ham raise
Front view: muscles worked by the glute-ham raise. Primary: hamstrings. Secondary: glutes.
Back view: muscles worked by the glute-ham raise. Primary: hamstrings. Secondary: glutes.
Primary Secondary

How to do the glute-ham raise

  1. Step 1: Adjust the glute-ham raise machine to fit your body.
  2. Step 2: Position yourself face down on the machine with your ankles secured.
  3. Step 3: Place your hands on your chest or cross them over your chest.
  4. Step 4: Engage your hamstrings and glutes to lift your upper body up towards the ceiling.
  5. Step 5: Continue lifting until your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
  6. Step 6: Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your body back down to the starting position.
  7. Step 7: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the glute-ham raise 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.

Glute-Ham Raise alternatives

More exercises that train the hamstrings as their main target:

More hamstrings exercises

See the best hamstring exercises, ranked →

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.