The Strength Parlor

GLUTE HAM RAISES

This is a band-assisted Glute Ham Raise.

And even with assistance…these are no joke.

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Think of it like a bodyweight hamstring curl.

Except the hamstrings are working both at the knee and the hip simultaneously.

That’s part of what makes these so challenging—and so effective.

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The lowering phase (eccentric) is especially important here.

Controlling your body against gravity takes a ton of strength.

That same “braking” effect is a big reason exercises like Nordic curls have shown promising effects for reducing hamstring strain risk.

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But the ascent is no cake-walk either.

You’re essentially curling and extending your entire bodyweight through space.

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Band assistance simply helps scale the movement to a smarter starting point.

Over time, the goal would be:

• lighter bands
• less assistance
• more control

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Exercises like this can be fantastic for building the posterior chain without heavily loading the lower back or requiring a barbell.

And to be clear—that doesn’t mean loading the lower back is bad.

Far from it.

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Usually we’d first want someone to develop a solid base with things like:

• hip extensions
• back extensions
• hinges / RDLs
• other hamstring-focused work

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Then gradually build toward something like this over time.

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Exercises like this are a great reminder that bodyweight training can become brutally effective when the leverage and range of motion are demanding enough.