23rd July 2023
I’m not talking about hair straighteners! GHD stands for Glute Ham Developer, and is a piece of equipment designed to target and strengthen the posterior chain (glutes, hamstrings, lower back). It can also be used for ab exercises.
Here’s some exercises you can do on our new GHD:
Sorenson hold – isometric hold, keeping your body parallel to the ground. Once you get strong at this hold, you can add a bit of weight.
Hip Extensions – adjust GHD so your hips are free leaving just the tops of your legs on the pads, body held parallel to ground. Hinge at the hips, keeping your back straight. Then squeeze glutes and hamstrings to come back up
Back Extensions – adjust GHD so your hips are on top of the pads, body held parallel to ground. Tuck your chin and begin flexing the spine, one vertebrae at a time, starting upper back and moving to lower back. Slow and controlled movements before reversing it to bring yourself back up to parallel.
GHD Sit ups – sit on the GHD, hips off the back of the back of the pads. Start with knees slightly bent, hands touching the foot pads. Lean backward, controlling with your core and extend arms overhead. To sit up, extend your legs and swing arms and upper body back to up right.
Glute Ham Raises (very challenging!) – shorten the GHD so your knees are on the pads. Knees flexed, and body upright, essentially kneeling on the GHD. Then control decent as knees extend, keeping back and hips straight (extended). Come to parallel then squeezing glutes and hamstrings to come back up.
These exercises are great for targeting the posterior and core muscles which are important stabilisers that will help prevent injuries and improve posture and alignment.
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