Want to get quicker? Build stronger legs? Stop pulling hamstrings? The glute ham developer, or GHD, is one of the most effective and most misunderstood pieces of equipment on the gym floor. Here are the glute ham developer benefits, why a strong posterior chain matters for almost every sport, and how to use the machine properly at Hammers Gym in Nunawading.
Why your posterior chain matters
Your posterior chain is the group of muscles along the back of your body: glutes, hamstrings, calves and the erector spinae of the lower back. It is the engine of sprinting, jumping, lifting and kicking. Weak hamstrings and glutes limit your lower body strength, speed and power, and they are a leading cause of the strains that sideline athletes. Hammers Gym has always placed a high priority on posterior chain development, which is why the GHD has a permanent place on our floor.
The key glute ham developer benefits
1. Get faster
Powerful hamstrings drive sprint speed. The hamstrings are responsible for pulling your leg through and extending your hip during each stride, and the GHD strengthens them through exactly that pattern. Faster hamstrings mean a faster you, whether that is on the football field, the track or moving across the ring.
2. Get stronger
The GHD isolates the posterior compartment of the legs, allowing you to target the glutes and hamstrings directly without the fatigue of a full deadlift. That makes it ideal for adding strength to your squats, deadlifts and Olympic lifts, where a strong hip extension is the difference between a good lift and a missed one.
3. Prevent hamstring injuries
This is the big one. Most hamstring strains happen when the muscle is lengthening under load, as it does when your leg swings forward at sprint speed. The GHD trains the hamstrings eccentrically, in that lengthened position, which is exactly the quality that protects them. Strength and conditioning coaches across many sports use the GHD and similar exercises for this reason, and it is why the GHD has been endorsed by elite coaches who have run seminars here at Hammers Gym.
How to use the glute ham developer
Many people who use the GHD are not using it the way it was designed, though the alternative is still an excellent exercise. There are two main variations, and both are worth learning.
Variation 1: the hip hinge (glutes and hamstrings)
Set your hips further forward on the pad so the front of your hips sits just past the edge. Keeping your knees locked and your core braced, hinge forward at the hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, then drive back up by contracting your glutes and hamstrings hard. This is the movement the machine was built for, and it hammers the glutes and hamstrings together.
Variation 2: the glute ham raise (hamstring focus)
Set your hips slightly further back so your knees rest on the pad. Start with your body horizontal and, keeping your hips locked (engage your core and glutes so you do not fold at the hips), bend at the knees to pull yourself up until your torso is vertical. Lower slowly under control. This variation targets the hamstrings intensely, particularly through the eccentric phase, so start with just a few reps and build up.
Programming the GHD
Two sessions a week is plenty for most people. Start with 3 sets of 6 to 8 controlled reps of whichever variation you are learning, and add reps before you add load. Once you can perform 3 sets of 12 with good form, you can hold a plate against your chest for extra resistance. Expect some serious hamstring soreness the first week; that is normal, and it fades quickly.
Learn it properly with our trainers
The GHD can be tricky to master at first, so make use of the knowledge of our skilled trainers and coaches. Anyone on staff is glad to walk you through both variations on the Hammers Gym floor, and our personal trainers can build the glute ham developer benefits into a full strength or athletic program. If you also train Muay Thai or boxing, the GHD is an excellent addition to your strength work.
Hammers Gym is a 24/7 gym in Nunawading, minutes from Mitcham, Blackburn, Box Hill and Doncaster. Try the GHD for yourself with a free trial, or see our membership options. Happy training!