Roman Chair Hyperextension
Roman chair extensions train the glutes, hamstrings and back muscles through hip movement over a support that leaves the torso free.
BACK · PULL
How it is executed
- Position yourself face down on the Roman chair with your hips resting on the pad and your feet secured under the foot holders.
- Cross your arms over your chest or place your hands behind your head.
- Lower your upper body by bending at the hips until your torso is roughly perpendicular to the floor.
- Raise your torso back up by contracting your lower back and glutes until your body forms a straight line.
- Avoid hyperextending past neutral and keep the movement controlled throughout.
- Muscles worked
- Back
- Primary muscle
- Lower back
- Equipment
- Roman chair
- Movement pattern
- Pull
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- What it is for
- StrengthHypertrophy
Common mistakes
- Rising beyond alignment: finish in a neutral position.
- Setting the pad too high: leave the hip crease free.
- Swinging the torso: reduce range or load.
Frequently asked questions
- Should you arch at the top?
- No. In this version finish when your trunk and legs align. The name does not require extending beyond that position.
- Where should the pad sit?
- Below the hip crease so the hips can bend. Also check that your feet are secured.
- How can you start without plates?
- Cross your arms over your chest and use a range you can control. Add load only after maintaining that technique throughout a set.
Sources and editorial approach
The explanation, variations and FAQs are Kaizer’s editorial synthesis. ACSM’s 2026 guidance provides general context on progression and resistance training in healthy adults; it does not independently validate the technique of each variation.
No individual professional review is recorded for this page.
Variations and substitutions
Routines that program it
Put it to work in Kaizer
Create workout routines with AIFrom goals and equipment to an editable routine in minutes — one that keeps adapting itself, session by session.The best TrueCoach alternatives in 2026The alternatives, including what each one does better.Pricing and plansBasic supports up to 3 clients from USD 5 a month.
Glossary and calculators
Linear progressionLinear progression is the scheme where load rises by a fixed amount every session or every week, with sets and reps held constant.Training tempoTempo is the prescribed speed of each phase of a rep, written as four numbers: eccentric, pause at the bottom, concentric and pause at the top.RIR ↔ %1RM conversionWhat percentage of 1RM does your RIR correspond to?
