10 Best Glute Ham Raise Alternatives for Limited Equipment

The Glute Ham Raise is done kneeling with a machine. Ranked closest by our scoring: the Floor Glute-ham Raise, the Self Assisted Inverse Leg Curl and the Self Assisted Inverse Leg Curl (On Floor).

Glute Ham Raise

Each substitute is scored on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. Read how we rank alternatives

How to Do the Glute Ham Raise

The steps for the Glute Ham Raise itself, so you can judge how close each substitute below really is.

Hamstrings, with calves, glutes · Machine · Advanced · Compound

  1. Begin by adjusting the equipment to fit your body. Place your feet against the footplate in between the rollers as you lie facedown. Your knees should be just behind the pad.
  2. Start from the bottom of the movement. Keep your back arched as you begin the movement by flexing the knees. Drive your toes into the foot plate as you do so. Keep your upper body straight, and continue until your body is upright.
  3. Return to the starting position, keeping your descent under control.

The 10 Best Glute Ham Raise Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Glute Ham Raise on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Cards with a "How to perform it" link open to show the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

Each link re-ranks the list below for the kit it names. Pick one to hide the substitutes you cannot set up.

  1. Floor Glute-ham Raise

    1. Floor Glute-ham Raise

    90% match

    Hamstrings · Advanced · Compound

    Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the hamstrings.

    • Machine
    How to perform it
    1. You can use a partner for this exercise or brace your feet under something stable.
    2. Begin on your knees with your upper legs and torso upright. If using a partner, they will firmly hold your feet to keep you in position. This will be your starting position.
    3. Lower yourself by extending at the knee, taking care to NOT flex the hips as you go forward.
    4. Place your hands in front of you as you reach the floor. This movement is very difficult and you may be unable to do it unaided. Use your arms to lightly push off the floor to aid your return to the starting position.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Body position: kneeling, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
  2. Self Assisted Inverse Leg CurlPlay demonstration

    2. Self Assisted Inverse Leg Curl

    79% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Isolation

    Use this when you have nothing to train with, because it works the hamstrings with bodyweight alone.

    • Bodyweight
    How to perform it
    1. Lie flat on your back on a mat or bench with your legs extended.
    2. Place your hands by your sides or under your glutes for support.
    3. Bend your knees and lift your feet off the ground, bringing your thighs towards your chest.
    4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.
    5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Equipment: bodyweight only, not a machine
    • Body position: kneeling, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
  4. Smith Machine Stiff-legged Deadlift

    4. Smith Machine Stiff-legged Deadlift

    78% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have a Smith machine to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Smith-machine
    How to perform it
    1. To begin, set the bar on the smith machine to a height that is around the middle of your thighs. Once the correct height is chosen and the bar is loaded, grasp the bar using a pronated (palms forward) grip that is shoulder width apart. You may need some wrist wraps if using a significant amount of weight.
    2. Lift the bar up by fully extending your arms while keeping your back straight. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
    3. Keeping the knees stationary, lower the barbell to over the top of your feet by bending at the waist while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Exhale as you perform this movement
    4. Start bringing your torso up straight again as soon as you feel the hamstrings stretch by extending your hips and waist until you are back at the starting position. Inhale as you perform this movement.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Body position: standing, not kneeling
  5. Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift

    5. Stiff-legged Dumbbell Deadlift

    76% match

    Hamstrings · Intermediate · Compound

    A good swap when you have dumbbells to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Dumbbell
    How to perform it
    1. Grasp a couple of dumbbells holding them by your side at arm's length.
    2. Stand with your torso straight and your legs spaced using a shoulder width or narrower stance. The knees should be slightly bent. This is your starting position.
    3. Keeping the knees stationary, lower the dumbbells to over the top of your feet by bending at the waist while keeping your back straight. Keep moving forward as if you were going to pick something from the floor until you feel a stretch on the hamstrings. Exhale as you perform this movement
    4. Start bringing your torso up straight again by extending your hips and waist until you are back at the starting position. Inhale as you perform this movement.
    5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, not kneeling
  7. Clean

    7. Clean

    73% match

    Hamstrings · Advanced · Compound

    A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the hamstrings.

    • Barbell
    How to perform it
    1. With a barbell on the floor close to the shins, take an overhand (or hook) grip just outside the legs. Lower your hips with the weight focused on the heels, back straight, head facing forward, chest up, with your shoulders just in front of the bar. This will be your starting position.
    2. Begin the first pull by driving through the heels, extending your knees. Your back angle should stay the same, and your arms should remain straight. Move the weight with control as you continue to above the knees.
    3. Next comes the second pull, the main source of acceleration for the clean. As the bar approaches the mid-thigh position, begin extending through the hips. In a jumping motion, accelerate by extending the hips, knees, and ankles, using speed to move the bar upward. There should be no need to actively pull through the arms to accelerate the weight; at the end of the second pull, the body should be fully extended, leaning slightly back, with the arms still extended.
    4. As full extension is achieved, transition into the third pull by aggressively shrugging and flexing the arms with the elbows up and out. At peak extension, aggressively pull yourself down, rotating your elbows under the bar as you do so. Receive the bar in a front squat position, the depth of which is dependent upon the height of the bar at the end of the third pull. The bar should be racked onto the protracted shoulders, lightly touching the throat with the hands relaxed. Continue to descend to the bottom squat position, which will help in the recovery.
    5. Immediately recover by driving through the heels, keeping the torso upright and elbows up. Continue until you have risen to a standing position.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches
    • Primary muscle: hamstrings, the same as the Glute Ham Raise
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine

Why You Might Need a Glute Ham Raise Alternative

People substitute the glute ham raise for several practical and clinical reasons. Gyms often lack a dedicated GHR machine, and some lifters experience knee or lumbar pain when forcing the combined hip-extension/knee-flexion pattern. Alternatives let you isolate hip hinge mechanics or place more emphasis on eccentric control to stimulate distal hamstring fibers. For rehab or pain management choose movements with lower shear forces, hinge from the hips with a neutral spine and bend the knees only where pain-free. For strength and hypertrophy, pick exercises that let you progressively overload (heavier RDLs or weighted Nordic eccentrics) while maintaining proper hip position and slow eccentrics to maximize hamstring activation.

Glute Ham Raise FAQ

What muscles does Glute Ham Raise work?

The glute ham raise targets the hamstrings (biceps femoris, semitendinosus, semimembranosus) while also recruiting the glutes and lower back for hip extension. It combines eccentric knee flexion with concentric hip extension, so focus on controlling the hip hinge and knee bend to maximize hamstring activation.

What is the best bodyweight alternative to Glute Ham Raise?

The Nordic hamstring curl is the best bodyweight alternative because it loads eccentric knee flexion intensely. Anchor your feet, keep hips extended, and lower slowly with hands ready to catch so the eccentric portion stimulates the hamstrings effectively.

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