Are you looking for the best way to target your glutes, improve your hamstrings, and develop your core? Well, a glute ham developer machine could be just the thing you’re looking for… read on to find out more.
Best GHD Machine - Our Top Picks
We’re going to take a look at one of the most important machines for glute training, the Glute Ham Developer (GHD) machine.
A more advanced version of a Roman chair it trains and develops a range of muscles and whatever your long-term goals are; it can help you take your training to the next level.
In this article, we have reviewed some of the best GHD machines available to help you find the perfect machine for your home gym and we’ll break down what we liked and didn’t like about each one to help you make a decision on which one is right for you.
Let’s take a look at three of the best machines on the market and see how they hold up.
1. Body-Solid Glute and Hamstring Machine
The Body-Solid glute and hamstring machine is an extremely strong and versatile Glute Ham Developer that is perfect for training the posterior chain, allowing you to train the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings in addition to your abdominals and obliques. Being able to isolate these muscles and train them individually is a great benefit of a GHD machine and one of the reasons why the Body-Solid machine is so popular.
Designed for commercial use, the Body-Solid is durable and has been built to last. It’s extremely reliable and can stand the test of time, it also comes with a range of thick, double-stitched Durafirm pads and oversized rollers to ensure comfort and support when in use.
It’s an excellent choice for users of all sizes.
Getting on and climbing off the Body-Solid GHD machine is made easy with the footplate and handles and you can adjust the machine to your ideal height, easily changing the vertical and horizontal settings to get yourself in an optimal position.
The quality of the Body-Solid glute ham machine is obvious, so it should come as no surprise that this piece of kit would be perfect for a home gym or commercial use.
CAP Strength Roman Chair
Marcy Hyper Extension Bench
What we liked
The overall build of the Body-Solid Glute Ham Developer just screams commercial use, and we love it for a home gym. There’s nothing worse than buying something for use at home, only to find it doesn’t quite meet your expectations. Well, you won’t have that problem with this Glute Ham Developer machine it can withstand repeated use, over time, and gives you a high-quality, premium feel from the first time you climb on. You’ll love it, whether you’re training your posterior chain, targeting your hamstrings and glutes, or doing sit ups for your abdominals, this glute ham developer won’t let you down.
What we didn’t like
Although Body-Solid glute ham developer has a strong build, the front pads are made of plywood, which could crack. It’s something to think about before you bring it into your home gym.
Verdict
True to its name the Body-Solid glute ham developer is a solid piece of kit for your home gym. You get a premium feel and a first-class experience when you use this equipment and you really get that gym-quality feel. It’s a great piece of kit to supplement your training and we think it’s a fantastic option.
2. Rogue Abram GHD 2.0
Rogue is known for crafting high-quality gym equipment and its glute ham developer 2.0 aims to keep that tradition alive, building on its previous model, the 1.0, by adding some extra features to maximize performance.
One of the first things you notice is the 2 x 3 11-gauge steel tubing and the ‘bolt together’ triangular base, which has been designed to provide ultimate sturdiness and peak power output.
Rogue has clearly thought about that in their design as the ankle roller pads are also positioned in a way to maximize performance and power output too. As rogue is a known name within Crossfit it should come as no surprise that so much of what they do is about achieving maximum performance.
It has ‘swing-arm technology’ to make adjustments quick and easy and with 10 lock-in positions you can find the right one for you. The 8.5” x 5” roller pads are there to give you more support and comfort when using the machine and along with every other aspect, the high-quality build will shine through. It’s been built to give you an adaptable and versatile experience and to support a wide range of athletes and users. It consists of a strong and sturdy build and wouldn’t look out of place in a commercial gym or Crossfit box.
What we liked
Everything about the glute ham developer 2.0 is geared towards improved performance and maximum output which we absolutely love. If you’re looking for a more explosive experience then you can’t go wrong with the 2.0
What we didn’t like
It makes sense that a heavy-duty piece of equipment that can support your body weight would also weigh a lot itself, but at 222 lbs it’s a touch on the heavy side. It does come with transport wheels to make moving it easier, but just be aware of how heavy it is.
Verdict
Made to support peak performance, the Rogue fitness glute ham developer 2.0 is a high-quality GHD machine that you just know is going to get the job done. If you’re looking for a more athletic focus in your workouts, especially if you’re a Crossfitter who wants to target your posterior chain in your home gym then this is a fantastic option for you.
3. REP GHD - Glute Ham Developer
The REP GHD machine is a commercial-grade piece of exercise equipment that has been designed for home use, although it wouldn’t look out of place in a gym.
Weighing only 150lbs it can handle up to 500lbs of body weight and it won’t budge when you climb on. You can train your posterior chain with a range of exercises, or flip around to train your abdominals and still be confident that it won’t move. The heavy-duty design ensures you feel safe and stable when you use it which is essential when using a GHD machine.
What we liked
We loved the addition of the band pegs, which give you an option to increase the difficulty of your workout. By adding bands to the frame you can continue to increase the difficulty over time as you progress. These can be used for a wide range of exercises, whether abdominal work or traditional glute and ham work to help you make more progress with your training.
What we didn’t like
The only real issue we have with this machine is how long it took to put together. There’s always an issue with assembling equipment, but we felt this one takes a little longer than we would like.
Verdict
Reasonably priced with a solid design, we feel this is a great option for any home gym. It has a great user weight limit and isn’t too heavy to move by yourself. Plus with the band attachment, you can add resistance to your workouts with ease when you use this machine.
If you’re looking for a high-quality GHD machine that can be used at home but wouldn’t look out of place in the gym, then you can’t go wrong with the REPS glute ham developer which is also available on the Amazon website.
5 Best Exercises for GHD Machine
Exercises you can do on the GHD machine and the muscles you can target
With a name like Glute Ham Developer, you already know two of the primary muscles that will be trained; however there is a whole range of exercises that can target the hamstrings, glutes, lower back, abdominals, and obliques, which all vital for developing your physique and strengthening your body.
Let’s take a look at five of the best exercises when you’re using a GHD machine.
1. Sorenson Hold – Think of this as a plank on the GHD. With your feet in the roller pads and your hips in alignment, you keep your entire body still, and straight, squeezing your abdominals and your glutes throughout.
Muscle groups used: Lower back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Abdominals
2. Back Extensions – With a very similar set-up to the Sorenson hold, back extensions start in the same way, before you tuck your chin, flex your spine and round your back down and around the pads. Once at the bottom you extend your lower back and straighten up, with a neutral spine, your head is the last part to raise when completing back extensions.
Muscle groups used: Lower back, Glutes, Hamstrings, Abdominals
3. GHD Sit Ups – This is an advanced movement that involves flipping around, with your feet hooked under the roller pads and your body sat on the support pad. From here you move back, and down, before extending back up (sit up) to touch the front pad. If you’re new to this sit up movement take your time before you try to extend to the bottom.
Muscle groups used: Abdominals, Lower and mid-back, Hip flexors
4. Glute Ham Raise – A very challenging exercise with huge benefits for the hamstrings the glute ham raise involves hooking the feet under the roller pads, with your torso positioned towards the floor, before you slowly lower the body down towards the support pad. It puts great pressure on your hamstrings but it will have a huge impact on their development. The glute ham raise is a great move.
Muscle groups used: Hamstrings, Abdominals, Lower back
5. Reverse Hypers – With your torso facing forward, over the support pad, and your hands on the grips, you raise your legs and hips up to a straightened position, contracting your abdominals and glutes. It sounds easy, but it’s certainly challenging and something that will test you.
Muscles used: Glutes, Lower back, Abdominals
Thanks to Bret Contreras, hamstring and glute training has been thrust into popular culture, and exercises that were previously viewed as something only women did when they wanted to develop their butt has now become more mainstream and widely accepted in fitness.
There are aesthetic benefits and it’s true that training this way will help you to add shape and size to your glutes, giving you a more complete physique. But it’s also true that this is something everyone can benefit from, whether you’re a woman who wants to look good in a dress or a guy who wants to look good in a suit, training your posterior chain (the rear of the body) will only improve your look.
The athletic benefits can’t be overlooked either and with the posterior chain (hamstrings, glutes, and lower back) playing such a big role in so many areas of athletic performance, it’s easy to see why more and more athletes have started training this way.
Training the Glutes, Hamstrings, and Abdominals is one of the most impactful things you can do. Not only will training the posterior chain bring about fantastic changes in your physique, but it will also help you to improve your athletic performance in a wide range of activities and a GHD machine is one of the best ways to do that.
Unfortunately, not all gyms have them, but luckily for you, there is a range of machines that are built for commercial environments but designed for the home gym, and in this review, we’ve brought you some of the best.
The only decision left to make is which one is right for you.
All of the GHD machines highlighted in this review are great choices when looking to buy your own machine and although they have slightly different features they all have one thing in common, quality.
They’re all up to the job and with your very own GHD machine you can strengthen and build your body with a wide range of exercises.
Now it’s time to decide which one meets your needs the best, then get ready to see some serious gains.