Introducing: the assisted glute-ham raise

This is quick article to run through the assisted glute-ham raise and the two methods that I use to provide assistance. Basically, using my pull up bar as the focal point, I use:

a resistance band; or
a pulley

Using a resistance band for assisted glute-ham raises

I loop a resistance band over the pull up bar using a prussik knot (also called a lark’s foot). I then loop the other end under my armpits and lock my feet under another pull up bar at ankle height. I use a bar pad to help cushion the backs of my calves from the bar. It looks like this:

Glute-ham raise starting position

Glute-ham raise middle position

Glute-ham raise bottom position

The main advantage of using the resistance band is the fact that when you are vertical it is slack and provides no help at all. Therefore, you can tip forwards quite easily. As you fall forwards, the band stretches and provides more and more help until it is so tight that it almost pulls you back upright. This is great because the hardest bit is at the bottom and this is the place you get the most help.

The main disadvantagewith using the resistance band is that it’s quite hard to know how much help you are getting. After all, a band is not like a plate and you don’t really know how far from a true unassisted glute-ham raise you are.

The resistance band is attached to the pull up bar like this:

Glute-ham raise band

And if you want to progress by decreasing the assistance that the resistance band provides, you can introduce a bit of slack into the band by adding a sling into the system. By adding extra pieces of sling, you can steadily increase the amount of slack in the system and create progression like this:

Glute-ham raise sling

Using a pulley system for assisted glute-ham raises

Instead of using a resistance band, you can use a pulley system. It looks like this:

Glute-ham raise pulley

The main advantage of the pulley system is that you can micro load the assistance you get and therefore get a nice steady linear progression going. You also know exactly how much assistance (less friction in the system) that you are getting.

The main disadvantage with a pulley system is that the assistance you get is the same throughout the whole movement. Therefore, when you are just tipping off from vertical, it’s actually quite hard to get going and you have to push through the resistance of the weight.

Close up, the pulley system looks like this.

The pulley itself is attached to a wiregate carrabiner. The carrabiner is attached to the pull up bar using a short length of cord. The cord is probably tied off using an overhand knot but really you should use a double fisherman’s if you can. I am just lazy. But you really don’t want your assistance weight crashing down on your undefended feet as they lie pinned underneath the other bar. Really.

The cord on the pulley is then run through and tied off in a loop, again using an overhand knot on a bight. But again, you should probably use a figure-of-eight knot on a bight for added security. I really am lazy. The bight is then clipped into another wiregate carrabiner. The weight plates are then looped onto a sling and clipped together with a third carrabiner. Strictly speaking, you don’t need the third carrabiner. It’s just for convenience, as it keeps the sling together when the plates are on the floor waiting to be loaded onto the pulley system (see, I told you I was lazy).

In summary

So on balance, I probably prefer the resistance band. Why?

it’s easier to set up;
provides help where I need it and not where I don’t;
it means I don’t have to lug plates across the garage all the time (I really am lazy, you see); and
if you don’t already have a pulley for doing other exercises, like face pulls for example, then it’s probably going to be cheaper to buy a resistance band than to set up a whole pulley system from scratch.

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