The Reverse Hyper is a great piece of equipment in the gym that helps to strengthen lower back muscles, recover from disc problems, and rehab back injuries. They can look a little intimidating, however, so let’s discuss how to use it for optimizing your training and recovery!
There are two key phases to the machine:
- First, your legs are underneath the foot pads. Your spine goes into flexion (your hips and legs tuck in) which creates space and stretching for the lower back to allow the discs to slide back into place. This is helpful for relieving stress and pressure on back muscles.
- Second, when you drive your heels up towards the ceiling, this will fire up your glute and back muscles to bring your spine into an arch (create the curve in your back) and build strength in those muscles.
To use the machine, squeeze your glutes, drive your legs back, and arch through your back to create a small pause at the top position (it won’t stop completely but we want to avoid momentum). When your legs come back down underneath you, round your back and tuck your hips in at the bottom to create that flexion again.
The Reverse Hyper is a great way to add some extra mobility and pain relief to your routine, not to mention strengthen these large muscle groups!
If you’re brand new to the Reverse Hyper, try 3 sets of 10-15 reps and see how you feel!
