How to do a buttock ham lift without a machine
The glute lift is one of the best exercises for your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, the muscles that are primarily responsible for helping you run faster and jump higher.
But what if you don’t have the $ 500 + to spend on specialized equipment like the butt lift machine?
Don’t worry, there are ways to improvise. But first ..
Why does the gluteus of the ham increase?
Take a look at a world-class sprinter, be it someone like Usain Bolt or Shelly-Ann Fraser, and you’ll see impressive glutes and hamstrings!
This is because the glutes and hamstrings are said to contribute 40% and 25% (respectively) of running and jumping power.
Your typical amateur athlete is “quad dominant,” which means that the glutes and hamstrings are under-activated and latent, forcing the less powerful quads to do most of the work in sprinting and jumping.
What’s the score? Well, when you’re not actually using 65% of your existing energy, you can be pretty sure you won’t run as fast or jump as high as you could, potentially.
The glute lift will activate your glutes and hamstrings and gradually strengthen them, improving your athletic performance and helping to prevent hamstring pulls by strengthening these muscles.
I don’t have access to a butt lift machine. What are my options?
Option 1: Lat Pull Down Machine
If you have access to a typical lat extraction machine, you’re in luck. You basically have a butt lift machine at your disposal.
Simply sit with your knees on the seat, with your back to the machine. Hook your feet under the knee pads of the machine. Now your feet and knees are strengthened, and you can perform the glute lift, letting your body descend by straightening your legs, then return to an upright position by forcefully contracting your glutes and hamstrings.
You should place some kind of support (a bench or chair works well) at the same height as the seat of the machine. This will give you something to push with your arms in the lower position of the exercise, in case you need help.
Option 2: Butt lift assisted by a partner
If you have a friend to help you, this is a very good option.
Place a pad on the floor and kneel on it. Have your friend hold your ankles.
Let your body lower, keeping your hamstrings and glutes flexed to control your fall. Use your arms to help you slow down and help you return to the upright position, but remember to keep flexing and activating your glutes and hamstrings, using them as much as possible.
Option 3: use a squat rack
This option is similar to Option 2, except that you will use a barbell on a squat rack or other object to support your feet.
Ideally, you want your knees and ankles to be the same distance from the ground.
Option 4: Use a car!
This is a great option for lifting your buttocks. Get a good solid pad for your knees and hook your heels under your parked car!
Make sure your heels don’t damage the trim. I find that most cars are quite suitable for this purpose near one of the four lift points on the car’s frame.
See for yourself. Some cars are too high, some are too low. If you only have access to lowriders, sorry, but this option may not be the best option for you.
Option 5: Build a Butt Lift Machine
There are several sets of plans for homemade butt lift machines on the internet. With $ 30 worth of lumber, good tools, and an hour or so, you can have quality equipment that will give you great results.
I did a google search for “home hamstring workout” and came up with some great ideas.
Here is an idea that I found that seems quite simple and effective:
- Cut a 3/4 “thick piece of plywood into a 4 ‘x 2.5’ piece (4 ‘is the width of a standard 4’x8’ piece of plywood)
- Cut an 8 ‘2×4 into two 4’ pieces
- Using some longer screws, screw in the two 2x4s, resting on their 2 “sides, along the long edges of the 4 ‘piece of plywood you just cut. (This will provide rigidity to the base).
- Cut another 3/4 “piece of plywood, this time about 26” x 24 “(it should fit between the 2×4 pieces and be wide enough for your feet)
- Create the vertical supports for the foot piece: cut a couple more 12-16 “pieces of 2×4, screw them into the existing 4 ‘2×4 rails
- Find the desired angle for the footrest and mark the 2×4 studs with this angle.
- Unscrew the 2×4 studs and cut the angle as marked.
- Cut another piece of 2×4 to about 2.5 ‘. This will screw into the freshly cut 2×4 studs and will act as a bracket for the footrest.
- Screw the studs back into place.
- Screw the 2×4 footrest bracket onto the newly cut studs, with the 4 “flat side against the angles.
- Screw the plywood footrest into the footrest bracket.
- Add some padding for your knees and …
- Get to work!
So now you know How to do a Buttock Ham Lift without a machine!
