Reverse Hyperextensions

[Guest guest]

This was posted to the Cyberpumps group by a member. This exercise sounds

like a magical back cure. I'm very interested. Is there a site I can see

pictures of this exercise being performed as well as of the actual reverse

hyper machine (how much does it cost?) I can do this in my gym, but don't

have any bench high enough for my legs to free fall.

[Note that the " prone reverse hyper " machine, though very useful in developing

dynamic strength in the glutes and hamstrings (and gastrocs, soleus, if you flex

your knees during the action), it involves the back muscles more isometrically

in stabilising the pelvis (unless you make a deliberate attempt to use the spine

to

arc the load even higher). Meanwhile, you may use the conventional prone hyper

exercise to strengthen your back (in the Files section of this list I provide

photos of

two ways of executing this movement). Mel Siff]

Original message:

" I suggest consider doing an exercise called reverse hyperextensions.

Basically you lie face down with your upper torso on a high bench and hang

your legs straight down over the edge. From this starting position you use

your lower back muscles, your butt and your hamstrings to raise your

(straight) legs to a horizontal position in line with your body. Do a couple

of sets with as many reps as are comfortable, but higher reps, with no or

low weight, are probably better.

I first read about this exercise in Ironman magazine about five years ago. A

big-time powerlifter named Louie

developed the exercise and wrote the article. He twice severely injured his

lower back in non-weight lifting accidents. If I remember correctly, in one

of the accidents he actually broke his back, and had to use a walker to get

around. Anyway, he invented this exercise, and later invented a machine in

which he could add weights to increase the difficulty. He apparently

recovered fully and went on to continue his powerlifting career. I've seen

advertisements for this machine in magazines. You could try doing this

exercise as described above.

You could also try finding an old issue of Ironman that has the article, or you

could try contacting Louie and

get the info straight from the horse's mouth, so to speak. works out

and trains other lifters in a club called the West Side Lifters Club. I

can't remember which city he's in, but Pittsburgh or Cincinnati seem to ring

a bell. I'm sure someone else on the digest would know, or else you could do

a search on the net. He'd probably be easy to find. I haven't had any need

to do this exercise myself, but I told two guys I used to work out with

about the article, and they both started doing the exercise regularly. Both

of them said it was a great help, both in strengthening their backs, and in

making their pain go away.

Only you and your doctors know exactly what is wrong with your back. But if your

doctors say you can exercise, you may want

to consider trying this exercise, always remembering to use good form and

staying with no weight or light weights until you're sure it's doing

something beneficial for you. "

Craig Uxo Rifkin

Chapel Hill, NC