reverse hyper on flat bench: technique and muscles worked

Animated demonstration of reverse hyper on flat bench

How to do this exercise

Step:1 Lie face down on a flat bench with your hips at the edge and your legs hanging off the bench.
Step:2 Hold onto the bench for stability.
Step:3 Keeping your legs straight, raise them up towards the ceiling as high as you can.
Step:4 Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement.
Step:5 Slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
Step:6 Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Equipment: Body weight
Body part: Back Thighs Glutes
Target muscle: Hamstrings Gluteus maximus
Secondary muscle: Lower back Adductors Gluteus medius

Hypertrophy grade

Average5 / 10

Nemeo’s take

This exercise is an effective tool for focusing on the glutes and hamstrings with good motor control, but it remains limited in progressive overload. Less stable and less loadable than a hip thrust or a deadlift, it emphasizes isolation and voluntary contraction, but the resistance curve does not promote tension as much in the stretched position. Ideal for variation or as an option without equipment, it quickly remains limited by the strength of the trunk and core stability.

This catalog score reflects Nemeo’s assessment of the exercise’s muscle-building potential. It is not a standardized scientific rating or a personalized recommendation.

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reverse hyper on flat bench

How to do this exercise

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