The Nordic hamstring curl and the glute ham raise are both essential exercises for posterior chain development, but they differ significantly in execution and muscle activation. The key difference in setup between these two movements lies in the rounded pad of the GHD. This pad positions the knees higher than the feet, altering the movement angle to emphasize the glutes and lower back more, thereby reducing the direct strain on the hamstrings.
The Nordic hamstring curl is a bodyweight exercise that emphasizes eccentric control, focusing almost exclusively on the hamstrings as the athlete lowers their body from a kneeling position with feet secured. This exercise is particularly effective for hamstring injury prevention.
On the other hand, the glute ham raise (GHR), performed on a glute-ham developer (GHD) machine, engages both the hamstrings and glutes through a combination of hip extension and knee flexion, allowing for both concentric and eccentric contractions. The Alpha GHD’s adjustability makes the glute ham raise more versatile for different strength levels, providing a comprehensive posterior chain workout. A GHR is also a bodyweight exercise but is often done with extra weight added unlike Nordic Curls.
Nordic Hamstring Curl
Nordic Hamstring Curls are a great exercise for building posterior chain strength. They have been traditionally done with no equipment and a partner holding down the feet, the athlete performing the Nordic resists the eccentric as much as they can before dropping and catching themselves with their arms in a push up fashion and push back up. They can also be done with a more specific setup such as our Nordic Plate Attachment or an Inverse Curl Machine.
As you can see in the image above, the knee is slightly below the ankles (ideally it would be level or just below), this creates a stronger contraction on the hamstrings compared to the knee being above the ankle on a GHR.
Glute Ham Raise (GHR)
Shown above on our Alpha GHD Machine a Glute Ham Raise is being performed without any assistance or resistance added. The Knee is higher than the foot creating a more vertical angle that creates more Glute and Lower back activation compared to a Nordic Curl. This is why you often see athletes performing Glute Ham Raises with added resistance as they are much easier to perform than a Nordic.
The Glute Ham Raise or GHR is performed on a Glute Ham Developer Machine or GHD Machine, often times these two acronyms are incorrectly used.
5 Key Differences
Movement Focus: The Nordic hamstring curl emphasizes eccentric hamstring contraction, while the glute ham raise combines both hip extension and knee flexion, engaging the glutes and lower back as well as the hamstrings.
Equipment: The Nordic hamstring curl requires minimal equipment, typically just a partner or something to secure the feet, whereas the glute ham raise requires a glute-ham developer (GHD) machine. By using more specialty equipment the nordic hamstring curl can be assisted to help with full ROM and athletes perform more reps.
Muscle Activation: Nordic curls target the hamstrings more directly, especially during the eccentric phase, while the GHD setup in glute ham raises shifts some load to the glutes and lower back due to the knee position.
Body Position: In Nordic curls, the body moves in a straight line from the knees, focusing on resisting gravity, while in glute ham raises, the rounded pad on the GHD machine creates a different body angle, altering muscle recruitment.
Training Purpose: Nordic hamstring curls are often used specifically for hamstring injury prevention and rehabilitation, while glute ham raises are used more broadly for building strength in the entire posterior chain, including the glutes and lower back.
Conclusion
In conclusion, both the Nordic hamstring curl and the glute ham raise are valuable exercises for posterior chain development, but they serve different purposes and activate muscles differently. The Nordic hamstring curl is primarily focused on strengthening the hamstrings through eccentric loading, making it ideal for injury prevention and rehabilitation. In contrast, the glute ham raise, performed on a GHD machine, involves both the glutes and lower back due to the positioning of the knees above the hips, providing a more comprehensive workout for the posterior chain. Incorporating both exercises into a training program can help ensure balanced development and injury resilience.