3 Best Reverse Hyperextension Machines Reviewed

When it comes to building strength and power in the posterior chain, many of us know that deadlifts, squats and other compound movements are your best way to build coordinated strength. However, if you feel you need to up the focus on this area, a reverse hyperextension machine is a fantastic piece of kit to have in your arsenal. 

The reverse hyperextension machine puts the emphasis right on the muscles in your posterior chain. We’re talking about the glutes, hamstrings and lower back – all areas that lose strength thanks to hours sat at computers. 

So, if you feel you have a weakness in this area, or you even suffer from a sore lower back, the reverse hyper machine could be just what you need to add that little bit more focus onto these problematic areas. 

We’ve reviewed our top five favorite picks, to help you find a reliable product that’s worth the spend. 

Best Reverse Hyper Machines

• Best Reverse Hyper Machine – RH-2 Rogue Reverse Hyper 
• Best Reverse Hyper on a Budget – Westside Barbell Scout Reverse Hyper 
• Best Reverse Hyperextension Machine for Home Gyms – Strength Shop Riot Reverse Hyper

Best Reverse Hyper Machine – RH-2 Rogue Reverse Hyper 

Our top pick for the best reverse hyper machine is the RH-2 Rogue Reverse Hyper. Coming from Rogue, you know you’re getting a top quality piece of kit. 

It delivers on a strong, sturdy design that you’ll be able to rely on for just about any weight, and any number of people using it. As such, we’d probably recommend this for a Box or gym where it might see more use. 

With a 3 inch pad, it’s suitable for anyone of any size or build, who might be working with a range of weights. What’s more, with multiple hand holds, it’s got the adjustability to suit anyone. The bar section is also designed specifically to accommodate all bumper plates and weights, so you can rest assured you won’t need to buy additional weights specifically for this reverse hyper machine. 

It’s also worth considering that this comes with a strap as standard. You can buy a roller as an attachment if you find it more comfortable, but it’s worth considering this will increase the cost. 

At a price of $795, it’s more expensive than the other options on this list, but if you’re investing for something to go in a gym that will get a lot of use, then you can’t go wrong with the RH-2. Plus, compared to other similar products of similar quality, it actually comes in at a mid-range price. 

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Best Reverse Hyper For Beginners – Westside Barbell Scout Reverse Hyper

If you’re looking for a reverse hyper without a huge price tag, we’d really recommend the Westside Scout Reverse Hyper. Designed by the designer of the original reverse hyper, Louie Simmons, you know this is going to be an effective piece of kit. 

As “THE” patented, foldable reverse hyper, it’s smaller and much more easy to store away than other models. It’s also more lightweight and moveable, so if you do have a home gym where space is at a premium, then this might be a great option for you. 

Due to it’s lightweight properties, it’s also a good option if you’re using the reverse hyper to deal with any posterior chain issues, as you can store it away easily. 

At a price of $475, it’s much cheaper than other options on this list, and still delivers on fantastic quality, alongside unparalleled convenience. We think this makes it a good option if you’re on a budget. Fair enough, it’s not the cheapest option out there, but if you’re looking for a really good quality piece of kit at a reasonable price, we’d recommend the Westside Scout Reverse Hyper. 

Our only concern with this option, and something you should keep in mind if you’re looking to invest, is that it might not be as sturdy as other options and doesn’t have the swing arm capacity to take you to those bigger weights. Sure enough, we found the craftsmanship and the materials to be excellent, but because this is more lightweight and can be folded away, it might not be able to withstand huge weights. But, if you’re just starting out with a reverse hyperextension machine, or you’re using this for therapy purposes, then you will probably do well with this product. 

Best Reverse Hyperextension Machine for Home Gyms – Strength Shop Riot Reverse

If you’re after something adaptable, strong and reasonably priced for your home gym, then this is a fantastic option. While the Westside Scout can be folded away, we think this option will give you more longevity in the future as it can adapt to higher weights more easily. 

In fact, you can go up to 175kg with the pins attached to the machine as it comes, which gives you plenty of weight to work with as you progress through your strength journey which is ideal if you’re developing a home gym you intend to use regularly. 

What’s more, with dimensions of 99cm wide, 155cm depth and 137cm tall, it’s not the biggest option you could go for, meaning it’s more likely to make a nice fit in a home gym. 

What is a Reverse Hyperextension Machine? 

Also known as the reverse hyper or RH, the reverse hyperextension machine is a piece of fitness equipment designed to strengthen the muscles in the posterior chain, including the hamstrings, glutes, lower back (erector spinae). Invented by Louie Simmons, it’s now a common machine in gyms and used for therapy. 

To use a reverse hyperextension machine, you lie face down across the pad with your feet in the strap or between the rollers. Starting with a light weight, ensure your core is tight and raise the weight by bending at the knee. You’ll feel the tension through your hamstrings, glutes and lower back as you perform the movement. 

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Reverse hyper machine benefits

As we’ve mentioned in this article, the reverse hyper machine specifically focuses on strengthening the posterior chain: the hamstrings, the glutes and the lower back. But how does this benefit you as an athlete, or someone who’s trying to look after their body? 

Support compound lifts 

If you’re well into the gym and you’re looking at the benefits of the reverse hyper, then you’ll be pleased to know it can help you with power in your deadlift and stability and strength in your squat, as well as supporting a range of other movements that rely on the posterior chain (of which there are loads!). 

By building strength in this area, you can shore up a huge range of movements and having a reverse hyper machine to hand is great for any accessory workout. Plus, if you’re into sports like CrossFit for example, you’ll be happy to know the posterior chain is described as being extremely important to all elements of the sport according to experts [2].

Isolation for a workout

By putting the heat right on the hamstrings and glutes, you can easily incorporate the reverse hyper into an isolation workout, that specifically focuses on these specific muscles. So, if you’re working on an area of weakness, you can rely on the reverse hyper. 

Great if you sit all day

If you’ve experience weakness in the back, or find that your legs and butt often go to sleep when you’re sat at your desk or in front of the tv, the reverse hyperextension machine can have some fantastic benefits. 

When we’re sat down all day, it essentially tells our muscles in our posterior chain to go to sleep. They go unused for long periods of time and can quickly start to deteriorate, leaving you with imbalances in your body muscle structure that can lead to aches, pains and even injury. 

Experts recommend 3 sets of 15 reverse hyper repetitions a day can help to recover the loss in these muscles that have come as a result of inactivity and sitting for the majority of the day. As such the reverse hyper benefits just about everyone! 

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Protects the back

Maybe you have had an injury, one of the most common place in america is a back injury, due to the muscle weaknesses we described above [1]. 

So, if this is the case, it’s very likely you’ll be experiencing pain in movements like the deadlift and squat. As such, due to the isolated nature of the reverse hyperextension machine, you can work these key muscles, without bringing in other muscles that might be painful in the back. 

This allows you to grow your strength and support in the area, without further damaging your body. 

How we rate the best reverse hyperextension machines

When we’re thinking about rating the best reverse hyper machines, we’ve got more than just the price and the quality in mind. We rank them against strict criteria that we believe will help you to make the best, most informed decision when searching for the perfect reverse hyperextension machine. 

These are the elements we explore when reviewing our top recommendations for a reverse hyper: 

By looking at the above information when reviewing the best reverse hyperextension machines, we hope we can provide all our readers with a good idea of which product might best suit them. 

Best Reverse Hyperextension Machine Review – Final Word

In this review of the best reverse hyper machines, we’ve done our best to offer fair, objective and honest recommendations based on our own criteria and testing of these products. 

We picked three products we think offer unique benefits, including best all rounder, best for beginners and best for a home gym, based on their unique properties. 

We hope you found it useful and that you find the right product to suit you and you health and fitness goals.