If you are in a hurry and just want to find out what the best glute hamstring developer (GHD) for functional strength is, then I’d recommend the Titan Fitness Glute Ham Developer as the best one.
If you are trying to build a better overall physique, you’ve probably taken an interest in improving your backside. Bravo!
There are endless pieces of workout equipment that can help you. You’ve probably wondered about the best glute hamstring developer to use.
Here’s a review of some key pieces of equipment that might interest you.
Here are the top glute hamstring developer (GHD) we’ll be reviewing:
- Titan Fitness Glute Hamstring Developer Exercise Machine
- Rep Fitness V2 GHD
- ValorPro Fitness CB-29 Adjustable Glute and Ham Developer
- Yukon Glute, Hamstring, Back, and Abs Hyperextension Bench
- CFF Glute Ham Developer
Why are the Glutes and Hamstrings so Important?
There are only a few physical traits that separate humans from the rest of the animal kingdom.
One of these traits is the presence of opposable thumbs. Of course, this is so we can grip dumbbells and barbells.
The other feature is the size of our glutes compared to other muscles in the body. Side by side with other mammals, our glutes are very large.
This is the main reason humans are comfortable walking upright for the majority of their lives.
So, it follows that people should concentrate on making their backsides stronger.
Strong glutes and hamstrings assist many other body motions, and they are typically more defined and attractive.
It is very difficult to find someone with well-developed glutes and hamstrings who doesn’t also look good in their clothes.
There are many exercises that directly, or indirectly, work the glutes and hamstrings. They include:
- Squats and deadlifts.
- Climbing stairs and hills.
- Rowing, swimming, and ballet dancing.
- Any other exercise that requires stability throughout the entire body.
If you get the picture that the glutes are important for most activities, you are absolutely correct.
One exercise activates the glutes and hamstrings like no other. It is the glute/ham bridge.
This exercise entails lifting weight using the forward motion of your hips.
The glute and hamstring bridge incorporates all of the muscles in the posterior muscle complex.
It centers the contractions on the big muscles that always garner the most attention.
The glute/ham bridge is normally performed with a barbell on the floor, but a great glute and hamstring station can make this exercise more universal.
The best glute hamstring developer machines recreate the angles of a glute/ham bridge, and they are truly designed with backsides in mind!
Hallmarks of a Great Booty and Legs
Do you suffer from “flat butt syndrome?” Don’t lie. Many people do.
An exceptional derriere is important if you want to show your physique. Great glutes tend to look square and full.
This isn’t just a facet of nature, its the product of directly working specific muscles. It’s also something that both men and women desire.
Achieving a full backside requires the use of equipment that allows a full stretch and contraction of your entire posterior complex.
This means working the muscles from your shoulder blades to your calves. GHD machines are fantastic for targeting butt and leg muscles, but they should also be comfortable.
Remember, great legs and butt muscles look symmetrical. They typically grow in proportion with one another.
If you are looking to use a GHD machine, look for one that lets you work your entire lower body.
It should allow full lower body stretching, and it should have features that contribute to inventive workouts with things like resistance bands and free weights.
Why is Glute Activation Difficult?
Many people have a hard time working their glutes and hams because other muscles tend to activate during exercises.
This is a natural thing.
Whenever a person performs an exercise that requires activation of the butt and hamstring muscles, supporting muscles will enter in.
When you are targeting the glutes and hams, the idea is to work them in an independent way.
Using a GHD machine is perfect for targeting the glutes and hams alone.
The idea is to activate muscles used during standing, but you need to activate them with resistance against gravity.
GHD stations allow a person to do simple movements that activate the muscles of the glutes and hamstrings along an even plane.
They eliminate other body stresses, and put the total strain on the butt and leg muscles. This results in maximum booty muscle stimulation and growth.
GHD machines turn the standard glute and ham bridge into a prone exercise, or one that allows you to be face down.
By raising your body against gravity, your booty and hams are fully activated with each repetition.
So, What Should You Look For in the Best Glute Hamstring Developer?
Comfort is key!
This means, the best glute hamstring developer for your goals should be adequately padded and sized for your height.
The motion on any good GHD machine is centered on your hips, so padding should constantly protect them.
Angles on a GHD are very important. They help you target specific muscles. Any quality GHD station should accommodate your height with an adjustable foot plate.
If you use a station that is wrong for your height, you risk joint injury. You will also have a hard time targeting your glute and ham muscles.
GHD developers are unique types of workout stations. Once you get the hang of using them, you will see how balance and comfort play an important role in your development.
Here are five excellent GHD stations that you should consider using.
They are each appropriate for including in a complete home gym, or they can be integrated within a public gym facility.
The Best Glute Hamstring Developer (GHD) Machined Reviewed
Titan Fitness Glute Hamstring Developer Exercise Machine
The builders of this station have concentrated on the stability needed to enjoy a hardcore glute workout.
The Titan Fitness Glute Hamstring Developer Exercise Machine is extremely heavy, and built using thick steel components.
Though it has wheels, it is meant to be a semi-permanent feature in a workout room.
The wide feet on the front portion of the frame eliminate any type of wobbling.
This is very important for men and women with large frames.
This GHD model is unique because it allows people at home to enjoy the benefits of a heavy duty piece of gym equipment.
Though assembly of this GHD model involves many pieces and bolts, the result is a station capable of handling vigorous workouts.
People can easily perform prone (downward facing), and supine (upward facing) exercises on this station.
The secure and padded foot plate makes this possible.
If you are an athlete who tends to spend a great deal of time focusing on your glutes and hamstrings, this is a station that will help you perform any motion well.
Pros:
- Very heavy and stable
- Powder coating on the frame prevents rust
- Comfortable and reinforced hip and foot padding
Cons:
- Requires assembling many pieces using large bolts
- Somewhat limited range on the foot plate for body length adjustments
Rep Fitness V2 GHD
The Rep Fitness V2 GHD is designed for exercise versatility.
The most important feature is the adjustable foot plate. It glides along bars, and it can accommodate short, average, and very tall frames.
Both upper and lower foot locks are padded.
This comes in handy when you spend equal amounts of time doing exercises like lower back raises, hip thrusts, and Roman chair-style abdominal routines.
There is a raised standing platform that makes it easier to mount and dismount. Along with easy-to-grip handles, the V2 has every needed feature to make doing glute and ham training simple.
On the front of the base, two outstretched prongs appear. This is where users can attach resistance bands that make exercises more difficult and beneficial.
The V2 is rather length-oriented. This is a good thing because it can be used by people of all heights. The downside is that it can wobble sideways during exercises.
Though it has a capacity of more than 350 pounds, some people will find the narrowness to be distracting. This station is best used with straight-line exercises.
Pros:
- Excellent for users of any height.
- Extremely comfortable pads on the foot plate and hip rest.
- Very easy to mount and dismount.
Cons:
- Very narrow, and limited to “up and down” exercises
- Adjustment bars for the foot plate need constant lubrication
ValorPro Fitness CB-29 Adjustable Glute and Ham Developer
The ValorPro Fitness CB-29 Adjustable Glute and Ham Developer has all the little details in mind. It is extra long in the front support bars.
This prevents tilting imbalances with very heavy users. The front bars also have prongs for attaching resistance bands.
The foot plate is quite limited in its adjustments, but it does allow a proper length setting for people considered average in their heights.
The foot plate is held and adjusted with only a pin system, so users will probably experience some jilting.
Other extras include a placement bar for added weight plates. This is convenient for storing extra weights, and good for offsetting a large body using the station.
The two main wonderful features of this station are the kneeling pad and the diverted middle frame brace.
Both of these features are not noticed until they are needed during a workout.
Many times, users of stations like this one will bump and scrape their legs trying to mount and dismount.
This is usually caused because of a bar being present near the shins. On this model, the frame is contoured, and users can walk through its center.
The kneeling pad is helpful after very vigorous workouts. It supplies an immediate way to rest your legs before getting off of the station.
Pros:
- Very unlikely to tilt forward during workouts.
- Kneeling pad and ergonomic frame components.
- Simple construction with few assembly parts.
Cons:
- Foot plate might not support extremely short and tall people
- Pin-lock system on foot plate causes wobbly “play” during exercises
Yukon Glute, Hamstring, Back, and Abs Hyperextension Bench
The name of this station says it all.
The Yukon Glute, Hamstring, Back, and Abs Hyperextension Bench is a basic platform where veterans can elevate themselves to perform ballistic motions.
It is minimalist in design because there are no extras like band hooks, but it is sufficient to get a good ham and glute workout.
The frame is gauge steel, but the design is narrow. This could cause concern for larger people who are worried about tipping forward and side-to-side.
The foot plate can be adjusted, but the pin system might be difficult once a bit of corrosion on the bars occurs.
Body comfort is not the first priority with this station. Providing a convenient place to do ab and glute exercises in a small space is the first priority.
Veteran exercise enthusiasts will find this GHD to be attractive, but people who are new to working out could find it to be awkward.
A feature that makes this GHD more appropriate for ab-oriented exercise is the solid hip pad. Most universal GHDs will have a hip pad that has a break in the middle.
As you might have guessed, this is mainly beneficial for males.
If you are a guy, and you spend a lot of time on the best glute hamstring developer, you will notice that your “parts” tend to get crushed if there is no space in the middle of the hip pad.
That is why the Yukon station is probably more useful for people wanting elevated ab workouts instead of glute workouts.
Don’t stress if you’ve experienced difficulty using a GHD because certain body parts get squished. This is a very important thing to consider when you choose a station to use.
Pros:
- Very simple design that is attractive for people who have experience working their glutes, hams, and abs.
- Length settings are easy to adjust.
- Hip padding is adequate for long sets.
Cons:
- No split in the hip pad for guys.
- Base is very small and prone to wobbling.
- Foot plate is small with very little shin padding.
CFF Glute Ham Developer
The main feature of the CFF Glute Ham Developer is the length adjustment bar.
It can be fully extended to accommodate tall people, or it can be fully contracted to help people of any size do floor reaches and other extreme gravity workouts.
It is appropriate for back, glute, and ab work because the feet are supported with upper and lower pads.
The frame is narrow, but there are prongs on the back for added weight. Prongs on the front are good for resistance bands, and there is a split in the hip pad.
Pros:
- Very stable and reinforced footplate.
- Option to add weight for heavy users.
- Easy assembly if used in a home gym.
Cons:
- Hip padding is not thick.
- Very narrow frame can cause side wobbling.
- Secondary foot plate bar can become warped (affects adjustments).
So, Which of These is the Best Glute Ham Developer?
For people who just want a quick station to perform glute and ab exercises, the Yukon bench is probably the best.
It mimics the standard Roman chair, but it is only appropriate for people who have spent years in the gym.
Of the five, the best universal GDH station is the Titan Fitness Glute Ham Developer. By far, it provides the most stability for people learning to perform new exercises.
The foot plate adjustments are extremely precise and easy to use. The hip pad is appropriate for both men and women, mounting and dismounting is simple, and the construction is high quality.
The Titan Fitness Glute Ham Developer also provides a more accurate and ergonomic angle in the body for muscle activation.
The body does not always move in precise lines. There are slight angles in the hips and knees that lead to better glute activation.
This station provides optimal exercise angles. The foot plate is just slightly higher than the hip rest.
This allows the user to experiment with more degrees of raising and lowering the body to find the right contraction points in muscles.
As long as you can dedicate a bit more time assembling the Titan Fitness Glute Ham Developer, it will prove to be an extremely effective, comfortable, and stylish addition to your workout.
This best glute hamstring developer is one piece of equipment that will provide all the things needed to build a backside that is attractive, strong, and functional.
