Legs · Barbell
Old School Reverse Extensions
How to do the old school reverse extensions, the muscles it works, and the mistakes to avoid. Pulled straight from the Kovo app's exercise library.
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Logged as
- Weighted reps
- Movement
- Hinge
- Mechanic
- Isolation
How to do it
Lie face down on a bench or high surface with your hips at the edge and a light barbell or your legs hanging down. Hold the bench for support and raise your straight legs up behind you until they are in line with your torso, squeezing the glutes, then lower with control. This classic move targets the posterior chain.
- 1Feel your glutes and hamstrings lift the legs and squeeze at the top
- 2Keep your hips pinned to the bench so the movement stays in the hips
- 3Lower the legs slowly without letting them swing
Common mistakes
- Do not hyperextend the lower back to throw the legs higher
- Avoid using momentum; lift and lower under control
- Do not let your hips lift off the bench at the top
Muscles worked
The old school reverse extensions mainly works the glutes, lower back, and hamstrings.
- GlutesPrimary
- Lower BackPrimary
- HamstringsPrimary
- Lower AbsMinor
- AdductorsMinor
Kovo programs the old school reverse extensions for you and tracks it every session.
We build your whole program, drop the right lifts into each workout, and adjust your weights as you get stronger. Free on iOS and Android.
More glutes exercises
- How to do the agility ladder drill
- How to do the airdyne bike
- How to do the arc trainer
- How to do the assault bike
- How to do the medicine ball atlas stone lift
- How to do the b stance hip thrust
Last reviewed June 2026.