Are good mornings and back extensions interchangeable?

[Dastardly]

I feel I would benefit from the version of the novice programme with pull ups and back extensions.

But I do not have access to any apparatus for the back extensions, no roman chair, GH raise, improvisable setup etc - nothing.

So I was wondering if good mornings were similar enough to use them instead?

[Jason B]

GM's are a good substitute, yes. So are RDLs.

[Platus]

GM's are a good substitute, yes. So are RDLs.

I agree. However, you can do a decent GHR by putting a pad on the floor for your knees and positioning your ankles underneath a loaded barbell.

[confuzzl3don3]

Mm platus that sounds interesting. How would that work? So you just go from lying face flat on the ground up to 90 degrees?

[Sami]

Finally, a use for the bosu ball.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rg_hxBHPX_k

[coreJack]

Finally, a use for the bosu ball.

That's a great idea. I've tried doing GHRs on thinly padded surfaces, and my knees would protest, but a bosu ball should work well, just need to find a crossbar on some piece of equipment to hook the heels under.

Dastardly, another low back exercise is reverse hypers. Without a RH machine, you can use a swiss ball on top of a bench (to get enough height to allow your legs to swing freely down); the problem is weighting the movement - I use chains around my ankles and hook a small dumbbell in the chains, which works fine for now, but not sure that it will for heavier loads.

[Dastardly]

Sorry, there are definetely none of these colored spheres in my gym.

The version on a bosu ball looks pretty good, but it does not incorporate a hip extension element and is also not scalable.

Corejack:

You need to move away from adding these accessory exercises and do standard SS for a good while.

This novice version still has deadlifts, but alternating with a pull up/back extension mix.

I am not wimping out of the main lifts, you are.

[coreJack]

The version on a bosu ball looks pretty good, but it does not incorporate a hip extension element and is also not scalable.

With GHRs, it's hard to maintain full hip extension as you lower yourself. By going into hip flexion as you lower yourself (reducing the moment arm), and then hip extension as you come back up, you make the movement easier.

Corejack:

You need to move away from adding these accessory exercises and do standard SS for a good while.

This novice version still has deadlifts, but alternating with a pull up/back extension mix.

I am not wimping out of the main lifts, you are.

Alright, alright, I'm back to squatting next week.