The city I am in has no xfit gym. The best I can find is a body-builder type place with a couple good power racks. They dont’ have a back extension bench (not sure of the correct term) there. Instead they have about 8 of these things:

The last time I used it to do GH Sit-Ups, by hip was bothering me for a few days afterwords and I actually had to take a couple days off. Would you experts recommend I do something else or use this bench again?

Thanks.

It looks like the hip and back ext. would be ok to do on this, but I would not do GHD sit ups on it.

Actually, be really careful doing back extensions on this (actually don’t do them!).  On a GHD the biggest ROM you can reach is about 90 degrees which will put a stretch on the average athlete’s hamstrings.  On these things you are looking at 120 degrees or more.  By the time you have hit “full” ROM you have run out of hamstring and are well into lumbar flexion.  I reckon you would be better off with lightweight good mornings or super mans as a sub for back/ hip extensions.  Also concur with Big D that GHD sit ups would not be wise

Cheers, kempie

I would be very careful like Kempie said, but I would say as long as you understand and know your limits of flexibility, doing hip extensions on it shouldn’t be too bad.

As far as GH Sit Ups go.. your hip was probably hurting from several things, not the least is _over_ _extension_ of the lumbar.  Don’t ever do those on that thing again.  You do not want to mobilize your lumbar spine ever.  If your spine is analogous to a fishing pole, you want that bottom part to be stiff and strong as hell.  You don’t want it loosey goosey and not helping to support the rest of your skeletal structure.

I do hip extension on this, and just to clarify so I am not confusing things, this is with my entire back rigid and me flexing at the hip. This is ok to be performed on these correct?

Yes, but depending on your flexibility, perform the movement just before the extension in your lumbar is lost.  Any farther and you’re basically just letting your lumbar spine bulge out.

Thank you.

too risky- what gimpy said