I am psyched that my school gym has 3 platforms and bumper plates. Also in the back there was what seems to be a GHR machine. I never used one of these so as I am placing around with the adjustments, I realize that the pad where your knees would touch is just a wheel of foam that revolves.
I think it is just a hyperextension machine! Typing this, I realize that I should get a pic, but does this sound familiar to anyone? Thanks.
Some GHG benches have round pads that roll. There should also be a foot plate to push your toes against when doing the movement. That’s what makes it a glute ham gastroc bench.
The difficulty of the GHG bench varies greatly from manufacturer to manufacturer. The bigger and taller the pad to press your knees against the easier it usually is. Just make sure you slide the foot plate up close enough to the knee pas so that at the top of the movement your upper body is vertical.
You might as well just do back extensions on it. The ones with the rolling pad are so easy as to be almost useless. (if you can’t do 10 of them with ease, you really need to look into doing some serious hamstring work).