NOTE: All NBE V2 exercises are shown in the module for quick reference. Please see below for the complete upper body workout.

Goals: Unilateral hamstring strength; eccentric hamstring strength; posterior chain hypertrophy & resilience; glute strength & hypertrophy; abdominal strength & hypertrophy

Duration: 60-90 minutes

Frequency: 1x per week

Perform Lower body Workout #1 at the beginning of the training week, and perform Lower body Workout #2 two to three days later.

How to Progress the Movements

1 Leg Back Extension: strive to get more reps; add 5 lbs every 3-4 weeks 

Eccentric Nordic Curl: strive to get more reps; gradually increase range of motion; increase duration of eccentric phase; add a pause in the bottom position

Hip Thrust: strive to get more reps; add 5lbs every 3-4 weeks; add a pause at peak contraction

45° Sit-up: sit back deeper at the bottom; strive to get more reps; hold a light DB to your chest

Reverse Hyperextension: strive to get more reps; add a pause at peak contraction; add band resistance

or ankle weights (or both!)

A. 1 Leg Back Extension (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Set the angle of the pad on the NBE to 45°, and adjust the length so that your pelvis hangs over the top of it and your hips can flex freely.

2. Lock one leg securely into the ankle roller, with the other floating freely outside of it. 

3. Cross your arms or use a loading implement (see options below).

4. Lower your torso under control until the working hamstring is maximally stretched.

5. Explode back to the top and squeeze the glutes at peak contraction.

6. Avoid hyperextending the spine at the top. Simply return to a neutral position instead.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings; glutes; lower back; erector spinae

Benefits:

1. Strengthens the entire posterior chain unilaterally.

2. Builds resilience in the lower back.

3. Reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics.

4. Enhances sprinting and jumping performance.

Loading Options (Pros & Cons)

Rehab Application (Lower Back): 1 Leg Back raises can be a powerful tool to rehabilitate lower back pain (especially where muscle strains are the primary culprit) and hamstring strains. Start with:

1. High reps (2-3 sets of 15-20 reps per leg) with bodyweight only.

2. Focus on perfect control and full ROM.

3. After 3–5 weeks, try adding a small amount of weight and tapering the reps down into the 10-15 range.

4. As rehab, this type of protocol can be done every day or every other day, depending on tolerance, especially when body weight only is being used. As external loading is introduced, the frequency should be tapered down to allow for proper recovery.

B. Eccentric Nordic Curl (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Adjust the ankle roller on the NBE so that your ankles can lock securely underneath it.

2. Adjust the pad angle to a starting point that allows you to maintain full control of the lowering phase of the movement. The higher the pad is set, the shorter the range of motion and the easier the movement will be; the lower it is set, the harder it will be.

3. Keeping the body in a straight line from head to knee, slowly lower your torso forward by unlocking the knees and fully controlling the eccentric contraction over the course of 5-10 seconds in total.

4. Once your torso fully deloads onto the pad, push yourself back to the starting position using your arms and get ready for the next negative repetition.

Muscles Worked: Hamstrings (primary); glutes; calves (minor)

Benefits:

1. Builds eccentric hamstring strength (critical for sprinting and deceleration).

2. Enhances hamstring tendon resilience and reduces the risk of strains.

3. Key movement for boosting athletic performance and posterior chain resilience.

Regressions:

1. Eccentric Nordics should always be performed with full control. 

2. You can regress the movement to an appropriate level by elevating the pad on the NBE and shortening the range of motion.

3. Focus on control first. Strive to be able to hold the eccentric for 10 seconds at a particular pad setting before increasing the range of motion.

4. Gradually increase ROM every few weeks as strength and control improve. 

5. Long-term goal: progress to full range of motion, fully controlled eccentric reps. Once multiple clean 10-second eccentrics can be performed with body weight, add a small amount of weight.

C. Hip Thrust (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Move the ankle roller to the front of the NBE.

2. Rest the mid to upper back (just beneath the shoulder blades) onto the ankle roller with the knees bent to 90° and the feet planted firmly on the floor at about a hip width stance.

3. Punch the hips to a fully extended position and squeeze the glutes hard at peak contraction, taking care to extend primarily through the hips, as opposed to the lumbar spine.

4. Lower under control until the butt (or bar) are just above the floor, then perform the next rep.

Muscles Worked: Gluteus maximus (primary hip extender); Gluteus medius (stabilizes the hips);

Gluteus minimus (assists in stabilization); Hamstrings (secondary: assist with hip extension); Erector spinae (secondary; Quadriceps (knee stabilization)

Benefits

1. Maximizes glute activation in all major muscles

2. Promotes glute hypertrophy and strength

3. Unique force vector challenges hip extension: unlike squats or deadlifts that rely on vertical force vectors, the hip thrust applies a horizontal force vector to the hips. This challenges the gluteal muscles and the hip extension pattern in a unique fashion, providing a different stimulus that complements traditional lower body lifts and helps strengthen hip drive in horizontal movements like sprinting.

4. Improves athletic performance: stronger glutes directly contribute to better sprinting speed, jumping ability, and overall lower body explosiveness.

5. Enhances Hip Stability and Control

D. 45° Sit-Up (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Set the NBE to the 45° position, the same as you would for standard back extensions.

2. Instead of lying face down on the bench, lie face up with both feet locked under the ankle roller.

3. The pad height should be set such that the very top of the glutes hang off the top of the pad when you are situated in place on the NBE.

4. Sit back under control as far as your hip flexor and ab mobility will allow.

5. Crunch to the top until the torso is roughly perpendicular to the floor. Squeeze the abs.

Muscles Worked: Rectus abdominis (primary); obliques (secondary); hip flexors

Benefits:

1. Develops end range anterior core strength and hypertrophies the abdominal muscles.

2. Builds mobility in the anterior chain and can help offset the effects of excessive sitting vis-à-vis the hip flexors.

3. Trains trunk flexion in a controlled and progressive fashion.

4. Builds core endurance and improves force transfer during lifts or sports.

Tips for Effectiveness

1. Use a controlled lowering phase and gradually work towards deeper end ranges over time.

2. Hold a light plate or dumbbell to your chest to progress the intensity.

E. Reverse Hyperextension (Detailed Breakdown)

How to Perform It

1. Set the NBE to the 45° position with the top fully extended and the middle pad removed.

2. Lie over the top of the unit with your legs hanging off the backside and free to fully flex up and down. Grasp hold of the side bars with your hands to keep your body secure. 

3. With mostly straight legs, extend your feet backwards into the air until your feet are in line with or slightly past your hips.

4. Lower under control as far down as possible, then perform the next rep.

Muscles Worked: Gluteus maximus, hamstrings, erector spinae 

Benefits:

1. Strengthens the posterior chain without axial loading.

2. Decompresses the spine: The nature of the pendulum-style leg swing can provide a traction-like effect on the spine, offering decompression.

3. Builds hip extension power, crucial for athletic tasks like sprinting, jumping, & deadlifting.

4. Enhances lower back resilience.

Rehab Application:

Spinal Decompression: The dynamic pendulum motion gently tracts the lumbar spine, helping reduce pressure on intervertebral discs.

Post Injury Glute and Hamstring Activation: Light, controlled reps help re-engage these muscles after injury or long periods of inactivity

Controlled Range of Motion: Easy to scale for individuals recovering from back pain.

Minimal Axial Load: Unlike squats & deadlifts, there's no load directly on the spine.

Pro Tips:

1. Control the swing — don’t let momentum take over.

2. Squeeze at the top, but don’t overextend the spine

3. Start with bodyweight or very light resistance: don’t chase heavy weight too quickly, especially in a rehab setting. Bodyweight alone can be extremely effective, especially with controlled tempo and high reps.

4. Pause reps hit incredibly hard; try pausing at peak contraction to eliminate momentum 

5. Great finisher or primer: as a primer, do 2–3 sets of 10–15 light, controlled reps to warm things up before other lower body work. As a finisher, go for higher reps (20–30), especially if you're chasing hypertrophy or using it in a rehab circuit.