Every Tuesday for the past few months, I have been breaking down training techniques that made cameo appearances in the Netflix series “Break Point.” We are in the midst of a montage of some of Maria Sakkari’s insane training clips that appeared in S1 E3. This week, Sakkari is seen doing single-leg hyperextensions on a Roman chair.
A Roman chair is a piece of gym equipment used for strengthening and developing the lower back muscles and the glutes. It typically consists of a padded bench with a thigh rest and ankle supports. If I had the floor space in my home gym, this would be the piece of exercise equipment I would add. When I find a Roman chair available in a public gym, I make a beeline for it.
The hyperextension that Sakkari is seen executing is the primary purpose of a Roman chair. Of course, since this is Sakkari, she is kicking things up a notch with a single-leg variation. This exercise is frequently enhanced by clutching a weight plate to the chest. However, Sakkari is using a resistance band. The muscles worked during this movement are the erector spinae. Those muscles are responsible for extending and stabilizing the spine and the glutes.
I regularly do hyperextensions, but primarily to offset the negative consequences of my desk job. Sitting at the computer for long hours can lead to muscle imbalances, poor posture, and lower back discomfort. Hyperextensions strengthen the muscles that help alleviate lower back pain and improve overall back strength.
Tennis functional movements also benefit from hyperextension since the exercise develops a strong core, including the lower back muscles. It also contributes to flexibility and mobility in the lower back and hips, enhancing movement efficiency. Strong back muscles reduce strain on the lower back and support injury prevention.
I don’t have a Roman chair, so I am relegated to performing hyperextensions using a Swiss ball. The hours I spend at a desk make this an essential part of my physical maintenance. I genuinely think it helps with tennis as well. As evidenced by her personal training videos, so does Maria Sakkari.
| Marcy Adjustable Hyper Extension Bench This is the Roman chair I would buy if I had the floor space in my personal gym. |
