Ye Old Roman Chair

[gruntbrain]

Ye old Glute/Ham device . It can be used by facing up(abs and quads) and by facing down(back, glutes, and hamstrings)

[trog]

I use one regularly for lower back. Some people hug a plate when they use it, but I find it works best with no extra weight, slow and steady movement and concentrate on lengthening the spine.

[mr potatohead]

After reaching a point in my morning pre-manual-labor exercises, which included situps, I graduated to a DIY Roman Chair to make harder and take less time. Eventually, I was doing up to 100 RC setups every morning with a shot bag behind my upper back or on my chest (not behind my head - too easy to injure the neck). I sat on a footstool and hooked my feet under the couch. I'd also involve some twisting in there to pull more toward one side or the other.
I don't really do sit-up reps anymore, so I would now do them as holds w/ pauses/surges/partial mini-movement.

I never had a gizmo to do the back extensions though. I think those would have been good. Maybe they could be done on the floor with a weight across the legs and just raise up the last bit to arch the back?