The Sorensen Test: How Long Can You Hold This Back Endurance Benchmark?

The Sorensen test is a way to measure low back muscular endurance rather than raw strength. According to Squat University, it was originally developed back in the 1980s as a tool to assess how long someone can hold a specific back extension position over time. Unlike a strength test that measures a single maximal effort, this test measures how long the low back muscles can sustain a static hold — which the creator says is the more relevant quality for preventing injury.

You perform the Sorensen test by holding a static back extension position over a GHD machine or Roman chair for as long as possible. Steps to set it up:

1. Position yourself over a GHD machine or Roman chair.
2. Make sure your hips sit slightly forward of the pad.
3. Hold the extended position for as long as possible, timing yourself.

Squat University frames this as a self-assessable test — you don't need special equipment beyond standard gym gear most people already have access to.

Because, according to Squat University, research shows the ability to hold a position — governed by back endurance — is far more protective against future low back troubles than back strength alone. Many people assume a stronger back automatically protects against future back injury, but the creator says research points the other way: it's endurance, the capacity to sustain a position over time, that correlates more strongly with staying injury-free.

The benchmark cited is 3 minutes. The original study referenced by Squat University found that men who could not hold the Sorensen test position for at least 3 minutes had a significantly greater risk of developing low back pain over the following year. Squat University clarifies that not everyone needs to hit this mark — but if you consider yourself a strong athlete, 3 minutes is the low back endurance benchmark you should be able to reach.