Back · Lower back · Barbell
Good Morning
The good morning is a hinge with a barbell on the upper back: the hips move back and the torso tips forward, then you stand back up. It builds the hamstrings, glutes and lower back through a long lever, so light weights feel heavy.
How to
Barbell- 1 Bar on upper back, feet shoulder-width.
- 2 Hinge at the hips with a soft knee bend.
- 3 Return to standing by driving the hips forward.
Tips
- Start with an empty bar; the lever is long and the load feels heavy fast.
- Push the hips back as if closing a door with them.
- Stop when the hamstrings are tight, usually with the torso near parallel.
Common mistakes
- Bending the knees more and more until it becomes a squat.
- Rounding the back to go lower.
- Letting the bar roll up onto the neck.
Muscles worked
Main
- Hamstrings
- Lower back
Also working
- Glutes
- Upper back, which holds the bar
Breathing and bracing
Take a breath and brace before hinging, hold it at the bottom, and breathe out once you are standing.
Sets and reps
- Strength
- 3–4 sets of 5–8 reps, 2–3 min rest
- Muscle size
- 3 sets of 8–12 reps, 2 min rest
- Starting load
- An empty bar, or 20–30% of your squat
Setup
- 1 Set the bar on the upper back as for a back squat.
- 2 Stand with the feet about hip-width.
- 3 Unlock the knees slightly.
- 4 Brace the abs and lift the chest.
Technique in detail
- Push the hips back and let the torso tip forward with a flat back.
- Keep the bar over the middle of the foot.
- Lower until the hamstrings are tight, usually with the torso near parallel or a little above.
- Drive the hips forward to stand up.
- Keep the knee bend the same throughout.
In these plans
Not part of a built-in plan. Add it to any workout from the exercise picker.
Variations and alternatives
Questions
Is the good morning dangerous?
Not with a load you control and a flat back. It becomes risky when the weight is heavy enough to round the back.
Good morning or Romanian deadlift?
Both train the hinge. The good morning loads the lower back more through the longer lever; the Romanian deadlift is easier to load heavy.
How low should I go?
Only as far as the back stays flat and the hamstrings allow.
Log it in Volu(me)
Add Good Morning to any workout. Next time the app fills in the weight and reps from your last session and marks a new best set the moment you tick it.