Good mornings are classic weight-lifting exercises that help in getting stronger and attaining an aesthetically pleasing backside. This workout acts as an efficient assistance move if you want to deadlift and squat more weight. If you concentrate more on exercising your anterior muscles such as the abs and quadriceps than your posterior chain muscles, you can avoid injuries on your hamstring, erector spinae, and lower-back by practicing the good morning workout.
Good Morning Exercise Information
Exercise Type
Powerlifting
Skill Level
Intermediate, advanced
Equipment Needed
Barbell
Muscles Involved
Hamstrings, lower back, glutes, abdominalis
Mechanics
Compound
Force
Push-type
Routine
After deadlifts and before isolation exercises
Variations/Other Forms
Kettlebells, dumbbells, or bands may be used; the bar may be held at different heights on your back
Alternative Exercises
Band good morning, bottoms-up good morning, Romanian deadlift
Video: How to do Good Mornings
Good Morning Lifting Workout Technique
Start by placing a barbell across the upper trapezius muscles at the rear shoulders. Hold the bar firmly, squeezing your shoulders together, keeping your back tight, knees slightly bent, and feet shoulder-width apart.
Push the glutes back, and bend at the hips.
Bend over until the torso is parallel to the floor, and make sure that you keep the back arched throughout.
At the bottom position, pause for a moment; extend your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back to reverse the motion and return to the initial position.
If you are using lightweights, you can do 2-4 sets with 10-15 repetitions.
Standing Good Morning Exercise
Good Morning Exercise Forms
Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning
For safety purposes, this workout training should be performed in gym using a power or squat rack. Moreover, use less weight to start with.
Load the barbell on the rack at a height that best suits you. After stepping under the barbell, place your rear shoulders across it.
Grabbing the bar firmly, lift it off by pushing with the legs and straightening the torso.
Position your legs at shoulder-width apart, maintaining a straight back and keeping the head up. This is your initial position.
While your legs are kept stationary, bend your hips and move the torso forward; keep lowering the torso until it is positioned parallel with the ground.
Elevate your torso and raise the bar back to the initial position.
Stiff Legged Good Morning Exercise
Seated Good Morning with Barbell
Performing this seated exercise is more efficient in emphasizing the traps and lower backs than the standing good mornings, as it removes the assistance from hamstrings and glutes.
Hold a bar across the upper rear part of your shoulders so that the bar rests on top of your traps. With your shoulders, back, and core muscles tight, start your descent by pushing your butt and knees out. Sit back on a bench, without losing tightness and keeping the feet flat on the ground. This is your starting position.
Bend forward at your hips, and pause just before the chest touches the thighs. Reverse the motion to return to your starting position.
Make sure that you do not round your upper and lower back during the exercise.
Seated Good Morning Exercise
Dumbbell Good Morning
Stand straight, and hold two dumbbells keeping your feet positioned at hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
The weights should be held at the shoulder level with the palms facing you.
Hinge at the hips and lower the torso to keep it parallel to the ground. This should be done without changing your knees’ bend.
Pause for a moment, and reverse the motion to return to your initial position.
