Barbell Good Morning
Hinge, barbell, hamstrings and glutes
The barbell good morning is a hip hinge with the bar across the upper back: you bow forward from the hips and stand back up. It trains the hamstrings and glutes, with the lower back holding the spine still. It suits lifters who want a stronger hinge for deadlifts and squats, and it is learned with a light bar.
Setting up
- Set the bar in a rack at about shoulder height and step under it so it rests on the upper back, not the neck.
- Grip the bar just outside the shoulders, stand up and take a step back.
- Stand with the feet hip width apart and the knees slightly bent.
- Start with an empty bar until the movement feels natural.
How to do a barbell good morning
- Brace the belly and lift the chest.
- Push the hips straight back and let the torso tip forward, keeping the back flat.
- Keep the knees slightly bent and still as you bow.
- Stop when the torso is close to parallel with the floor or you feel a strong stretch in the hamstrings.
- Drive the hips forward and squeeze the glutes to stand tall.
Breathing. Breathe in and brace before you bow and breathe out as you stand back up.
Muscles worked
- Mainly
- Hamstrings and glutes
- Also
- Lower back
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back as you bow. The lower back takes the load when it rounds, so keep the chest proud and stop before it happens.
- Bending the knees into a squat. Sitting down shifts the work to the quads, so keep only a slight bend and push the hips back.
- Going lower than the hamstrings allow. Past that point the back has to round, so stop where you feel a strong stretch.
- Using too heavy a bar. The bar works on a long lever, so start with it empty and add weight slowly.
Guide
Guide
Guide
Guide
Guide