Barbell Good Morning
How to do the barbell good morning with proper form for hamstrings and lower back
Watch animated demo (GIF)How to perform
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting across your upper back as in a back squat.
- Brace your core and keep your back straight as you hinge forward at the hips, pushing your glutes back behind you.
- Keep your knees slightly bent as your torso lowers, feeling a deep stretch in the hamstrings.
- Lower until your torso is about parallel to the floor, or as far as your hamstring flexibility allows.
- Pause for a moment, then return to standing by squeezing your glutes and driving your hips forward.
- Exhale as you rise, inhale as you hinge down, and repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Muscles worked
The good morning is a strict hip-hinge lift that loads the hamstrings in a stretched position while the erector spinae hold the torso against the bar and the glutes drive the return.
- Hamstrings — do the primary work, stretching under load at the bottom
- Lower back — holds the spine rigid and neutral throughout
- Glutes — extend the hips and power the ascent
Make it easier
Use an empty bar or even a PVC pipe, reduce the depth of the hinge, or practise the hip-hinge pattern against a wall first. Keeping the knees slightly bent also makes the position easier to hold.
Make it harder
Add weight gradually, slow the lowering phase to three seconds, or pause in the stretched position at the bottom. You can also pause with the torso at parallel before driving back up.
Common mistakes
Mistake: Rounding the back under load. Fix: keep the spine neutral and brace the core; lighten the bar until you can hold the position. Mistake: Bending the knees too much and turning the movement into a squat. Fix: keep the legs mostly straight and hinge from the hips. Mistake: Not pushing the hips back far enough. Fix: reach your glutes behind you as if closing a door with your hips. Mistake: Forcing depth beyond your hamstring flexibility. Fix: lower only as far as the stretch stays comfortable and build range over time.
FAQ
Why is the good morning good for hamstrings?
The hip hinge keeps the knees mostly straight, so the hamstrings take nearly all the load in the stretched position. The lower back works isometrically to hold the torso, building the whole posterior chain in one movement.
Is the good morning safe for the lower back?
Yes, when you keep a neutral spine, use a light weight and build the range gradually. Start with the empty bar and master the hip-hinge pattern before adding plates.