The good morning is an effective exercise for strengthening your posterior chain muscles. More specifically, if you’re trying to target your back, glutes, hamstrings, and calves, the good morning is one you will want to incorporate into your exercise routine.
That being said, it is vital that this exercise is performed with near-perfect form. It’s recommended that you keep the weight light and execute perfect reps rather than pushing for heavier weight and sacrificing form.
How to do a Good Morning
Most commonly, the good morning is performed with a barbell. We recommend starting with an empty bar at first.
Place the bar on your back and position with your feet hip-width apart. The barbell should be sitting on your upper back/traps and not on your neck. Hand placement on the bar is right outside of the shoulders.
With a slight bend in the knees, the hips push backwards as the chest comes towards the ground. It’s important to keep the lumbar curve in your back as you move through this exercise.
The chest should come down as far as to be parallel to the floor. Be sure that your feet stay firmly planted on the ground the entire time. If you can’t get your chest parallel to the ground without your back rounding, go as far down as you can while maintaining the lumbar curve.
With control, push through your feet and rise back to standing with knees, hips, and ankles fully extended. This is one rep.
Good Morning Variations
While the good morning is commonly performed with a barbell, this can also be performed with just your bodyweight or a resistance band.
If using the resistance band, you will step into the band with both of your feet. Place them hip-width apart. Then loop the band over your head to rest on your upper back/traps. The same form as described above applies when performing this exercise with the band.
Once you master the movement pattern, feel free to add weight, but always remember to prioritize form to avoid injuries.
