# Good Morning

A barbell hip hinge targeting the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors. Used as a posterior-chain accessory for lifters building hinge strength and trunk stiffness.

- Advanced · Compound
- Equipment: Barbell
- HD video: https://media.seto.fit/exercises/barbell-good-morning/video/male.mp4
- HTML: https://seto.fit/exercises/good-morning/

## Muscles worked

- Hamstrings: 9/10
- Lower back: 8/10
- Glutes: 7/10
- Upper back: 3/10

## How to do the Good Morning

1. Stand with feet hip-width apart and the bar across your upper back.
2. Push your hips back, keeping your back straight.
3. Lower until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, then return to standing.
4. Drive your hips forward to stand up, finishing tall and controlled.

### Full technique — 7 steps

1. Set the bar across your upper traps or rear delts and step back into your stance.
2. Place your feet about hip to shoulder width apart with a slight knee bend.
3. Tighten your stomach and hold the bar firmly against your back.
4. Push your hips straight back and let your torso fold forward, staying balanced over the middle of your foot.
5. Lower until your hamstrings reach their end range while your spine stays neutral.
6. Keep the bar fixed on your back and your shins nearly vertical throughout the hinge.
7. Drive your hips forward to stand tall, finishing without leaning back at the top.

## Common mistakes

- Turning it into a squat
- Rounding through the lower back
- Bending knees too much
- Dropping chest without hip hinge
- Overextending at the top

## Form cues

- Push hips straight back
- Keep shins nearly vertical
- Tighten stomach each rep
- Stop at hamstring limit

## How much to do

- **Strength** (good fit): 4–5 sets of 4–6 reps · rest 2 min 30 s · 1–2 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 1 s
- **Muscle growth** (best fit): 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps · rest 1 min 30 s · 2–3 reps in reserve · lower 3 s, lift 2 s

Reps in reserve: how many more you could still do when you end the set.

## Substitutes by equipment

Same muscles, same movement — pick the version you have the gear for.

- **Dumbbells**: [Dumbbell Good Morning](https://seto.fit/exercises/good-morning-dumbbell/), [Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-stiff-leg-deadlift/)
- **Resistance bands**: [Resistance Band Good Morning](https://seto.fit/exercises/band-good-morning/), [Resistance Band Superman](https://seto.fit/exercises/resistance-band-superman/)
- **Kettlebell**: [Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/kettlebell-single-leg-deadlift/)
- **No equipment**: [Alternating Superman](https://seto.fit/exercises/alternating-superman/), [Superman Around the World](https://seto.fit/exercises/superman-around-the-world/)

## Where to start and where to go next

Same muscles, same movement. Too hard for now — step down; once it gets easy — step up.

- Easier: [Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/dumbbell-romanian-deadlift/) — Beginner
- Easier: [Romanian Deadlift](https://seto.fit/exercises/romanian-deadlift/) — Intermediate
- **This exercise: Good Morning — Advanced**
- Harder: [Single Leg Deadlift (Barbell)](https://seto.fit/exercises/single-leg-deadlift-barbell/) — Advanced

## Quick answers

### What muscles does the Good Morning work?

Primary: Lower back 8/10, Hamstrings 9/10. Also works: Glutes 7/10, Upper back 3/10.

### When should I do the Good Morning in a workout?

Second big lift. Goes after the main lift, while there is still energy for heavy work. ≈ 11 min with rest.

### How many sets and reps of the Good Morning?

Strength: 4–5 sets of 4–6 reps, rest 2 min 30 s, 1–2 reps in reserve. Muscle growth: 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps, rest 1 min 30 s, 2–3 reps in reserve.

### What can I do instead of the Good Morning?

Dumbbells: Dumbbell Good Morning, Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift. Resistance bands: Resistance Band Good Morning, Resistance Band Superman. Kettlebell: Kettlebell Single Leg Deadlift. No equipment: Alternating Superman, Superman Around the World.

### What is an easier version of the Good Morning?

Romanian Deadlift (Intermediate), Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift (Beginner).

### What is a harder version of the Good Morning?

Single Leg Deadlift (Barbell) (Advanced).

How we rate exercises: https://seto.fit/guides/methodology/

---
seto — Fast, simple, clever workout tracking — offline-first by design. https://seto.fit/

Video licensed for playback on seto only — copying, downloading, or redistribution is prohibited. https://seto.fit/terms/