Banded Good Mornings (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)

Banded Good Mornings are a hip hinge exercise that targets the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back using a resistance band instead of weights. They’re ideal for reinforcing proper hinge mechanics, activating the posterior chain, and adding resistance without loading the spine.

Great as a warm-up, accessory movement, or low-impact strength work.

Primary Muscles Worked: Glutes, Hamstrings
Secondary Muscles Worked: Erector Spinae (Lower Back), Core
Equipment Needed: Resistance Band (loop or long band)

How To Do Banded Good Mornings

Step-by-Step Instructions

Set-Up:
- Stand with your feet hip-width apart on the middle of a resistance band.
- Loop the other end of the band around the back of your neck and shoulders like you would a barbell.
- Brace your core and soften your knees slightly.
Execution:
- Hinge at the hips by pushing your hips back while keeping your back flat and chest up.
- Lower your torso until it’s roughly parallel to the ground or until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings.
- Drive your hips forward to return to standing, squeezing your glutes at the top.
Tips for Proper Form:
- Keep your spine neutral throughout—don’t round your back.
- Move from the hips, not the knees—it’s a hinge, not a squat.
- Control the band tension on the way up and down to avoid snapping through the motion.

Key Benefits

Activates the glutes and hamstrings with minimal equipment.
Reinforces proper hip hinge mechanics.
Easy on the joints while still providing a solid strength stimulus.

Modifications and Variations

Easier Option:
- Use a lighter band or shorten the range of motion.
Harder Option:
- Use a thicker resistance band.
- Add a pause at the bottom or slow the tempo (3–4 seconds down).
- Perform single-leg banded good mornings for balance and unilateral strength.

Common Mistakes

Rounding the Back: Keep your chest up and core engaged.
Bending the Knees Too Much: This reduces hamstring tension—keep them soft, not squatting.
Letting the Band Pull You Up Too Fast: Stay in control throughout the movement.

Reps and Sets Recommendations

For Warm-Up/Activation: 2–3 sets of 12–15 light reps.
For Strength/Accessory Work: 3–4 sets of 10–12 reps with moderate band tension.
In Circuits: 30–45 seconds of continuous reps with good form.

Banded Good Morning Variations

If you’re looking to mix up your routine a bit, here are a couple of variations that you can try out.

Single-Leg BW Good Morning

Single-Leg Bodyweight Good Mornings will work to warm-up the same areas as regular Good Mornings but will add an element of balance as well. You can even increase the balance challenge by incorporating an Airex Pad or Bosu Ball into the exercise.

SL Good Mornings can take a while to complete so I usually like to stick to 5 or 8 (at most) each side instead of the typical set of 10. Doing 10 reps on each leg can seem like forever and can bog down the energy of a warm-up.

Single-Leg Anti-Rotational RDLs

This is another single-leg variation. Single-Leg Anti-Rotational RDLs are a mouthful to say and can sound intimidating, but they’re really quite simple to do.

Wrap a thin resistance band to the upright of a squat rack, or something similar. Stand perpendicular to the rack, grab the band and pull it to your midline. From this position, it’s the same movement as a Single Leg Good Morning.

By using a band, the glutes and core have to work to keep the body from rotating while you hinge (hence anti-rotational).