Good Mornings (How To, Muscles Worked, Benefits)

Good Mornings are an extremely effective lower body exercise – specifically for the posterior chain.

However, Barbell Good Mornings can also be extremely dangerous if not performed correctly.

In this article, I’m going to teach you how to properly do Good Mornings with a barbell including coaching tips, benefits and even a few alternative exercises.

How To Do Good Mornings

Equipment Needed

• Barbell

Muscles Worked

• Hamstrings (Biceps Femoris, Semitendinosus, and Semimembranosus)
• Erector Spinae
• Gluteus Maximus
• Adductors
• Rectus Abdominis and Obliques
• Upper Back and Trap Muscles

How To

• Begin by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart.
• Position a barbell across the back of your shoulders, just below the neck. Ensure your grip is wider than shoulder-width apart.
• Keep your chest up, shoulders back, and maintain a neutral spine.
• Inhale deeply as you prepare to hinge forward.
• Push your hips back while keeping your legs straight but not locked.
• Lean forward at the hips, lowering your upper body towards the ground. Keep the barbell secure and close to your body.
• Lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the ground, or as far as your flexibility allows without rounding your back.
• Exhale as you engage your hamstrings and glutes to return to the starting position.
• Keep the barbell close to your body and your spine neutral throughout the movement.

Coaching Tips

Always maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement. This not only protects your lower back but also ensures you’re effectively engaging your hamstrings and glutes. Avoid rounding your back at any point.

Focus on hinging at your hips rather than bending at the waist. By pushing your hips back and keeping your knees soft (but not overly bent), you’ll target the right muscles—your hamstrings and glutes—and minimize strain on your lower back.

Benefits of Good Mornings

Good Mornings are a versatile and beneficial exercise when done with proper form. Here are some of the benefits of incorporating Good Mornings into your training program.

Strengthen the Posterior Chain

The exercise targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back muscles, collectively known as the posterior chain. A strong posterior chain is essential for athletic performance, daily functional movements, and injury prevention.

Improve Hip Hinge Mechanics

Good Mornings teach the proper technique of hinging at the hips. This foundational movement is crucial for other exercises like deadlifts and kettlebell swings.

Enhance Core Stability

The exercise strengthens the erector spinae and also engages the core muscles, including the rectus abdominis and obliques. This improves overall core stability, which is vital for balance, posture, and preventing lower back injuries.

Good Morning Alternatives

Need an alternative exercise? Here are a couple of exercises you may be able to use as a substitute for Good Mornings.

Need even more options? Check out my favorite Good Morning alternatives.

Romanian Deadlift (RDL)

Like the Good Morning, the RDL is a hip-hinge movement that heavily targets the hamstrings and glutes.

Additionally, it strengthens the lower back. The motion of lowering and raising the barbell in the RDL closely mirrors the movement pattern in Good Mornings, making it a direct and effective alternative.

Single-Leg Deadlift:

This unilateral exercise isolates one leg at a time, providing a unique challenge for balance and stability. Single Leg RDLs target the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back similarly to Good Mornings.

By working one leg at a time, it can also help address and correct any muscular imbalances, which might be harder to detect during bilateral exercises.

More Links and Info

This guide is just one of hundreds of exercise guides you’ll find in the Horton Barbell Exercise Library. Check out the Lower Body Lifts section for dozens of guides with complete step-by-step instructions.

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