Good Morning
An advanced hip-hinge exercise using a barbell across the upper back, building hamstring and lower-back strength through a bowing motion at the hips.
Equipment: Barbell
How to do it
- 1Position a barbell across your upper back as you would for a squat, standing with feet shoulder-width apart.
- 2Keeping a slight bend in your knees and your back flat, hinge forward at the hips until your torso is close to parallel with the floor.
- 3Feel a stretch through your hamstrings at the bottom of the movement.
- 4Drive your hips forward to return to standing.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the lower back instead of maintaining a flat, neutral spine throughout.
- Using too much weight before mastering the hip-hinge pattern with light loads.
Sets & reps by goal
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3-4 | 4-6 | 2-3 min |
| Build muscle | 3-4 | 8-12 | 60-90 sec |
| General fitness | 3-4 | 12-15 | 45-60 sec |
Ranges reflect the same goal-based logic used by the workout plan tool. Actual set count in a generated plan also depends on how often this muscle group appears elsewhere in your week.
Frequently asked questions
Is the Good Morning safe for beginners?
The Good Morning is tagged advanced, meaning it generally works best once you already have some legs training experience. If you're new to training, building a base with the Romanian Deadlift first is a reasonable place to start.
See the Romanian DeadliftWhat muscles does the Good Morning work?
The primary mover is your hamstrings. As a legs movement, it also involves your glutes and lower back.
What can I substitute if I don't have barbell for the Good Morning?
The Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift targets the same primary muscle with different equipment, so it's a reasonable swap if you don't have barbell available.
See the Dumbbell Romanian DeadliftRelated exercises
Learn more
Want a full plan built around exercises like this one? Try the workout plan tool.