- EquipmentBarbell
- PatternHinge
- Reps6 to 12 reps
- Joint loadLower back
Rest a barbell on your upper back as for a squat, feet hip width apart and knees softly bent.
First cueKeep the back flat throughout.
How to do the Good Morning
Set up. Rest a barbell on your upper back as for a squat, feet hip width apart and knees softly bent.
- Push your hips back and lower your torso forward with a flat back.
- Stop at a strong hamstring stretch, usually before the torso is level with the floor.
- Drive your hips forward to stand back up.
Form cues
- Keep the back flat throughout.
- Keep the knee bend small and fixed.
- Start with a light bar.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back as you lean.
- Bending forward further than your hamstrings allow.
Take care. Start very light and progress slowly; perform it in a rack with the safety pins set.
Muscles worked
Main target: Hamstrings. The hamstrings run down the back of the thigh. They bend the knee and extend the hip, which is why both a curl and a hinge train them.
On the way: Glutes and Lower back.
Its other side: Quads, in the knees and hips pattern.
What to pair it with
Movements that round out a workout with the Good Morning, from the same catalog the StatBlockFit app logs.
- Back Squat Superset partner: it trains the other side of the knees and hips pattern, so the two can alternate.
- Seated Calf Raise Same legs session: it trains the calves.
- Cossack Squat Same legs session: it trains the adductors.
- Hip Abduction Often left out: it trains the abductors, a job the moves above leave undone.
A complete workout around it
5 movements, the Good Morning first, at the catalog's rep ranges. Load it into the workout builder to change the sets, reps and weights, then bookmark it or download it.
- Good Morning 3 × 6 to 12 reps
- Back Squat 3 × 3 to 12 reps
- Seated Calf Raise 3 × 10 to 25 reps
- Cossack Squat 3 × 5 to 15 reps
- Hip Abduction 3 × 12 to 25 reps
Alternatives and swaps
The same main muscle with other equipment: a swap never changes the muscle a workout trains.
Home or dumbbell swap
Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Dumbbell
Gym or cable swap
Cable Romanian Deadlift
Cable
Less load on the lower back
Leg Curl
From the app's workaround table: less load through a bending spine.
A swap describes the movement, not your body: if a joint hurts, ask a professional before you train it.
Working weight and 1RM calculator
Enter a set you did: the weight, the reps and how many more reps you had left in you. The estimate is the formula the StatBlockFit app uses for its records, weight × (1 + (reps + reps in reserve) ÷ 30); above 12 reps it is rough.
Training zones
| Zone | Share of 1RM | Usual reps |
|---|---|---|
| Strength | 85 to 90 % | 3 to 6 |
| Muscle growth | 70 to 80 % | 6 to 12 |
| Endurance | 60 to 65 % | 15 to 20 |
A warm-up before the working sets: 50 % for 5, 70 % for 3 and 85 % for 1, each rounded down to a plate.
Common starting points, not a prescription: the right weight is the one you can lift with good form for the reps you planned.
Variations and preparation
A variation of: Romanian Deadlift.
Other variations of the Romanian Deadlift: Stiff-Leg Deadlift, Broomstick Hip Hinge, Kettlebell Romanian Deadlift, Single-Leg Romanian Deadlift and Cable Romanian Deadlift.
Its variations: Banded Good Morning.
Do before it: Cat-Cow (bracing), Broomstick Hip Hinge (same movement, lighter), Banded Good Morning (same movement, lighter) and Glute Bridge (glutes switched on).
Track it in StatBlockFit
In the StatBlockFit app the Good Morning is logged set by set: the app suggests your next weight after each session, times your rests, keeps your records and shows the 72-hour recovery of every muscle on its training map. The training guide explains how.
Questions
How do you do the Good Morning?
Set up: Rest a barbell on your upper back as for a squat, feet hip width apart and knees softly bent. Steps: 1. Push your hips back and lower your torso forward with a flat back. 2. Stop at a strong hamstring stretch, usually before the torso is level with the floor. 3. Drive your hips forward to stand back up. Form cues: Keep the back flat throughout. Keep the knee bend small and fixed. Start with a light bar. Common mistakes: Rounding the back as you lean. Bending forward further than your hamstrings allow. Take care: Start very light and progress slowly; perform it in a rack with the safety pins set.
What muscles does the Good Morning work?
It trains the hamstrings as its main target and works the glutes and lower back on the way.
What can I do instead of the Good Morning?
At home: Stiff-Leg Deadlift. In a gym: Cable Romanian Deadlift. With less load on the lower back: Leg Curl. Each trains the same main muscle.
What should I pair the Good Morning with?
Good partners in the same workout are Back Squat, Seated Calf Raise, Cossack Squat and Hip Abduction.
How heavy should the Good Morning be?
Pick a weight you can lift for the planned reps with one or two left in reserve. As a common starting point, sets of 3 to 6 reps use about 85 to 90 percent of your one-rep max and sets of 6 to 12 reps about 70 to 80 percent; the calculator on this page does the arithmetic.