Barbell Good Morning

The good morning is an exercise that primarily targets the hamstrings, glutes, and the muscles in the lower back and spine. The hamstrings and glutes have to work hard to bring the torso upright by aligning the thighs and back. The erector spinae running along the spine helps straighten the back.

Other muscles mainly work as stabilizers. These include the calves, muscles in and around the pelvis, and, of course, the abdominal muscles. Muscles in the upper back and shoulders are mainly engaged in holding and stabilizing the barbell.

Good mornings are performed with relatively little weight. If you are performing the exercise for the first time, it is best to use an empty barbell.

Barbell good morning execution

1
Push your glutes back and your chest forward. At the same time, make your back slightly more arched than its natural curvature. Keep your knees almost straight.
2
Continue until you feel as much stretch as possible in the hamstrings.
3
Raise yourself again by pushing your pelvis forward and extending your back (see notes).

Barbell good morning

Muscles involved:

Legs:

Hamstrings

Glutes:

Gluteus maximus, medius, and minimus

Abdominals:

Rectus abdominis (rectus abdominis muscle)
Obliquus externus abdominis (external oblique muscle)
Obliquus internus abdominis (internal oblique muscle)
Transversus abdominis (transverse abdominal muscle, 'corset muscle')

(Lower) back and spine:

Erector spinae
Lumbar multifidus
Quadratus lumborum

Back and neck:

Latissimus dorsi
Trapezius
Rhomboids
Levator scapulae

Shoulders:

Deltoids

Barbell good morning setup

Make sure any plates on the barbell are securely locked in place.
Place the barbell across the top of the trapezius (upper back).
Make sure your hands are evenly spaced by using the markings on the barbell.
Place your feet shoulder-width apart.

Barbell good morning technique

Good mornings can produce significant differences in the muscles involved with small adjustments.

For example, you can maintain the (natural) curvature of your back throughout the entire movement. The lower (fibers of the) muscles along the spine then have an active role during the ascent, while the upper ones only stabilize them. If you want to train the muscles along the entire length of the spine, this is also possible. At the end of the forward bend, you then round your back. The ascent then begins by arching the back before coming up from the waist.

The farther you lean forward, the greater the stretch on the hamstrings. This also applies to the extent to which you keep your legs straight. To keep your legs (almost) straight and avoid falling forward, move your glutes back from the ankles (and not the knees).

The elasticity of the hamstrings determines how far you can bend forward. Some people will therefore be able to perform this much 'deeper' than others.

With the good morning , controlling the barbell may prove more difficult than with, for example, squats. Because the torso leans farther forward from the hips, the barbell may tend to slide downward during the ascent. To control the barbell as comfortably and effectively as possible, the correct hand placement can help. First determine how high you want the barbell to sit on your back. Then place your hands at the width where your elbows are held tightly against the sides of your body.