Muscles worked
What the good morning trains
Tap a muscle to see just that one and what it does in the lift.
Before the first rep
How to set up
- 01
Set the rack. Put the J-hooks at about mid chest height, as for a back squat. Set the safety pins or straps just below where the bar will sit at the bottom of your rep, so you can lower it onto them if you get stuck.
- 02
Bar on your upper back. Step under the bar and rest it on the meaty part of your upper traps, in the same spot as a high bar squat. It should never sit on the bony top of your neck.
- 03
Grip and squeeze. Hands a little wider than your shoulders. Pull the bar down into your back and squeeze your shoulder blades together so the bar cannot roll.
- 04
Walk out and stand. Stand up to unrack, take two or three short steps back and set your feet about hip width apart, toes forward or turned out slightly.
- 05
Brace and set the knees. Take a big breath into your belly, tighten your abs and unlock your knees into a slight bend, about 15 to 20 degrees. That bend stays the same for the whole rep.
Step by step
How to do the good morning
- 01
Push the hips back. Start the rep by sending your hips straight back. Your torso tips forward because your hips move back, not because you bend at the waist or drop into a squat.
- 02
Keep the back flat. Hold your chest proud and your spine long as you lower. Your shins stay roughly vertical and your weight sits in your mid foot and heels.
- 03
Find the bottom. Stop when your hips will not go back any further without your back rounding or your knees bending more. For most people that is a little above parallel, with a strong stretch in the hamstrings.
- 04
Drive the hips through. Push your feet into the floor and bring your hips forward to raise your torso, keeping the bar pinned to your back.
- 05
Finish tall. Stand straight with your glutes squeezed and your ribs down. Do not lean back at the top. Breathe and brace again before the next rep.
Cues to say in your head
- Hips back, not down
- Set the knees, then hinge
- Long spine, proud chest
- Pull the bar into your back
- Stand tall, don't lean back
Fix these first
Common mistakes
Rounding the back to go lower
Depth comes from how far your hips go back. End the rep where your back stays flat, even if that is well above parallel.
Squatting the weight down
If your knees keep bending as you lower, the rep turns into a squat. Set the knee bend at the top and move only at the hips.
Going too heavy
The bar sits far from your hips, so a load that feels easy on a squat is a lot here. Pick a weight you can move for clean reps with a flat back and add weight slowly.
Bar sitting on the neck
Squeeze your shoulder blades together and set the bar on your upper traps. A bar on the bony top of your spine hurts and can slide as you tip forward.
Cranking the head up
Let your gaze follow your torso and look at the floor a few feet in front of you, so your neck stays in line with your back.
Leaning back at the top
Finish by squeezing your glutes with your ribs stacked over your hips. Overarching at lockout loads the lower back for nothing.
Stay safe
Do good mornings in a squat rack with the safety pins or straps set just below the bar's lowest point. If you cannot stand back up, bend your knees and lower the bar onto the safeties; never try to throw the bar forward over your head. Keep the load moderate, do not test a one rep max on this lift, and end the set when you can no longer hold a flat back, rather than grinding out a rounded rep. Stop and get checked by a clinician or physical therapist if you feel sharp back pain, pain that travels down a leg, or numbness or tingling.
Programming
Sets, reps and how much weight
| Goal | Sets | Reps | Load | Rest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 | 5 to 6 | 70–80% 1RM | 2 to 3 min |
| Muscle | 3 to 4 | 8 to 12 | 60–70% 1RM | 1.5 to 2 min |
| Technique | 2 to 3 | 10 to 12 | 40–55% 1RM | 1 to 2 min |
Plan your next session
Put in a recent set. You get working weights for your goal, a warm-up and the plates to load.
Estimated 1RM 216 lb
Muscle sets
130–150lb
3 to 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 1.5 to 2 min rest. Where most people should train the good morning. Lower in about 2 to 3 seconds and own the stretch.
Warm up to 140 lb
Tap a set to see its plates.
45 + 2.5
Estimates use the Epley formula and work best from sets of 3 to 8 reps. Treat them as a starting point and adjust by how the first working set moves.
Questions
Good Morning questions
What muscles does the good morning exercise work?
Mainly the hamstrings, glutes and lower back, with help from the adductors. Your upper back holds the bar in place and your abs brace your spine.
How low should you go on a good morning?
Lower until your hips stop moving back or your back starts to round, which for most people is a little above parallel to the floor. Parallel is the usual deepest point, and going lower by rounding your back adds risk, not benefit.
Are good mornings bad for your back?
Not when the load is moderate and your back stays flat; they are a standard way to strengthen the lower back. They tend to cause problems when people go too heavy or round to reach depth, so start with an empty bar and add weight slowly.
How heavy should good mornings be?
Much lighter than your squat. Use a weight you can move for 8 to 12 clean reps with a flat back, and add weight only when every rep looks the same.
How many sets and reps of good mornings should I do?
Three to four sets of 8 to 12 reps, once or twice a week, works for most people. For strength, use 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 6 with longer rest, keeping two or more reps in reserve.
Train in Protocol
Log your good morning by voice. Protocol tracks the rest.
Your last session shows up before every set, warm-ups and plates are worked out for you, and your coach sees every lift next to your sleep and recovery.