Good Morning
A barbell hip hinge exercise where the bar rests across the upper back, bending forward at the hips to stretch and work the hamstrings, glutes, core and back. It pays to learn the pattern lightly before adding real load.
- Primary musclesHamstrings
- Secondary musclesCore, Glutes, Back
- EquipmentBarbell
- LevelIntermediate · compound
How to do the good morning
- Set a bar on a rack at shoulder height and rest it across the rear of your shoulders, as you would for a squat.
- Keep your back tight and your shoulder blades pinched together, with a slight bend in your knees.
- Step back from the rack; this is your starting position.
- Bend forward at the hips, pushing them back as your torso lowers toward parallel to the floor.
- Keep your back arched and your neck in a neutral line throughout the movement.
- Reverse the motion by driving your hips forward with your glutes and hamstrings, returning to standing.
Original library instructions (3 steps)
- Begin with a bar on a rack at shoulder height. Rack the bar across the rear of your shoulders as you would a power squat, not on top of your shoulders. Keep your back tight, shoulder blades pinched together, and your knees slightly bent. Step back from the rack.
- Begin by bending at the hips, moving them back as you bend over to near parallel. Keep your back arched and your cervical spine in proper alignment.
- Reverse the motion by extending through the hips with your glutes and hamstrings. Continue until you have returned to the starting position.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back as you bend forward; keep it arched and braced for the whole movement.
- Bending mainly at the knees instead of the hips; this should be a hip hinge, not a squat.
- Loading the bar too heavy before the pattern feels natural; start light and build up gradually.
- Bending forward too far past your flexibility; stop around parallel or wherever your back stays straight.
Sets and reps by goal
| Goal | Sets, reps and rest |
|---|---|
| Strength | 3 to 4 sets of 5 to 8 reps, 2 minutes rest |
| Muscle | 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, 90 seconds rest |
| Endurance | 2 to 3 sets of 12 to 15 reps, 60 seconds rest |
Ranges, not prescriptions. Start at the low end and add a set or a rep when every set feels controlled.
Tips
- Practice the hip hinge pattern with just the bar or a light dowel before adding real weight.
- Keep your gaze forward rather than down, which helps keep the neck and back aligned.
In the app: this exercise is one of 873 in GymPilot's library, with the same photos, form cues and a link back to the moment in an imported video it came from.
Questions
Is the good morning good for beginners?
It works well with very light weight, since the forward bend and back position take practice before loading up.
What muscles does the good morning work?
It mainly targets the hamstrings, with the core, glutes and back all helping to control the hip hinge.
