Description
A strength exercise that targets the lower back muscles and hamstrings. The person sits on a bench, leans forward with a barbell on their shoulders, and then uses their lower back and hamstrings to return to an upright position.
How to Do Barbell Seated Good morning
- 1Setup
Sit on a flat bench with a barbell resting across your upper traps/rear deltoids, similar to a squat position. Your feet should be flat on the floor, shoulder-width apart, with knees bent at 90 degrees.
- 2Setup
Grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width, ensuring it's stable on your back. Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine, looking straight ahead.
- 3
Slowly hinge forward at your hips, allowing your torso to descend towards your thighs while keeping your back straight and core tight. Control the movement until your torso is parallel to the floor or you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.
- 4
Drive through your glutes and hamstrings to reverse the motion, extending your hips to return to the upright seated position. Exhale as you ascend, maintaining control throughout the movement.
- 5
Ensure your lower back remains stable and does not round during the entire exercise, focusing on the hip hinge rather than spinal flexion.
Tips
- Emphasize the hip hinge by initiating the movement from your hips, not your lower back, to maximize glute and hamstring engagement.
- Keep your core actively braced throughout the entire movement to protect your spine and maintain a rigid torso.
- Control the descent (eccentric phase) to enhance muscle activation and stretch in the hamstrings and glutes, preventing momentum from taking over.
- Maintain a neutral cervical spine by looking slightly forward or down rather than hyperextending your neck upwards.
Common Mistakes
- ×Rounding the lower back during the forward hinge can put undue stress on the spine; instead, keep your core tight and maintain a neutral, straight back throughout the movement.
- ×Jerking the weight up using momentum reduces muscle engagement; instead, perform the movement slowly and controlled, focusing on a strong hip extension from your glutes and hamstrings.
- ×Bending too much at the waist instead of hinging at the hips shifts the focus away from the glutes and hamstrings; ensure your hips are the primary pivot point, driving the movement.
Variations
Dumbbell Good Morning
Strengthen your glutes, hamstrings, and lower back with the Dumbbell Good Morning. This exercise improves hip hinge mechanics and posterior chain strength.
PVC Good Morning
Master the hip hinge with the PVC Good Morning. This exercise strengthens your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, improving posture and stability.
Kettlebell Good Morning
Strengthen your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back with the Kettlebell Good Morning. Master the hip hinge for better posture and injury prevention.
Good Morning Squat
Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes with the bodyweight Good Morning Squat. This compound movement improves hip hinge mechanics and core stability.
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