Good Morning Squat
Strengthen your hamstrings and glutes with the bodyweight Good Morning Squat. This compound movement improves hip hinge mechanics and core stability.
- Movement
- Compound
- Force
- Push
- Per set
- 1 min
- Rest
- 2 min
Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store
Variations of Good Morning Squat
Description
A compound exercise that targets the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. Begin with the barbell positioned on your shoulders and squat by pushing your hips back and bending your knees.
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How to do Good Morning Squat
- 01Setup
Stand tall with your feet hip-width apart, toes pointing forward, and a slight bend in your knees. Place your hands behind your head or across your chest.
- 02Setup
Engage your core by bracing your abdominal muscles and maintain a neutral spine, keeping your gaze straight ahead.
- 03
Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back as if reaching for a wall behind you, allowing your torso to hinge forward while keeping your back straight.
- 04
Continue hinging until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor or you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings, ensuring your knees maintain a slight, consistent bend throughout.
- 05
Drive through your heels, engaging your glutes and hamstrings, to reverse the movement and return to the starting upright position, extending your hips fully.
Tips
- Focus on the hip hinge: Imagine your hips are a door hinge, leading the movement by pushing them directly backward, not just bending forward at the waist.
- Maintain a neutral spine: Keep your chest up and avoid rounding your upper or lower back throughout the entire movement to protect your spine.
- Control the descent: Lower yourself slowly and with control, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings, rather than letting gravity drop you down.
- Breathing: Inhale as you hinge forward and exhale as you return to the starting position, actively bracing your core throughout.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back: Avoid rounding your lower back by actively engaging your core and keeping your chest lifted and shoulders pulled back throughout the hinge.
- Squatting too low: Prevent excessive knee bend by focusing on pushing your hips back and maintaining a slight, consistent bend in your knees, making it a hip-dominant movement rather than a squat.
- Hyperextending at the top: Do not hyperextend your lower back at the top of the movement; instead, stop when your hips are fully extended and your body is in a tall, neutral position.
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Get Ellim — FreeQuestions
What muscles does Good Morning Squat work?
Good Morning Squat primarily targets Hamstrings. Secondary muscles include Adductor Magnus, Gluteus Maximus.
Is Good Morning Squat good for beginners?
Good Morning Squat is rated intermediate. Beginners can still attempt it with lighter weight and careful form, but it's best to master easier variations first.
What equipment do I need for Good Morning Squat?
You need Body weight to perform Good Morning Squat. If you don't have this equipment, look for variations that target the same muscles with what you have available.
What are the best tips for Good Morning Squat?
Focus on the hip hinge: Imagine your hips are a door hinge, leading the movement by pushing them directly backward, not just bending forward at the waist. Maintain a neutral spine: Keep your chest up and avoid rounding your upper or lower back throughout the entire movement to protect your spine. Control the descent: Lower yourself slowly and with control, feeling the stretch in your hamstrings, rather than letting gravity drop you down. Breathing: Inhale as you hinge forward and exhale as you return to the starting position, actively bracing your core throughout.
What are common mistakes when doing Good Morning Squat?
Rounding the back: Avoid rounding your lower back by actively engaging your core and keeping your chest lifted and shoulders pulled back throughout the hinge. Squatting too low: Prevent excessive knee bend by focusing on pushing your hips back and maintaining a slight, consistent bend in your knees, making it a hip-dominant movement rather than a squat. Hyperextending at the top: Do not hyperextend your lower back at the top of the movement; instead, stop when your hips are fully extended and your body is in a tall, neutral position.
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Free · iPhone only · Available on the App Store