Good Morning

The good morning exercise is so named becuase it resembles bowing to say good morning to someone. It is a very hard exercise on the back especially so should not be performed by anyone with back problems.

Teaching points

  • Start with the bar across your shoulders and behind your neck, gripping it just wider than shoulder width.  
  • Start with your feet shoulder width apart, back upright and chest held high.  
  • Allow the knees to bent slightly as you hinge forwards from your hips.  
  • Maintain the arches in your back throughout the movement.  
  • Once you have reached your full range of motion (dependant on hamstring flexibility), slowly return to the start position.

Variations and progressions

  • Perform with a straight leg, allowing no degree of knee flexion. This places more emphasis on the Gluteus Maximus.  

Muscles worked

  • Erector spinae.
  • Biceps Femoris.  
  • Semitendinosus.
  • Semimembranosus.
  • Gluteus Maximus.  

Alternative exercises

  • Dead lift Bridge.  

Related injuries

  • Hamstring strain.