Victor Forge
Good mornings are a weightlifting exercise that targets muscle groups across the body, particularly the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back. The exercise involves a hip hinge movement, which can be practised with or without weights. Good mornings are an effective way to strengthen the posterior chain, which includes the muscles along the backside of the body, such as the upper back, lats, and calves. This exercise can improve hip-hinging form, enhance muscle hypertrophy, and reduce the risk of injuries associated with a weak posterior chain.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscle Groups | Hamstrings, Glutes, Erector Spinae, Lower Back Muscles, Spinal Erector, Calves, Lats, Core, Upper Back |
| Benefits | Increased Leg and Back Strength, Improved Hip Extension and Flexion Strength, Improved Posture, Enhanced Hip-Hinging Form, Injury Prevention |
| Variations | Single-Leg, Seated, Romanian Deadlift, Snatch Grip Romanian Deadlift, Resistance Band, Kettlebell, Barbell |
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What You'll Learn
Hamstrings
Good mornings are an excellent exercise to strengthen your hamstrings. They are a hip hinge exercise, which means the movement comes from hinging your hips or bending at your waist. This is an essential motion to master as it is used in many other exercises such as deadlifts, kettlebell swings, hip thrusts, squats, and cleans.
Good mornings can be performed with a barbell, dumbbells, or resistance bands. When using a barbell, it is important to keep the bar off your neck and maintain proper form to avoid injury. The barbell should be placed on your upper back, and you should push your hips back and bend at the waist to lower your torso to the floor. Keep your shins vertical and your back slightly arched to protect your spine. Continue pushing your hips back until you feel tension in your hamstrings.
Good mornings can also be performed with dumbbells or resistance bands. Dumbbell good mornings involve placing the dumbbells on your shoulders, which builds strength in your hamstrings. Resistance band good mornings are a great option if you're limited on equipment. You can also perform a seated good morning variation, which places more emphasis on spinal flexion and extension, targeting your lower back more than your hamstrings.
By incorporating good mornings into your workout routine, you can strengthen your hamstrings and improve your performance in other exercises such as deadlifts, hip thrusts, and squats. It is important to focus on perfecting the form at each weight before adding more weight to avoid injury and get the most out of this exercise.
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Glutes
Good mornings are a hip hinge exercise that targets the glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors. The glutes, or the buttocks muscles, are essential for several sports skills, such as sprinting, jumping, and throwing a ball.
The good morning exercise involves bending forward at the hip, similar to a deadlift or kettlebell swing. This type of movement targets the posterior chain or the muscles along the backside of the body. The glutes are a part of this posterior chain and are activated and strengthened during the good morning exercise.
The amount of activation and tension in the glutes during good mornings is unusually high, making it an effective exercise for building stronger glutes. Additionally, the good morning exercise can be performed with different stances to target specific areas of the glutes. For example, a wider stance will emphasize the inner glutes, while a narrower stance will focus more on the outer regions.
Good mornings are an excellent way to strengthen the glutes and improve overall lower body strength. They can be incorporated into workout routines that include exercises such as Romanian deadlifts, Bulgarian split squats, and single-leg step-ups to target the glutes effectively.
It is important to note that good mornings should be performed with proper form to avoid straining the back. When done correctly, good mornings are an effective exercise for building stronger glutes and improving athletic performance.
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Lower back
Good morning exercises are an excellent way to strengthen your lower back muscles. While they primarily target the hamstrings and glutes, good mornings also strengthen the lower back and all the other muscles in the posterior chain. This includes the upper back, lats, and calves.
The good morning exercise is a hip hinge movement, which involves maintaining a neutral spine and bending at the hips. This movement may take some practice to get right, but it is an essential motion to master. It is a functional movement pattern, meaning it mimics motions performed during everyday tasks, such as putting groceries away or tying shoelaces.
To perform a good morning exercise, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Unrack a weighted barbell and rest it on your upper back. Take a deep breath, engage your core, and hinge your hips backward. After lowering your upper body, hinge forward and return to a standing position.
It is important to note that good mornings can cause low back pain if not performed correctly. To avoid this, ensure that you are hinging at the hips and sticking your hips back far enough. Additionally, choose a weight that allows you to maintain good technique throughout all sets and repetitions.
If you want to isolate the lower back muscles even further, you can try the seated good morning variation. This variation takes the pressure off your hamstrings and core, allowing you to focus solely on your lower back.
Incorporating good morning exercises into your strength training program can provide several benefits, including increased leg and back strength, improved hip-hinging form, and enhanced posture. Additionally, by targeting the posterior chain, good mornings can help prevent injuries and improve athletic performance.
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Core
Good morning exercises are an effective way to train your core. They are a type of weightlifting exercise that targets the muscles in your posterior chain, which includes the backside of your body such as your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back.
To perform a good morning exercise, you should stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and engage your core while hinging your hips backward. This hip-hinging motion is essential to master and can improve your performance in other exercises like deadlifts, squats, and kettlebell swings. The hinging motion also recruits your glutes, hamstrings, and spinal erectors, strengthening your lower back muscles and improving your posture.
The single-leg variation of the good morning exercise is particularly effective at activating your stabilizer muscles, as it requires balancing on one leg while moving through the full range of motion. Additionally, the seated good morning variation isolates the muscles in your lower back and takes pressure off your hamstrings and core.
Good morning exercises are a functional movement pattern, meaning they mimic motions performed in everyday tasks. This makes them an excellent way to prevent injuries that may occur during day-to-day activities.
It is important to incorporate proper warm-ups, rest, and nutrition into your exercise program to ensure continual progress and build body strength.
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Spinal erectors
Good morning exercises are a great way to train your spinal erectors, alongside your hamstrings and glutes. The spinal erectors are a group of muscles called the erector spinae, which are located on either side of the vertebral column, from the base of the cranium to the pelvis. They are made up of three groups of muscles: the iliocostalis, longissimus, and spinalis.
The iliocostalis is the most lateral muscle of the erector spinae and is responsible for extending and laterally flexing the spine. It originates from the sacrum, erector spinae aponeurosis, and iliac crest.
The longissimus is the central muscle of the erector spinae and is also the thickest and longest. It has three regional groups, similar to the spinalis, and its function is to extend and laterally flex the spine.
The spinalis is the most medial muscle of the erector spinae and is divided into three regional groups, from superior to inferior. The function of the spinalis is to extend and laterally flex the cervical and thoracic regions of the spine.
The erector spinae muscles play an important role in spinal stability and can help improve your posture. They also help to maintain posture by steadying the spine on the pelvis during walking.
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Frequently asked questions
Good mornings train the hamstrings, glutes, erector spinae, and lower back muscles. They also strengthen the upper back, lats, and calves.
Good mornings can enhance your hip-hinging form, improve your posture, and prevent injuries. They can also be used as assistance exercises for the squat and the deadlift.
Single-leg good mornings can be performed to activate stabilizer muscles. Seated good mornings isolate the lower back muscles and take pressure off the hamstrings and core.
