The good morning is often overlooked, yet it’s a powerful hinging movement that can significantly enhance your training program. When integrated thoughtfully, it can cater to your specific movement needs while promoting resilience and minimizing pain.
This exercise effectively targets the glutes, lats, hamstrings, erectors, calves, and other crucial postural muscles. Essentially, it engages the entire length of the posterior chain, making it an invaluable addition for athletic development and addressing common weak links or underdeveloped areas. Moreover, it effectively loads the deeper core muscles of the lower back.
As a versatile movement, the good morning allows for varied stress placement across different body regions, depending on load positioning. For instance, shifting load during loaded carries alters the force vector and the stress placed on the body.
Top 4 Effective Good Morning Loading Strategies
Kettlebell Anterior Loaded Good Morning: Kettlebell held firmly at chest level.
- Ideal for beginners with limited loading capacity.
- Enhances co-contraction in the shoulders and promotes upper body stability.
- Boosts recruitment of core musculature.
Barbell Good Morning: Load positioned more posteriorly
- Engages the entire posterior chain musculature.
- Allows for increased loading capacity.
- Heightens stability demands during the lift.
Safety Squat Bar Good Morning: Bar is placed higher on the back, with hands positioned anteriorly on the handles.
- A perfect alternative for individuals experiencing shoulder discomfort.
- Places greater emphasis on upper back engagement.
- Increases stability with hands positioned in front.
- Enhances trunk stability.
Zercher Good Morning: A fun and challenging variation, albeit slightly advanced
- Load is positioned around the belly button, resting in the crooks of the arms (tip: use a towel, squat pad, or axle bar to avoid skin irritation).
- A fantastic method for challenging and improving core stability.
Programming Considerations:
If you’re new to these variations, start with lighter anterior-loaded options. When progressing to posterior loading, aim for 50% of your body weight to start, even lighter to dial in technique, and slowly increase load over time.
Adjust according to your specific goals, whether it’s strength, hypertrophy, or endurance.
Strength training focuses on heavier weights with fewer reps and longer rest.
- 3-5 sets of 3-5 reps with 2-3 minutes of rest
Hypertrophy emphasizes moderate weights with moderate reps and rest for muscle growth.
- 2-4 sets of 6-12 reps with 1-2 minutes of rest
Endurance prioritizes lighter weights with higher reps and shorter rest periods to enhance stamina.
- 2-4 sets of 12-15 reps with 30-60 seconds of rest
Need a Regression? Use a dowel, try seated variations, or stick to light anterior loads.
Want to Add Variety? Incorporate bands and chains for accommodative resistance.
Pro Tips:
- Remember, this is a hip hinge, not a squat. Ensure you’re shifting your weight posteriorly while maintaining a stable foot and ankle position, grounding yourself firmly to the floor. Always keep a neutral spine and a strong brace.
- Explore using different bars or even suspended variations based on your training intent and desired stimulus.
- Where to program it: The good morning can serve as a warmup, primary movement, or accessory lift.
Utilizing the good morning helps maintain a strong neutral spine while promoting effective hip hinging. It’s an excellent tool for teaching the hip hinge movement pattern in an unloaded state, while also encouraging proper rooting of the feet to prevent backward falls.