Standing Good Morning

What is Standing Good Morning:

The Standing Good Morning is a hinge-dominant, compound exercise that targets the glutes, hamstrings, hip adductors, and spinal erectors. Performed in a standing position with a barbell on the upper back, this movement teaches controlled forward hinging at the hips while maintaining a stable torso and neutral spine. It’s an effective tool for reinforcing posterior chain strength, improving hip mobility, and refining hinge mechanics used in deadlifts and squats.

Key Benefits:

  • Size and Strength: Targets the glutes, hip adductors, hamstrings, and erector spinae, promoting muscle growth and strength improvement.
  • Joint Stability: Enhances hip, knee, and ankle stability by engaging supporting muscles throughout the movement, contributing to joint health and injury prevention.
  • Core Activation: Requires core engagement to maintain stability and control throughout the movement, contributing to core strength and stability.
  • Functional Strength: Improves hip extension, hip adduction, and spinal extension strength, and overall fitness, translating to improved performance in daily activities and sports.

Variations:

  • Kettlebell Swing: Explosive hip hinge using a kettlebell; builds power and conditioning while primarily targeting glutes.
  • Seated Good Morning: Modified good morning from a seated position; isolates hip adductors and lower back with reduced knee involvement.
  • Hip Thrust: Glute-dominant lift performed with upper back supported; develops hip extension strength and power.
  • Conventional Deadlift: Barbell lift from floor to standing; targets glutes and reinforces full-body tension and coordination.
  • Sumo Deadlift: Wide-stance deadlift emphasizing hip adductors; reduces range of motion and stresses inner thighs.
  • Romanian Deadlift: Barbell hinge lowering to mid-shin with minimal knee bend; strengthens glutes and hamstrings.
  • Landmine Romanian Deadlift: RDL variant using landmine attachment; glute-focused with a more vertical pulling path.
  • Stiff-Legged Deadlift: Deadlift with straight legs to maximize hamstring stretch; isolates posterior chain with minimal knee flexion.
  • Deficit Deadlift: Deadlift performed from an elevated platform; increases range of motion to deepen glute engagement.
  • Trap Bar Deadlift: Neutral-grip deadlift using a trap bar; targets glutes while reducing shear forces on the spine.

How to perform Standing Good Mornings:

  • Starting Position: Stand upright with feet roughly shoulder-width apart. Place a barbell across your upper back, not on the neck. Brace your core, engage your lats, and maintain a neutral spine with a slight knee bend.
  • Execution: Hinge forward at the hips while keeping your chest proud and back straight. Descend under control until your torso is just above parallel to the floor or reaches your safe flexibility limit. Then, contract your glutes to return to the upright position.
  • Repetition: Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions.

Breathing Technique:

Proper breathing is crucial for maximizing performance and maintaining stamina throughout the exercise. Experiment with what you're comfortable with and let you perform your best. For starters, you can try the following:

  • Inhale: Inhale at the starting position before descending.
  • Exhale: Exhale near the top of the ascent or after returning to the starting position.
  • Shallow Breaths: Avoid holding your breath for too long, and inhale/exhale throughout the movement as necessary.
  • Foot Positioning: Keep your feet flat and firmly planted throughout the movement. While adjusting foot placement for comfort is fine before starting, avoid shifting mid-rep, especially under load, to preserve stability and movement efficiency.
  • Hip Hinge First, Not the Knees: Unlike squatting movements, the good morning initiates with a hip hinge. Push your hips back while keeping the knees softly bent—not locked—without shifting weight too far forward
  • Spine Positioning: Prioritize a neutral spine from top to bottom. Avoid rounding your lower back at any point. This protects your lumbar spine, especially when training with high loads.
  • Controlled Range of Motion: Lower your torso until it’s nearly parallel to the floor (or as far as flexibility allows) while maintaining control. Don’t sacrifice form to chase depth.
  • Barbell Placement: Rest the bar on your upper traps—not on the neck. Pack your shoulders and brace your core before you initiate the descent to avoid tension leaking into the cervical spine.
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    Additional Information:

    Ways to make it easier:

    • Decreasing the Range of Motion - partial reps, only go as far as you can handle
    • Decreasing the Weight

    Ways to make it harder:

    • Playing with the Tempo & adding an Isometric phase (pause/hold)
    • Increasing the Weight