The Good Morning – Exercise Technique and Exercise Selection Principles

The good morning is a barbell exercise that can be used to develop muscular strength and hypertrophy in the posterior chain (i.e., hamstring muscles, gluteal muscles, spinal erectors, calf complex). The exercise utilizes a hip hinge motion with the barbell positioned across the upper trapezius, offering lifters an alternative to more common posterior chain exercises such as the Romanian deadlift. The use of the good morning may be particularly beneficial for lifters with lower levels of grip strength or upper limb injury which may prevent using a clean or opposing grip. This review describes exercise technique and provides discussion around some of the underpinning principles of the exercise and potential applications in training.