Exercise Library
Bodyweight Good Morning
This exercise involves standing with feet hip-width apart and performing a controlled hip hinge while keeping the spine neutral and hands positioned behind the head or across the chest. The torso lowers forward as the hips move backward, then returns to standing by engaging the glutes and hamstrings throughout the movement.
Primary muscle
Hamstrings and glutes
Equipment
Bodyweight
Category
Glutes
How to Do the Bodyweight Good Morning
- Stand with feet hip width apart and place your fingertips lightly behind your head, elbows wide.
- Set a soft bend in your knees and lock it in for the entire movement.
- Push your hips straight back as if closing a car door behind you with your glutes.
- Let your torso tip forward as a unit, keeping your back flat and chest open.
- Lower until you feel a strong hamstring stretch, ideally with your torso near parallel to the floor.
- Drive your hips forward to stand tall, squeezing your glutes at the top.
- Repeat for 12 to 15 slow reps, feeling the hamstrings load on every descent.
Common Mistakes
- Bending at the waist: Rounding the spine instead of hinging at the hips defeats the purpose. The back stays flat while the hips travel backward.
- Squatting the movement: Letting the knees drift forward turns the hinge into a squat. The shins stay vertical while the hips do the moving.
- Stopping the hips: If the hips do not travel backward, the torso just bows forward and loads the lower back. Think hips back first, torso follows.
- Rushing the reps: Fast, bouncy reps skip the hamstring stretch that makes the exercise valuable. Two to three seconds down, controlled up.
Track This Exercise in the App
Log your bodyweight good morning sets in 1RM.fit and watch your estimated 1RM update automatically as you get stronger.