Good Mornings Are an Excellent Auxiliary Movement

Strict good mornings with the feet placed wide, the knees locked and the back held straight is an excellent movement that solves a number of problems for beginning lifters. They also provide supplemental strengthening for veteran lifters.

The lifter should take the barbell on the shoulders behind the neck, and step away from the racks, and assume a stance with at least 90 degrees between the thighs. The knees should be locked, and the head should look forward throughout the movement. The athlete should then bend forward from the hip, keeping the back straight until the torso is parallel or near parallel to the floor before returning to an erect stance.

This movement is excellent for athletes with tight hamstrings that force the buttocks to tuck under at the bottom of the squat. It can also be helpful for those with range of motion problems at the ankles. Furthermore, it is an excellent developer of hamstring strength for the purpose of pulling and straightening the hips. Reps should be performed in the 5-8 range per set and for four or more sets at the end of the training session. The first time they are applied, there should be considerable hamstring soreness.