Barbell Seated Good Morning

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Sit at the end of a flat bench with your feet planted firmly on the floor in a wide, stable stance.
2. Position a barbell across your upper traps and grip the bar firmly, pulling it into your shoulders to create upper back tension.
3. Sit tall with a neutral spine and brace your core deeply to stabilize the torso.

How to do it

1. Inhale and hinge forward at the hips, lowering your chest toward the bench while maintaining a perfectly flat back.
2. Continue the descent until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor or your range of motion is limited by hip flexibility.
3. Exhale and drive through your glutes and lower back to return to the upright starting position.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, taking 3 seconds to lower and 1-2 seconds to return to the top.

Form checklist

• Keep the spine neutral from the head to the tailbone; do not allow the lower back to round.
• Ensure the barbell remains pinned to your traps and does not roll toward your neck.
• Keep your feet flat on the ground to maintain a stable base of support.
• Move only at the hip joint, keeping the pelvis anchored to the bench.

Pro tips

• Actively push your knees outward as you descend to engage the adductors and create space for your torso to hinge deeper.
• Focus on the 'mind-muscle connection' with your spinal erectors, feeling them work to stabilize and then lift the load.

Make it harder

• Add a 2-second pause at the bottom of the movement to increase time under tension and eliminate momentum.
• Incorporate a 'tempo' variation with a 5-second eccentric phase to further challenge core stability.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the barbell seated good morning work?

The barbell seated good morning primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings, and also works the erector spinae as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the barbell seated good morning?

The barbell seated good morning uses barbell.

Is the barbell seated good morning good for beginners?

The barbell seated good morning is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

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