Standing Wide Good Morning

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, with toes pointed slightly outward.
2. Place your hands behind your head (prisoner style) or cross them over your chest.
3. Engage your core and pull your shoulder blades back to create a flat, stable upper back.
4. Maintain a soft bend in your knees throughout the entire movement.

How to do it

1. Inhale as you hinge at the hips, pushing your glutes straight back while keeping your shins nearly vertical.
2. Lower your torso with a controlled tempo until it is approximately parallel to the floor or until you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings.
3. Exhale and drive your hips forward to return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and hamstrings.
4. Maintain a 2-1-1 tempo: 2 seconds to lower, a 1-second pause at the bottom, and 1 second to return to the top.

Form checklist

• Keep your spine neutral from your head to your tailbone; do not let your lower back round.
• Ensure the movement comes from the hips, not by bending at the waist.
• Keep your weight distributed through your heels and mid-foot.
• Avoid tucking your chin; keep your gaze a few feet in front of you on the floor.

Pro tips

• Imagine you are trying to touch a wall behind you with your glutes to maximize the horizontal hinge distance.
• Focus on 'pulling' your torso back up using only your hamstrings and glutes rather than pulling with your lower back muscles.

Make it harder

• Slow down the eccentric phase to 4-5 seconds to increase time under tension.
• Extend your arms straight overhead (Y-position) during the movement to increase the lever arm and demand on the erector spinae.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the standing wide good morning work?

The standing wide good morning primarily targets the erector spinae, glutes, and hamstrings, and also works the abs and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the standing wide good morning?

The standing wide good morning requires no equipment — just your body weight.

Is the standing wide good morning good for beginners?

Yes. The standing wide good morning is a beginner-friendly movement and a strong foundation to build on.

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