Good Morning — Romanian Deadlift Alternative
The good morning places a barbell across your upper back and requires you to hinge at the hips until your torso is roughly parallel to the floor, then return to standing. It deeply stretches and loads the hamstrings and glutes while building tremendous posterior chain and lower back strength. Respect the movement — start light and master the form.
How to Perform
- Set up with a barbell on your upper back as you would for a squat, with feet hip-width apart.
- Brace your core hard, then hinge at the hips by pushing them straight back, keeping a slight knee bend.
- Lower your torso until it's roughly parallel to the floor (or until you feel a strong hamstring stretch).
- Reverse the movement by driving your hips forward, squeezing your glutes at the top to stand tall.
How It Compares to Romanian Deadlift
Both exercises are hip hinges targeting the hamstrings and glutes, but the loading positions differ significantly. The RDL holds weight in the hands (grip-limited), while the good morning places it on the back (eliminating grip fatigue). Good mornings provide a deeper stretch through the hamstrings and place more demand on the lower back extensors. They're generally done lighter than RDLs and require more technical proficiency. Use good mornings as a complementary exercise rather than a direct replacement.
Equipment & Muscles
- + Isolates hamstrings perfectly
- + Teaches hip hinge
- + Builds lower back strength
- + No grip fatigue
- - Risky if done wrong
- - Requires good mobility
- - Uncomfortable bar position