The good morning is a hip hinge with the bar on your back instead of in your hands, named for its resemblance to a polite bow. Placing the load at the shoulders creates a long lever against the hamstrings, glutes and spinal erectors - making light weights feel heavy exactly where hinge strength matters. Powerlifters lean on it to fix squats that fold forward and deadlifts that stall at the knee; weightlifters use it to armor the back positions their pulls depend on. Respect it: it rewards moderation and punishes ego faster than almost any lift.
| Level (x Bodyweight) | Men | Women |
|---|---|---|
| beginner | 0.3x | 0.2x |
| novice | 0.5x | 0.35x |
| intermediate | 0.75x | 0.5x |
| advanced | 1.05x | 0.7x |
| elite | 1.3x | 0.9x |
1RM as a multiple of bodyweight.
Start embarrassingly light - the empty bar is a real working weight for weeks. Brace like a heavy squat, push the hips back, and stop the descent where your back's neutrality stops (usually torso 15-45 degrees above parallel; full parallel is advanced). Sets of 6-10 controlled reps; never bounce the bottom. Low-bar placement and a wider stance shift work to the hamstrings. If you feel it in the lumbar instead of the hamstrings, shorten the range and re-check the brace.
Progression: banded good mornings and PVC hinges to groove the pattern, then the empty bar for weeks, then slow 2.5 kg jumps.
Enter your 1RM above to see your training percentages.
Log every result, see your progress over time, and know exactly where you stand.