How to Do the Barbell Good Morning
Intermediate legs exercise with barbell.
The Barbell Good Morning is an intermediate-level legs exercise that works several muscles together, led by the hamstrings, using barbell. As a compound movement it lets you handle heavier loads and trains coordination across multiple joints, which makes it a strong anchor for a training day. It slots into most gym setups, and SSS Workout Assistant will program it automatically when it fits your goal and available equipment.
Exercise details
- Muscle group
- Legs
- Primary muscle
- Hamstrings
- Equipment
- Barbell
- Difficulty
- Intermediate
- Type
- Compound
How to perform it
- 1Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart and the barbell resting on your upper back.
- 2Keeping your back straight and your core engaged, hinge forward at the hips, pushing your buttocks back as if you were trying to touch the wall behind you with your glutes.
- 3Lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
- 4Pause for a moment, then return to the starting position by squeezing your glutes and pushing your hips forward.
- 5Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
How to program the Barbell Good Morning
- Do the Barbell Good Morning early in your session while you're fresh — compound lifts deserve your best energy.
- Warm up with one or two lighter sets before your working sets to prime the movement.
- As a compound lift, 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps builds strength, while 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps favours muscle growth. Rest 90–180 seconds between sets so you can move quality load.
- To progress, add a small amount of load only after you can hit the top of your rep range with clean form.
Barbell Good Morning alternatives
No barbell? These train the same hamstrings, grouped by what you have available.
Dumbbell or kettlebell
Easier and harder variations
The Barbell Good Morning is rated intermediate. Regress while you build the pattern, progress once it feels easy.
Easier — build up to it
Harder — progress from it
What to pair it with
For a balanced session, pair the Barbell Good Morning with a move for the opposing muscles — the Barbell Front Squat (quadriceps) or the Barbell Full Squat (quadriceps). Alternating the two as a superset saves time, because one side rests while the other works.
Where it fits in your weekly plan
When the free routine generator builds your week, the Barbell Good Morning can land on:
- Full Body days — in 1–2 days a week plans
- Legs days — in 3, 5 or 6 days a week plans
- Lower Body days — in 4 or 5 days a week plans
Included when your equipment is set to: Full gym.
Free tools for this exercise
Put it in your plan
SSS Workout Assistant builds a custom weekly routine around your goals and adds moves like the Barbell Good Morning automatically — then tracks every set.
Build my free planFrequently asked questions
What muscles does the Barbell Good Morning work?
The Barbell Good Morning primarily targets the hamstrings within the legs muscle group, and recruits several supporting muscles as a compound movement.
What equipment do I need for the Barbell Good Morning?
You need barbell to perform the Barbell Good Morning.
Is the Barbell Good Morning a compound or isolation exercise?
The Barbell Good Morning is a compound exercise, working multiple joints and muscle groups at once. It's well suited to intermediate trainees.
How many sets and reps of the Barbell Good Morning should I do?
As a compound lift, 3–5 sets of 5–8 reps builds strength, while 3–4 sets of 8–12 reps favours muscle growth. Rest 90–180 seconds between sets so you can move quality load.
Is the Barbell Good Morning good for beginners?
The Barbell Good Morning is rated intermediate. Beginners can work toward it by mastering easier variations first and prioritising form over load before adding weight or reps.
What can I do instead of the Barbell Good Morning?
Good substitutes that train the same hamstrings include the Glute-ham Raise (bodyweight), the Nordic Hamstring Curl (bodyweight), the Dumbbell Stiff Leg Deadlift (dumbbell). Pick the one that matches the equipment you have.
Can I do the Barbell Good Morning at home?
It's usually done in a gym because it needs barbell. At home, substitute a dumbbell or bodyweight variation that trains the same legs.
