Barbell Stiff Leg Good Morning

How to do the Barbell Stiff Leg Good Morning

1. 1Set a barbell in a rack at upper-chest height and load it. Step under the bar so it rests across your upper traps, not your neck.
2. 2Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, unrack it, and step back into a stance roughly hip-to-shoulder-width apart.
3. 3Brace your core, pull your shoulder blades back, and keep your knees only very slightly bent so your legs stay near straight throughout.
4. 4Hinge at your hips, pushing your glutes back and lowering your torso toward parallel with the floor while keeping your back flat.
5. 5Lower only as far as you can without rounding your lower back or losing the stretch in your hamstrings.
6. 6Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to stand back up to a tall, upright position.
7. 7Complete your reps with control, then step forward and re-rack the bar safely.

Form tips

• Lead the descent with your hips moving backward, not by bending your waist, so the load stays on your hamstrings and glutes.
• Keep your spine neutral and your chest proud the whole time; the bar should feel locked against your upper back.
• Use a light-to-moderate load and a controlled tempo, since the near-straight legs put a long stretch on the hamstrings and lower back.
• Train inside a power rack with the safety pins set just below your bottom position, or use a spotter, so you can bail safely on a heavy set.

Common mistakes

• Rounding the lower back under load, which shifts strain off the muscles and onto the spine and risks injury.
• Bending the knees too much, which turns the movement into a squat and removes tension from the hamstrings.
• Going too heavy too soon, which causes form to break down on a lift that demands a long, controlled stretch.
• Dropping the torso below the point where you can keep a flat back, sacrificing spinal position for range of motion.

Frequently asked questions