Good Morning Squat

Muscles worked

Setup

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes slightly pointed outward.
2. Place your hands behind your head in a 'prisoner' position, pulling your elbows back to engage the upper back.
3. Engage your core and maintain a neutral spine with your chest proud.

How to do it

1. Inhale and initiate the movement by hinging at the hips, pushing them back with a minimal knee bend until your torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
2. From the bottom of the hinge, lower your hips down into a deep squat while simultaneously lifting your chest to a more upright position.
3. Exhale and drive through your heels to return to the starting standing position in one fluid, powerful motion.
4. Maintain a controlled tempo, spending roughly 2 seconds on the hinge and 1 second transitioning into the squat.

Form checklist

• Keep your back flat and avoid rounding the lumbar spine during the hinge phase.
• Ensure your knees track in line with your toes and do not cave inward during the squat.
• Keep your weight distributed through your heels and mid-foot, not your toes.
• Maintain a neutral neck position by looking at the floor a few feet in front of you during the hinge.

Pro tips

• Focus on the 'active transition'—feel the tension shift from the hamstrings during the hinge to the glutes and quads as you drop into the squat.
• Keep your elbows pulled back throughout the entire movement to prevent your chest from collapsing and your upper back from rounding.

Make it harder

• Add a 3-second pause at the bottom of the squat phase to increase time under tension and hip stability.
• Perform the movement with your arms extended straight overhead in a 'Y' position to significantly increase the demand on your spinal erectors.

Frequently asked

What muscles does the good morning squat work?

The good morning squat primarily targets the hamstrings, and also works the erector spinae and obliques as secondary muscles.

What equipment do you need for the good morning squat?

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

Is the good morning squat good for beginners?

The good morning squat is rated intermediate. Build a base with simpler variations first, then progress to it with light load and strict form.

Related exercises

• Alternate Hamstring Curl Sky PunchIntermediate · glutes and hamstrings
• Alternate Single Leg Raise PlankIntermediate · abs, deltoids, hamstrings, and obliques
• Alternating Child To Downward Dog To Body RockIntermediate · abs, calves, hamstrings, and lats
• Alternating Hamstring Curl JackIntermediate · abs, glutes, hamstrings, and quadriceps