Barbell Good Morning

Muscles Worked

How to Perform

1. 1

   Stand with feet hip-width apart, bar over mid-foot. Hinge at the hips and grip the bar just outside your shins with straight arms.

2. 2

   Drop your hips until your shins touch the bar, flatten your back, and pull the slack out of the barbell by creating tension before you lift.

3. 3

   Drive through the floor by pressing with your whole foot. Keep the bar close to your body — it should drag up your shins and thighs.

4. 4

   Once the bar passes your knees, drive your hips forward to lockout. Stand tall with your glutes squeezed, shoulders back.

5. 5

   Lower the bar by hinging at the hips first, then bending the knees once the bar clears them. Reset on the floor between reps.

Common Mistakes

• Rounding the lower back, which is the number-one cause of deadlift injuries. If your back rounds, the weight is too heavy or your setup needs work.

• Starting with the bar too far from your body. The bar should be over mid-foot and in contact with your shins at the start.

• Hyperextending at the top by leaning back. Stand tall and squeeze your glutes — you do not need to lean backward.

Pro Tips

• Think "hips back, not down." The RDL and stiff-leg deadlift are hip hinges, not squats. Your hips push straight back like you are closing a car door with your butt.

• Use straps if your grip gives out before your hamstrings. The target muscle should always be the limiting factor, not your forearms.

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