Seated Good Morning Exercise: Tips , Benefits And Alternatives [2024]

Discover the ultimate guide to seated good mornings, complete with proper form, techniques, variations, and numerous benefits for your lower back and overall fitness. Learn how to perform the movement correctly and avoid common mistakes, as well as progressions to keep challenging yourself. Improve your workout routine with this useful exercise and take the first step toward a stronger, healthier you.

Seated good mornings are an excellent exercise for strengthening the lower back and posterior chain. This guide will review proper form, benefits, variations, and programming for incorporating seated good mornings into your training regimen.

Proper form

When performing seated good mornings, keep your spine neutral throughout the movement. Begin by sitting on a bench or box, feet flat on the floor and back against the bench. Hold the barbell or dumbbells just above your shoulders, elbows pointing forward.

As you start the movement, hinge at the hips and keep your back straight. Lower your torso to almost parallel to the floor, keeping your weight on your midfoot. Pause momentarily before driving through your heels to return to the starting position.

It is critical to avoid rounding your lower back or raising your head during the movement. Instead, focus on keeping your core engaged and your spine neutral.

How To Do Seated Good Mornings Exercise

Here’s a step-by-step guide for properly executing the movement:

1. Begin by sitting on a bench or box, feet flat on the floor and back against the bench.
2. Hold the barbell or dumbbells just above your shoulders, elbows pointing forward.
3. As you start the movement, hinge at the hips and keep your back straight.
4. Lower your torso to almost parallel to the floor, keeping your weight on your midfoot.
5. Pause for a moment before driving through your heels to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat the movement for the desired number of reps, keeping proper form throughout.NOTE: Maintain a neutral spine throughout the movement, and avoid rounding the lower back or lifting the head. Keep your core engaged and your spine neutral. Begin with a lightweight and work on proper form before increasing the weight. Before starting any new exercise program, consult with a certified professional.
   

   Benefits

   Seated good mornings are an excellent exercise for strengthening the lower back and posterior chain. The movement focuses on the erector spine, glutes, and hamstrings, all of which are essential muscle groups for maintaining proper posture and avoiding injury.

   • The erector spinae, in particular, runs the length of the spine and is in charge of ensuring proper spinal alignment and preventing lower back injuries. Sitting good mornings, which target this muscle group, can help to improve posture, reduce lower back pain, and prevent injury.
   • In addition to strengthening the lower back and posterior chain, seated good mornings can help to improve overall athletic performance. The movement requires a high level of core and hip stability, which can be transferred to other exercises like deadlifts, squats, and Olympic lifting. This can result in increased power, speed, and agility for athletes and fitness enthusiasts.
   • Furthermore, seated good mornings can help to improve flexibility in the hips and lower back, lowering the risk of injury during other exercises. This flexibility can help to improve the hip range of motion, which is especially useful for people who spend a lot of time sitting or working sedentary jobs.
   • Finally, seated good mornings can be an effective calorie-burning exercise. Because the movement targets multiple muscle groups, it can burn more calories than other isolation exercises, which can aid in improving overall body composition and weight loss efforts.

   The seated good mornings are an effective exercise for increasing lower back and posterior chain strength, improving flexibility and injury prevention, as well as improving athletic performance and calorie expenditure. Including this exercise in your training regimen can help you improve your overall fitness and performance.

   Variations

   • Seated Good Morning With a Band: To add resistance to the movement, attach a band to the barbell or dumbbells and wrap it around a solid object behind you.
   • Seated Good Morning With a Swiss Ball: Rather than sitting on a bench or box, you can do the exercise while seated on a Swiss ball. This variation can help to boost core engagement and balance.
   • Seated Good Morning With Dumbbells: Using dumbbells instead of a barbell provides a wider range of motion and can help target muscle groups in the lower back and posterior chain more effectively.

   Alternatives

   

   While seated good mornings are an excellent exercise for building strength in the lower back and posterior chain, several other exercises can be used to target these muscle groups in unique ways.

   • Deadlifts: A compound exercise that works the lower back, glutes, and hamstrings. The movement is similar to that of seated good mornings but with a wider range of motion and heavier weight. Deadlifts can be done with a barbell, dumbbells, or kettlebells, and they are an excellent choice for people looking to improve their overall lower body strength.
   • Stiff-Legged Deadlifts: Like traditional deadlifts, stiff-legged deadlifts work the lower back and glutes. The exercise is done with a barbell or dumbbell, with the individual keeping a slight bend in the knees and hinging forward at the hips. This variation can help to strengthen the lower back and glutes while also stretching the hamstrings.
   • Glute Bridge: This exercise targets the glutes and hamstrings while also activating the lower back muscles, similar to seated good mornings. The movement is performed by lying on one’s back and lifting the hips towards the ceiling, driving the movement with the glutes and hamstrings. This exercise can be modified by adding weight and/or a band for extra resistance.
   • Superman: This exercise works the lower back by lying face down on the floor and raising your arms and legs off the ground. This exercise can be modified by adding weight or a band to increase resistance.
   • Reverse Hyperextensions: This exercise works the lower back by lying face down on a reverse hyperextension machine and lifting the legs off the ground with your lower back muscles.

   By combining these alternatives with seated good mornings, you can effectively target the lower back and posterior chain muscle groups in new ways while also challenging yourself to improve your overall fitness and performance.

   Programming

   When incorporating seated good mornings into your training routine, begin with a light weight and work on proper form before increasing the weight. A good place to start is with three sets of eight to twelve reps, using a weight you can comfortably lift for the desired number of reps.

   As you become more comfortable with the movement, you can gradually increase the weight and number of sets and reps. It’s also a good idea to incorporate exercise variations, such as band or Swiss ball variations, to help target different muscle groups.

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   To summarize, seated good mornings are an effective exercise for strengthening the lower back and posterior chain, increasing flexibility, and preventing injury. Including this exercise in your training routine can enhance your overall fitness and performance.

   Common Mistakes

   When performing seated good mornings, it is critical to avoid some common mistakes to avoid injury and achieve the best results.

   • Rounding the lower back: Is one of the most common mistakes made during seated good mornings. It is critical to keep your spine neutral throughout the movement to avoid injury and ensure that you are targeting the correct muscles.
   • Lifting the head: Keeping your head in a neutral position throughout the movement will help you maintain good form and avoid injury.
   • Going too heavy: Beginning with too much weight can result in poor form and injury. It is critical to begin with a light weight and focus on proper form before increasing the weight.

   Progressions

   As you become more comfortable with the movement and your strength improves, there are several progressions you can take to keep pushing yourself and getting results.

   • Increase weight: As your strength improves, you can gradually increase the weight you use to keep challenging yourself.
   • Increase reps: Increasing the number of reps you do in each set can help you increase the intensity of the exercise and challenge yourself further.
   • Add pauses: Adding a pause at the bottom of the movement can help to increase the time under tension and challenge the muscle groups being worked.
   • Add a resistance band: Including a resistance band in the movement can help to increase the intensity and target the lower back and posterior chain muscle groups.

   Conclusion

   Seated good mornings are an excellent exercise for strengthening the lower back and posterior chain. By focusing on proper form, incorporating variations, and progressing, you can effectively target these muscle groups while also improving your overall fitness and performance. Remember to start with a light weight focus on proper form before increasing the weight, and stay aware of common mistakes to avoid injury. With consistent practice and progression, you will be able to outperform the article you provided.