Hamstrings
Band Good Morning
The Band Good Morning is a strength exercise with a resistance band for your hamstrings. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: spinal erectors (lower back) 24%, gluteus maximus 21% and hamstrings (biceps femoris) 21%.
Also known as: banded good morning
How to do it
- Stand on the middle of a loop band with the feet hip-width.
- Loop the other end over the back of your neck and upper back, holding it at the shoulders.
- Unlock the knees slightly and brace the core.
- Hinge forward from the hips with a flat back until the torso is nearly parallel to the floor.
- Drive the hips forward to stand up tall against the band.
Tips
- Keep the knees soft but fixed, the hips do all the moving.
- Squeeze the glutes hard at the top where the band is tightest.
Common mistakes
- Rounding the back as you fold forward.
- Bending the knees deeply and squatting.
- Letting the band pull the head down.
Muscles worked by the Band Good Morning
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
The bar on the back makes the lever longer for the spine (Vigotsky 2015). Hinging at the hips with nearly straight knees loads the hamstrings in a long position together with the glutes; the erectors hold the spine neutral.
Band Good Morning alternatives
Same equipment
Different equipment
No equipment
Make it harder
Similar exercises
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Band Good Morning work?
Mainly the spinal erectors (lower back), gluteus maximus, hamstrings (biceps femoris) and hamstrings (semitendinosus/-membranosus). The adductors assist.
Is the Band Good Morning good for beginners?
Yes. The Band Good Morning is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Band Good Morning?
For example the Cable Good Morning, Dumbbell Good Morning and Good Morning. They train mostly the same muscles, some with different equipment.
How do you make the Band Good Morning harder?
Add weight or reps, or move on to the Cable Good Morning and Dumbbell Good Morning.
Sources
- Bourne et al. 2017, Br J Sports Med 51(13):1021-1028 (hamstring exercise selection)
- Vigotsky et al. 2015, PeerJ 3:e708 (good morning)
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