Good Morning

[The Ace]

Hey, guys I've just started BB and trying to form a workout. I was reading up and foung the good morning exercise. It's the one where you hold a bellbar on you're shoulders, feet shoulder width apart and bend forward so you're upper body is 90 degrees to you're legs. But I also read somewhere that it's bad for the back is this true? Or could I do just a few of them?

[SuffolkPunch]

It exercises the lower back.

It's only bad if you already have a lower back condition and/or overdo it

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/exer...on=&order=Name

[Dominik]

Hey, guys I've just started BB and trying to form a workout. I was reading up and foung the good morning exercise. It's the one where you hold a bellbar on you're shoulders, feet shoulder width apart and bend forward so you're upper body is 90 degrees to you're legs. But I also read somewhere that it's bad for the back is this true? Or could I do just a few of them?

You'll get some different opinions on this, but IMO I think you should steer clear of them as a beginner. If you want to work your lower back, consider doing some body weight back extensions. Gradually work up to adding some weight.

Later on when you feel like you've built up a solid foundation of muscle, you might want to consider them but always proceed carefully and do your homework first. Lower back injuries are common, and it's something you do not want to be dealing with, especially when starting out.

[martomic]

Honestly I would just use the bar with no weight on it and a high number of sets for the first few times. When you do it make sure you form is perfect, if you don't you will get hurt. Think of sticking your butt backwords more than bending down.

[The Ace]

Thanks guys, I think I'll give the back extensions a go first for a few workouts and see how I feel, and then decide to move up to good morning (or maybe even low weight Deadlifts) or stay with back exstentions.

[Dominik]

Thanks guys, I think I'll give the back extensions a go first for a few workouts and see how I feel, and then decide to move up to good morning or stay with back exstentions.

The reason I'd recommend them is less can go wrong. Go down, go up. With GMs, form is much more of a issue and there are several variations. You can easily screw up your back on them, especially when you're starting out. From a bodybuilding perspective it's simply not worth the risk at this stage IMO.

[2XL]

You'll get some different opinions on this, but IMO I think you should steer clear of them as a beginner. If you want to work your lower back, consider doing some body weight back extensions. Gradually work up to adding some weight.

Later on when you feel like you've built up a solid foundation of muscle, you might want to consider them but always proceed carefully and do your homework first. Lower back injuries are common, and it's something you do not want to be dealing with, especially when starting out.

^agreed, i'd go for the back extensions first, but there's probably not any harm in doing good mornings with low weight.

[dbcb314]

As a beginner, unless you have someone telling you exactly how to do them... don't do them.

Great exercise, but something you don't wanna mess around with if your form is off.

[Tyciol]

The good morning works the lower back (extensors) in a static position, and actively relies largely upon the hamstring muscles. Basically a stiff-legged deadlift with the bar on your back like a squat.

Funny that with all the variable ways of doing deadlifts, most people only think of one kind of good morning. You could probably do just as many, going to various depths and various amounts of knee flexion. It might get confusing because at a certain point the good morning would turn into a squat, the only difference is that the bar is sometimes placed a bit different on the back.