The standing bend (good morning) is performed with a barbell racked across the upper back, similar to the squat. It primarily strengthens the hamstrings, glutes, and lower back, and is commonly used as accessory work to support the deadlift.
Technique: with the bar racked on the upper back as in the squat, the lifter takes a stable stance, keeps the knees softly bent throughout, and hinges forward at the hips while maintaining a neutral spine, lowering the torso only as far as that neutral position can be controlled. The movement is reversed by driving the hips forward to return to standing, rather than pulling with the lower back.
Common technical errors: rounding the lower back to reach further forward than hip mobility allows; bending the knees too much, turning the movement into more of a squat; trying to hinge to a fixed depth (such as parallel to the floor) regardless of mobility, instead of stopping where a neutral spine can still be maintained; and using a weight too heavy to control the descent, which increases the temptation to round the back.
Technique: with the bar racked on the upper back as in the squat, the lifter takes a stable stance, keeps the knees softly bent throughout, and hinges forward at the hips while maintaining a neutral spine, lowering the torso only as far as that neutral position can be controlled. The movement is reversed by driving the hips forward to return to standing, rather than pulling with the lower back.
Common technical errors: rounding the lower back to reach further forward than hip mobility allows; bending the knees too much, turning the movement into more of a squat; trying to hinge to a fixed depth (such as parallel to the floor) regardless of mobility, instead of stopping where a neutral spine can still be maintained; and using a weight too heavy to control the descent, which increases the temptation to round the back.