Stiff Leg Barbell Good Morning

What it is

This compound strength exercise involves hinging at your hips with a barbell positioned across your upper back. It primarily targets your lower back (erector spinae), strengthening the muscles responsible for spinal extension. You will also feel significant engagement in your glutes and hamstrings as you lower and raise your torso. This movement is excellent for developing a strong and stable posterior chain.

Technique tips

• Set the barbell securely in a squat rack at shoulder height for safe lift-off.
• Initiate the movement by pushing your hips back, keeping a slight bend in your knees.
• Maintain a neutral spine throughout the entire range of motion, keeping your head aligned.
• Lower your torso to parallel with the floor, feeling a deep hamstring stretch.
• Inhale as you hinge forward; exhale forcefully to return to the upright position.

How to track your progress

Log the weight and reps of each set. Straddly turns every set into an estimated one-rep max, so a heavier single and a strong set of eight both count as progress, and it flags a personal record the moment you beat your best.