Smith Machine Good Morning

How to Perform the Smith Machine Good Morning

Set the Smith Machine bar at upper back height and position it across your rear deltoids and upper traps, similar to a low bar squat position.
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and a slight bend in your knees, then unrack the bar.
Brace your core and maintain a neutral spine with your chest up and shoulders retracted.
Hinge at the hips by pushing them backward, allowing your torso to lean forward while keeping your back flat.
Continue the hinge until your torso is approximately parallel to the floor or you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings.
Pause briefly at the bottom, then drive your hips forward forcefully to return to the starting position.
Squeeze your glutes at the top and repeat for the prescribed number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes to Avoid

Rounding the lower back during the hinge

Maintain a neutral spine throughout; if your back rounds, you have gone too deep or the weight is too heavy.

Bending the knees excessively, turning it into a squat

Keep only a slight, fixed bend in the knees; the movement should come from the hips, not the knees.

Going too heavy too soon

Start with a light weight to master the hip hinge pattern before progressively adding load.

Muscles Worked

Hamstrings (primary)Glutes (secondary)Back (secondary)

Benefits

✓Strengthens the entire posterior chain including the hamstrings, glutes, and spinal erectors
✓Improves hip hinge mechanics that transfer to deadlifts and other pulling movements
✓The Smith Machine provides a safety net for learning the movement pattern

Pro Tips

●Think about pushing your hips back toward the wall behind you rather than bending your torso forward.
●Keep the bar positioned on your rear delts, not high on your neck, for better leverage and comfort.
●This exercise is excellent as an accessory movement after squats or deadlifts.

Variations

Good Morning

Recommended Sets & Reps

Strength

4-5 sets of 5-6 reps at 75-85% effort

Hypertrophy

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps at 60-70% effort

Endurance

2-3 sets of 15-20 reps at 40-50% effort

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