The Best Barbell Exercise You Are Probably Not Doing...

If you want to build a stronger posterior chain—your hamstrings, glutes, and lower back—there’s one underrated exercise I recommend every lifter try:

👉 The Barbell Good Morning

Think of it as the barbell cousin of the Romanian Deadlift. It’s simple, effective, and one of the best movements to strengthen your deadlift while keeping your back resilient.

💡 How To Do It (Step by Step)

1. Set the barbell across your upper back (like a back squat).

2. Take a deep breath, brace your core, and keep your ribs down.

3. With a slight bend in your knees, push your hips back—hinge!

4. Lower your torso until you feel that deep stretch in your hamstrings/glutes.

5. Drive your hips forward and return to standing tall.

⚠️ Safety Tips

• Start light (an empty barbell is plenty when you’re learning).

• Keep your back flat—no rounding.

• Stay braced and controlled throughout the movement.

• Don’t dive forward or bounce out of the bottom.

Why I love this lift: it builds raw strength, improves deadlift performance, and helps bulletproof your lower back and posterior chain against injuries.

I’ve coached women of all ages and strength levels through this movement—while everyone’s form looks slightly different (mobility, strength, and body type matter), the fundamentals stay the same.

Check out the video below featuring some of my clients of different ages and body types doing the Barbell Good Morning.

If you’re not doing barbell good mornings, I highly recommend adding them to your training toolbox.

Stay strong,
—Coach Rob

P.S. If you want full programming that includes barbell, dumbbell, and kettlebell exercises like this, you can grab a free trial of the WWLW App here 👉 www.WWLW.app