Legs
Goblet Squat to Good Morning
A goblet squat followed by a good morning hinge, with the dumbbell held at your chest for both. The squat works your quads and glutes, and the good morning works your hamstrings, glutes and lower back.
- Works
- Quads, glutes, hamstrings, lower back, core
- Equipment
- One dumbbell held at your chest
- Load
- Medium
How to do it
- 1Stand with your feet about shoulder width apart, holding one dumbbell upright against your chest with both hands.
- 2Squat down, chest up and elbows inside your knees, then drive back up to standing.
- 3Keep the dumbbell at your chest. Soften your knees and push your hips back, tipping your chest toward the floor with a flat back until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
- 4Drive your hips forward to stand tall. That's 1 rep.
Cues
- Squat goes down, good morning goes back.
- The dumbbell stays tight to your chest for both moves.
- Hinge only as far as your back stays flat.
Common mistakes
- Rounding your back in the good morning. Stop where your back is still flat, even if that's not very far. Depth comes with time.
- Letting the dumbbell drift away from your chest. Hold it tight against you. The further it moves out, the harder it pulls on your lower back.
- Squatting the good morning. Keep a soft bend in your knees and send your hips back, not down.
Easier
Go lighter, or make the good morning a small hinge until it feels natural.
Harder
Take 3 seconds on the way down in both moves, and pause for 1 second at the bottom of the squat.
Try it: 3 sets of 8 to 12 reps, or 30 seconds on and 30 off.
What is a good morning exercise?
It's a hip hinge: you push your hips back and tip your chest forward with a flat back, then stand up. It works your hamstrings, glutes and lower back. With a dumbbell at your chest, it's a good way to learn the move.
