I’d like to hear from some of you guys experienced with this exercises. I have only tried it like once or twice and found it extremely uncomfortable. You just put the bar on your back and then keep your back arched and bend at the waist correct?
I’m wondering if I may be missing out on some lower back development in not doing these. For instance, I just started recently deadlifting in the past 2 months and have already added quite a bit of thickness that I was missing out on before. Are goodmornings one of those crucial exercises as well? Any thoughts?
I don’t know really in terms of adding BB muscle, I use them as an assistance exercise. I think of pushing the hips back, rather than bending at the waist.
While I’m not anywhere near the level of some here, I’ve done a shitload of GMs in the past and I have to say they’re pretty damn good when it comes to building strength in the lower back, glutes, hips and hams.
I did them in a fairly loose style; back straight, legs bent, huge bellyful of air, stick your ass out until you feel a stretch and then push your hips forward. I liked to think of it as humping the air. Remember all action takes place at the hips, NOT the back.
It’s definitely an exercise that demands your FULL attention. You may be able to daydream your way through sets of curls or even squats and deads, but fuck around with a few hundred pounds on your lower spine and be ready to feel the pain the next day.
If done with a strict stiff-legged style for 8-12 reps you’ll torch your hams (imo the hardest muscle to “feel” working) like never before. Do 'em after your quad work and don’t expect to be walking anywhere the next day.
HOWEVER: if you elect to do them in a strict, bodybuilding-type style, be VERY conservative with your weights. Even 225 may be too much at first. If you do 'em like me or the powerlifters do, a guy with your strength base can expect to work into the 3-400 range for reps fairly quickly.
Not a lot of guys do them (I know prisoner in particular doesn’t like them) and if they don’t agree with you, drop them for a GHR or stiff leg deads or something. I myself like 'em a lot, and I know they’ve helped my squat out (pitiful as it is).
What does it take to disprove the assertion that “structural injury will strike” ?
I suppose 16 years of no such thing happening to me will not be accepted as showing that the “will strike” claim is too strong. I assume you will assert that it still “will strike” me, or do you think that is not something you can assume or claim?
Apparently it never happening to, say, Arnold or Franco (or very many other names we could come up with) also isn’t sufficient for you. But I guess you could say they didn’t do deadlifts for enough years.
Does it take an individual having done them for 50 years with no resulting structural injury? (I wouldn’t be surprised if say John Grimek did.) Or would you still have it that it “will” strike and if it seems not to have, it is only because the person inconveniently died too soon?
[quote]Bill Roberts wrote:
What does it take to disprove the assertion that “structural injury will strike” ?
I suppose 16 years of no such thing happening to me will not be accepted as showing that the “will strike” claim is too strong. I assume you will assert that it still “will strike” me, or do you think that is not something you can assume or claim?
Apparently it never happening to, say, Arnold or Franco (or very many other names we could come up with) also isn’t sufficient for you. But I guess you could say they didn’t do deadlifts for enough years.
Does it take an individual having done them for 50 years with no resulting structural injury? (I wouldn’t be surprised if say John Grimek did.) Or would you still have it that it “will” strike and if it seems not to have, it is only because the person inconveniently died too soon?[/quote]
Hey, Bill, a question if I may… I love GM’s, but doing them stiff-legged put a lot of strain on my knees. I switched to a knees-relaxed stance, but now this thread is making me think about how I don’t feel my hams like I used to this way. Since you’ve been in the iron game for so long, do you have any suggestions on how to combat this?
[quote]G87 wrote:
Hey, Bill, a question if I may… I love GM’s, but doing them stiff-legged put a lot of strain on my knees. I switched to a knees-relaxed stance, but now this thread is making me think about how I don’t feel my hams like I used to this way. Since you’ve been in the iron game for so long, do you have any suggestions on how to combat this?
G
[/quote]
I don’t know that it would solve the problem for you but while the knees shouldn’t be locked, they need not be greatly bent either.
When there’s a proper degree of pushing the hips back, the knees don’t have to be straight for there to be good tension and stretch on the hamstrings.
Practicing with Romanians may help: see how HIGH (at the lowest point) you can have the bar while feeling a lot of stretch on the hamstrings yet with the knees bent just a little.
The same kind of form with regard to pushing the butt back and keeping the back arched is good for GM’s as well.
I think it is a great assitance exercise for improving your squat. As most people even with good form will do a slight good morning at the bottom of the squat, it can hold you back from lifting as much weight. So good for that application IMO…
As a body building movement though (which I don’t know a lot about), I would guess the same holds true. But I don’t think you’ll be missing out on back development. You could try weighted back extensions instead? Which would help your DL too.
This is a fine exercise without much weight I can see. But, in terms of application to a bodybuilder, I just don’t see the value. Once you get to high enough weight, it feels less and less safe (yes with correct form) until I realize how hard it is to progress on those. Since progression is key, I wouldn’t bother.
[quote]Iron Dwarf wrote:
They suck. They generally put you in a leverage disadvantage. There are much better exercises to hit the areas GMs are often prescribed for.
IMHO.[/quote]
I know of a couple hundred gorillas in central Ohio who beg to differ.
Good Mornings are excellent for the posterior chain! For one, I don’t think people go heavy enough on them. Also, using a rather wide stance really helped strengthen, but especially add mass to my hammies. The only snaggaboo is figuring out how to incorporate them with squats and DLs and not destroy your lower back. I usually rotate every few weeks.
I used to do both good mornings and romanian deadlifts, but my chiropractor recommended against it because of what it can do to your neck and spine (especially good mornings, which require bending the spine and neck further).
It’s been a couple years since doing either, and my legs have continued to get stronger. I don’t think they add much value, to be honest.