The development of posterior chain and trunk strength is critical to the health and success of all athletes. These muscle groups help stabilize the spine and affect the shoulder, hip, and knee joints. As these muscle groups are trained, athletes experience improvements in strength, speed, and durability. 

At Westside, we are known for our effective approaches to posterior chain training. We can always add posterior chain training to our current plan, whether we employ the max, dynamic, or repeated effort methods. 

The good morning exercise is one of our go-to posterior chain-focused movements. This exercise allows us to mimic a conventional deadlift movement pattern and targets the posterior chain from the calves to the upper back. Additionally, good mornings are a great way to strengthen the trunk and improve an athlete's bracing technique. 

In the gym, good mornings are executed in many different ways. We have our standard good morning exercises, such as bow bar good mornings, cambered bar good mornings, safety squat bar good mornings, and seated good mornings. 

While the standing good morning movements target the upper and lower portions of the posterior chain, the seated good morning exercise focuses on developing the lower, mid, and upper back and trunk. The primary focus is the improvement of spinal erector and trunk strength, with other muscles such as the hip flexors, rhomboids, lats, and mid/lower traps also being involved. 

Below, we will discuss the seated good morning, including tips on introducing this effective posterior chain movement into your current Conjugate Method training plan.

Introduction to the Seated Good Morning

The seated good morning exercise has been used at Westside Barbell for many years. This movement can be programmed as a main movement or primary accessory exercise in various ways. Additionally, we can perform this movement using any of the specialty barbells typically used to execute the good morning exercises. 

What the seated good morning offers that the standing good morning does not is the ability to place specific emphasis on the upper portion of the posterior chain, primarily the spinal erector and trunk muscles. While we utilize the seated good morning as a main exercise, it is also frequently used as a primary accessory exercise for those needing specific upper posterior chain development. 

This exercise has proven its worth over time. It has been a movement in the Westside Barbell exercise catalog for many years and has helped athletes achieve significant lifts in the squat and deadlift. When executed to standard, this movement is one of the best ways to develop upper posterior chain strength. 

Anatomy of the Seated Good Morning

As mentioned, the seated good morning primarily targets the upper posterior chain and trunk muscles. The spinal erectors and trunk muscles are mainly involved, while additional muscles such as the hip flexors, rhomboids, lats, and low/mid traps are also involved. 

These muscle groups play a significant role in athletes' posture during heavy squats or deadlifts. Additionally, the seated good morning will help improve the durability and resilience of the upper posterior chain muscles, reducing wear and tear and lowering injury rates. 

We can also utilize specialty bars to emphasize specific muscles of the upper posterior chain. For instance, we can use the SSB seated good morning to target the mid and upper back or the giant cambered bar to target the lower back and hip flexors. 

How we program the seated good morning and which variation we choose will always depend on the athlete we work with. A coach or athlete must understand how to evaluate exercise performance and identify lagging muscle groups. This will also improve exercise selection and enhance training specificity. 

How to Properly Execute a Seated Good Morning

Exercise execution is critical when performing the seated good morning. Unlike the standing good morning, where both the lower and upper posterior chain muscles come to the rescue if technique is lacking, the seated good morning can quickly result in failure when performed incorrectly. 

Here are the basic steps to ensure you are executing the seated good morning exercise properly:

Step 1: Ensure the Seat and Barbell are Properly Set Up

As we begin the exercise, we first want to ensure we have the training tools we plan to use properly set up. This means having the box or bench set up to allow the athlete to perform the movement properly and the barbell racked at a height that allows the athlete to unrack the barbell without doing a partial rep right off the bat. 

It is important to check that the rack and bench are spaced apart so that the athlete does not crash into the rack as the torso descends onto the bench during the eccentric phase of the movement. This is the primary reason why it is crucial to check your setup before loading a barbell and starting the exercise.

Step 2: Brace and Unrack the Barbell

We can begin the movement once we know the exercise is properly set up. The first step is to get the torso under the barbell, focusing on achieving an optimal trunk brace before we move to unrack the barbell. 

Once we are under the barbell and know the rack and bench positions are ideal, we will brace the trunk and unrack the barbell.

Step 3: Initiate the Eccentric Phase of the Exercise

Once we properly unrack the barbell and achieve an optimal trunk brace, we will begin the movement's eccentric phase. During this phase, we focus on posture and control. We want to ensure the trunk remains braced and the spine posture remains near neutral. 

Of course, some flexion is expected, but we always want to start with and attempt to maintain a near-vertical torso position to reduce the total amount of spinal flexion during the eccentric phase of the movement. 

We do not want to extend the time spent under tension intentionally, but we want to move through the eccentric phase with strict control over the barbell. 

Step 4: Initiate the Concentric Phase of the Exercise 

Once we have completed the eccentric phase of the seated good morning exercise, we will reverse the direction of the barbell and begin the concentric phase. 

The key to initiating the concentric phase is to utilize the trunk and hip flexors to get the barbell out of the hole and then use the remaining upper posterior chain muscles to move through the midpoint and lockout. 

When considering the successful execution of the concentric phase, the trunk and hip flexors initially move the barbell, and the low, mid, and upper back muscles help follow through. 

Step 5: Safely Rack the Barbell

While this is common sense, racking the barbell can be more intricate with a seated good morning versus the standing variations. We want to ensure the hooks are within distance to avoid placing unnecessary stress on the low, mid, or upper back as we rack the barbell.

This is simple advice, but it must be mentioned to alert those new to the exercise about the potential for injury when the barbell is placed back into the rack with improper technique or carelessness. 

No matter the phase of the movement, the most important aspect of the seated good morning is achieving an optimal trunk brace. This is the foundation from which the exercise is executed, and failure to properly brace will result in added stress to the upper posterior chain or injury. 

If you know you struggle with trunk bracing while performing a seated good morning, introduce the exercise as a high-volume repeated effort exercise to practice. 

We recommend performing 3-4 sets of 12-15 reps, using light weights, and focusing on achieving a strict trunk brace. This will also ensure the athlete has the fundamental movement skills to perform the exercise successfully at higher levels of training intensity. 

An athlete's level of success with the seated good morning will all depend on their ability to execute the movement strictly. 

Adding the Seated Good Morning into Your Training Plan

At Westside, the seated good morning is primarily used as a main movement or a primary accessory exercise. However, it can also be performed at increased training volume. Ultimately, how the exercise is programmed will depend on the sport, training goals, and the athlete's identified weaknesses. 

Here are the standard seated good morning variations:

Mid Back Focus

SSB Seated Good Morning

Barbell Seated Good Morning

Bow Bar Seated Good Morning

Low Back Focus

Giant Cambered Bar Seated Good Morning

We can also add in further exercise variation by utilizing accommodating resistance or performing the variations using the Anderson style, which removes the eccentric phase of the movement. 

The set and repetition schemes will all depend on the intention of the training. If we want to focus on absolute strength development, we will work up to a top set of 3-5 reps, around 85-90% intensity. If the idea is strength and muscular development, we can perform 3-5 sets of 5-8 reps, with the exercise being programmed as a primary accessory exercise.

We can also improve upper posterior chain work capacity by programming the seated good morning as a secondary accessory exercise. When this is done, we will perform 3-4 sets of 10-12, 12-15, or 15-20 repetitions. This option can be useful for athletes with lower back work capacity issues or returning from a lower back injury. 

As always, the training weights used during accessory exercises will be based on the set and rep parameters. Ideally, athletes should use the heaviest training weight possible while remaining capable of executing all prescribed sets and reps with optimal technique. 

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How do seated good mornings differ from standard good mornings?

A: The seated good morning specifically targets the upper posterior chain, while the standard good morning targets the entire posterior chain. 

Q: What are common mistakes to avoid when performing seated good mornings?

A: We want to avoid poor bracing technique, improper unrack/re-rack, and improper training weight selection. 

Q: Is the seated good morning a good way to develop trunk strength?

A: Given the demand placed on the trunk muscles, the seated good morning can help improve trunk strength and bracing. 

Q: Are seated good mornings suitable for athletes with a lower-body injury?

A: Yes, the seated good morning is a good way for athletes to avoid upper posterior chain detraining when dealing with a lower-body injury. 

Q: Which seated good morning variations are most commonly executed at Westside Barbell?

A: In the gym, our go-to seated good morning variations are SSB, giant cambered, and bow bar seated good mornings. 

Execution is Everything

The seated good morning is undoubtedly an effective exercise for developing the upper posterior chain and trunk strength. This exercise can be utilized in various ways to bring about specific adaptations to improve squat and deadlift performance. Additionally, this movement is a great way to improve lower and mid-back work capacity.

However, an athlete's success with this exercise depends on their ability to execute it properly. Without proper execution, the effectiveness of the seated good morning is significantly reduced, and the risk of injury increases. 

We advise athletes to pay attention to the steps listed in this article and focus on dialing in each aspect of the exercise. If an athlete wants to yield the most significant benefit from the seated good morning, each step must be executed to standard each rep. When this is done, the seated good morning can help rapidly improve the upper posterior chain and trunk strength.

We cannot stress enough the importance of execution. If you are new to the seated good morning, start with lighter weight and higher volume. Take the time to develop optimal movement patterns with each specialty barbell. Just because you are proficient with a giant cambered seated good morning does not mean you are prepared for the SSB seated good morning. 

As movement quality improves, we can begin increasing the intensity of the exercise. If this simple strategy is followed and the exercise steps are correctly executed, the seated good morning will yield positive training adaptations for any athlete. 

Sources:

Simmons, L. (2007). Westside Barbell Book of Methods. Westside Barbell.