The Kettlebell Good Morning exercise is great for warming up prior to your workout or as a mobility exercise or an active recovery exercise during your workout.
The Kettlebell Good Morning predominantly works the Hamstrings that are responsible for hip extension and hip hinging.
Watch a video of the Kettlebell Good Morning exercise below:
I like to use the Good Morning as a warm up exercise but also as a way of teaching my clients how to correctly hinge at the hips without bending at the lower spine.
If you watch the video above you will notice how the lower back is kept flat.
Keeping a flat back is vital in this position especially if you are going to load the upper back with a kettlebell.
Caution: Always ensure you can perform a perfect Good Morning without a Kettlebell before adding a load to the upper back.
Always start off light and add weight gradually.
This is not an exercise that is intended to be performed with heavy weight.
It is a warm up and mobility exercise not a big kettlebell strengthening exercise.
Teaching Points for the Kettlebell Good Morning
Holding the Kettlebell by the horns take the kettlebell over one shoulder so it rests comfortably between the shoulder blades.
It should not be digging into the spine.
Keep the elbows nice and close together.
Keeping the chest up hinge at the hips pushing the buttocks backwards and weight on your heels.
Knees can bend slightly.
Keep the lower back flat and chest up throughout the movement.
Go down as far as you can without compromising your technique.
You will find that the more flexibility you have in your hamstrings and hips the deeper you will be able to go.
It depends on what you are used to Felix. The weight should enable you to complete all the reps with good technique but not at 100% only around 60-70%.
How to prevent ‘digging into spine’?
Drop it down between your shoulder blades Justin. Maybe you have a very round kettlebell?
I was wondering can I try this with 16 kg kettlebell? You said don’t do this with heavy weights.
It depends on what you are used to Felix. The weight should enable you to complete all the reps with good technique but not at 100% only around 60-70%.