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Exercises

Good morning alternatives: the same hinge without the bar on your back

Published October 23, 2026

The closest good morning alternative is the Romanian deadlift: the same hip hinge and hamstring stretch, with the bar in your hands instead of across your back, so it is easier on your shoulders and simpler to learn. To keep the weight high on your body like a good morning, hold dumbbells at your shoulders or a kettlebell at your chest. If your lower back is the problem, a 45-degree back extension or cable pull-through trains the same hinge with far less load on your spine, and with only a band, do band good mornings.

What a good morning alternative has to replace

Hamstrings and lower back, bar on your back

Good Morning

Hamstrings, Glutes

With the bar high on your back, a light weight loads your hamstrings and lower back hard through a deep hinge. That high, hard-to-hold load is what makes it useful and what makes lifters look for a swap.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet roughly hip width, knees slightly bent, and lace your fingers behind your head.
  2. Push your hips back and lower your chest toward the floor, keeping your back flat, until you feel a strong pull in your hamstrings.
  3. Push your hips through to stand up again.
  4. Once the hinge feels smooth, load it: set a bar across your upper back as for a squat, step out of the rack and do the same movement.

Cues

  • Hips back, not chest down
  • Back flat the whole way
  • Soft knees, fixed

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your lower back to reach further: stop each rep where your back would start to bend.
  • Turning it into a squat by bending your knees more as you go down: keep the knee bend the same throughout.

The good morning trains your hamstrings, glutes and lower back by hinging at the hips with a bar across your upper back. Because the bar sits high and far from your hips, a light weight is hard, and your lower back has to work to keep your spine flat. It loads your hamstrings hardest at the bottom, when your torso is close to level with the floor.

A replacement has to keep that hinge and the deep hamstring stretch.

Barbell and landmine

With a bar, these keep the hinge heavy without loading your back from above.

Closest swap, bar in your hands

Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

The same hinge and hamstring stretch, but the bar hangs from your hands close to your legs, so you can lift more and nothing presses on your shoulders. It is also easier to learn.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a barbell at your thighs, hands just outside your legs, feet under your hips.
  2. Soften your knees and push your hips back, sliding the bar down your thighs.
  3. Stop when your hamstrings are fully stretched, usually just below the knee, with your back flat.
  4. Push your hips forward to stand up, glutes tight at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back
  • Bar stays on your legs
  • Back flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat: keep them soft and still.
  • Reaching for the floor: stop where your back would round.
Build a session with Romanian Deadlift

Barbell swap with the longest stretch

Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

Straighter knees and a lower reach than a Romanian deadlift, so your hamstrings take a long stretch like the bottom of a good morning. Start light.

How to do it

  1. Stand with the bar resting on your thighs, feet hip-width, overhand grip just outside your legs.
  2. Keep your legs nearly straight, with just enough bend that your knees are not locked.
  3. Fold forward from the hips, keeping the bar close and your back flat, until you feel a hard stretch in the back of your legs.
  4. Pull your hips forward until you are standing tall again.

Cues

  • Legs long, not locked
  • Bar close to the shins
  • Stop at the stretch

Common mistakes

  • Locking your knees fully: keep a slight bend so the stretch sits in your hamstrings, not the back of the knee.
  • Using your Romanian deadlift weight: start lighter until you know where your range ends.
Build a session with Stiff-Leg Deadlift

Easier barbell hinge

Landmine RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

The bar travels in an arc in front of you, which makes the hinge easy to groove and lighter on your lower back. Pick it if good mornings felt awkward.

How to do it

  1. Load one end of a barbell in a landmine and stand facing it with the sleeve in front of your hips, holding the end with both hands.
  2. Soften your knees and set your back flat.
  3. Hinge at the hips and lower the bar end toward your shins until your hamstrings are stretched.
  4. Push your hips through to stand tall and repeat.

Cues

  • Hold the sleeve close to your body
  • Hinge, then stand
  • Flat back throughout

Common mistakes

  • Standing too far from the bar so it pulls you forward: keep the sleeve close enough to touch your legs on the way down.
  • Rounding at the bottom to touch the plate to the floor: you do not need to touch it.
Build a session with Landmine RDL

Machines and cables

When your lower back takes too much of the work, these train the same hinge with your spine supported or barely loaded.

Lower back and hamstrings, bar off your spine

45-Degree Back Extension

Glutes, Hamstrings

Your legs are locked in and you hinge over the pad, so your lower back, glutes and hamstrings lift your torso with no bar pressing down on you.

How to do it

  1. Set the pad so it sits just below your hip bones, then hook your heels under the foot rollers.
  2. Fold your arms over your chest with your body in line with the bench.
  3. Bend forward at the hips until you feel a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Lift your torso back to a straight line with your legs, squeezing your glutes, and stop there.

Cues

  • Hinge at the hips
  • Stop at a straight line
  • Squeeze your glutes at the top

Common mistakes

  • Arching back past a straight line at the top: the rep ends when your body is straight.
  • Setting the pad too high so it blocks your hips: you should be able to fold freely over it.
Build a session with 45-Degree Back Extension

Glute-focused swap

Cable Pull-Through

Glutes, Hamstrings

A rope between your legs pulls your hips back and your glutes snap them through, with little load on your lower back. It favors your glutes over your hamstrings.

How to do it

  1. Attach a rope to a low pulley, turn your back to the stack and take the rope ends between your legs.
  2. Walk forward until the stack lifts, feet a bit wider than your hips.
  3. Hinge back, letting the rope pull your hands between your thighs, back flat and knees softly bent.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand tall and squeeze your glutes at the top.

Cues

  • Hips back, then hips through
  • Arms just hold the rope
  • Squeeze your glutes to finish

Common mistakes

  • Squatting down instead of hinging: keep your shins near vertical and move your hips back.
  • Pulling with your arms or leaning back at the top: stand tall and stop.
Build a session with Cable Pull-Through

Dumbbells and kettlebells

At home or in a busy gym, hold the weight high for the good morning feel, or in your hands to go heavier.

Best swap with dumbbells

Dumbbell Good Morning

Hamstrings, Lower Back

Holding a dumbbell at each shoulder keeps the weight high on your body like a bar on your back. Use a light pair for higher reps.

How to do it

  1. Stand hip-width apart holding a dumbbell at each shoulder, elbows pointing forward.
  2. Push your hips back and hinge forward, knees softly bent, back flat.
  3. Lower until your torso is close to parallel to the floor or your hamstrings stop you.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand up tall and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips back first
  • Dumbbells pinned to the shoulders
  • Stop where the back stays flat

Common mistakes

  • Bending at the waist so your back rounds: imagine closing a door behind you with your hips.
  • Going heavier than you can hold at your shoulders: a light pair for 10 to 15 reps works your lower back plenty.
Build a session with Dumbbell Good Morning

Heavier dumbbell hinge

Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

Hamstrings, Glutes

With the dumbbells in your hands near your legs, you can go heavier than a dumbbell good morning for the same hamstrings.

How to do it

  1. Stand hip-width apart with a dumbbell in each hand resting against the front of your thighs, palms facing you.
  2. Push your hips straight back and let your torso fold forward, knees softly bent, the dumbbells brushing your legs.
  3. Lower until the dumbbells pass your knees and you feel a strong stretch in your hamstrings, with your back still flat.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand back up, squeezing your glutes at the top, and repeat.

Cues

  • Hips back, not down
  • Dumbbells slide down your legs
  • Flat back, chin tucked

Common mistakes

  • Bending the knees into a squat so the dumbbells go lower: the depth comes from your hips, and most people stop just past the knees.
  • Rounding your lower back at the bottom: end the rep where your back stays flat, and lighten the load if that is high.
Build a session with Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift

One leg at a time with dumbbells

Dumbbell B-Stance RDL

Hamstrings, Glutes

Most of the weight sits on the front leg, so a light pair loads that hamstring hard. Pick it when your dumbbells are too light for a two-leg hinge.

How to do it

  1. Stand with a dumbbell in each hand and slide one foot back so its toes sit level with the heel of the front foot.
  2. Put most of your weight on the front leg with a soft knee.
  3. Hinge forward by sending your hips back, lowering the dumbbells along the front leg until the back of that thigh is stretched.
  4. Drive the front hip forward to stand up, finish the set, then switch legs.

Cues

  • Front leg holds the weight
  • Back foot is only a kickstand
  • Hips square to the floor

Common mistakes

  • Sharing the load evenly between both feet: lift the back heel and keep only the toes down.
  • Twisting your hips open as you lower: keep both hip bones pointing at the floor.
Build a session with Dumbbell B-Stance RDL

Best swap with one kettlebell

Kettlebell Good Morning

Hamstrings, Lower Back

The bell held at your chest keeps the load high on your body, so a single kettlebell gives you the good morning's hinge.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet about hip width and hold the bell by the horns against your chest.
  2. Keep your knees softly bent and push your hips back, lowering your chest toward the floor.
  3. Stop when your back is close to parallel or when it would start to round.
  4. Drive your hips forward to stand tall.

Cues

  • Hips back like closing a door
  • Back flat
  • Bell stays on the chest

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your upper back to reach lower: stop where your back stays flat.
  • Bending your knees more as you go down: keep the knee angle fixed.
Build a session with Kettlebell Good Morning

Fast hinge with a kettlebell

Kettlebell Swing

Glutes, Hamstrings

The same hip hinge done fast, so your glutes and hamstrings drive the bell up. Use it for higher reps.

How to do it

  1. Stand with your feet a little wider than your hips, the bell about a foot in front of you.
  2. Hinge down, grip the handle with both hands, and hike the bell back between your thighs.
  3. Snap your hips forward to stand tall, letting the bell float up to shoulder height on straight arms.
  4. Let it fall back between your legs as you hinge again, and go straight into the next rep.

Cues

  • Hips snap, arms just hold on
  • Stand tall at the top
  • Bell passes high between the thighs

Common mistakes

  • Squatting the swing by bending your knees deeply: push your hips back and keep your shins nearly vertical.
  • Lifting the bell with your shoulders: if your arms are working, your hips are not driving it.
Build a session with Kettlebell Swing

Bands

No weights at all: the same hinge with a band, for high reps.

Best swap with a band

Band Good Morning

Hamstrings, Lower Back

Standing on a band looped over your shoulders gives you the same movement with no weights. Use high reps and pause at the bottom.

How to do it

  1. Stand on the band with your feet hip-width, loop or handles held at the fronts of your shoulders.
  2. Soften your knees and keep that bend.
  3. Push your hips back and tip your chest forward with a flat back until you feel your hamstrings stretch.
  4. Drive your hips forward to come back to standing.

Cues

  • Hips go back first
  • Spine stays long
  • Stop at the hamstring stretch

Common mistakes

  • Rounding your upper back: keep your chest open and the handles pinned to your shoulders.
  • Bending your knees more and more: the hips move, the knees stay where they started.
Build a session with Band Good Morning

Example sessions without the good morning

Session 1

Gym, bar on your back bothers you

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentBarbells, Hyperextension, Adjustable Cable

You train in a gym with a barbell and a back extension bench, but a bar across your back bothers your shoulders or neck.

The Romanian deadlift takes over the heavy hinge with the bar in your hands, the back extension trains your lower back without a bar, and the pull-through finishes your glutes. 10 working sets.

Hinge
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 4 × 6–10 2 2:30 min
45-Degree Back Extension 3 × 10–15 1 90 s
Cable Pull-Through 3 × 12–15 2 75 s
How to run it
Run it once or twice a week, away from your heaviest squat or deadlift day.
How to progress
When every set reaches the top of its rep range at the RIR shown, add the smallest weight jump next session and start again at the bottom. Once bodyweight is easy on the back extension, hold a plate at your chest.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

Home, dumbbells only

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets20 a week
  • Per workout~25 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells

You train at home with a pair of dumbbells and no rack for a bar.

The dumbbell Romanian deadlift does the heavy hinge, the B-stance RDL loads one leg at a time, and the dumbbell good morning keeps the weight high for your lower back. Light weights, so reps go higher and sets stop close to failure. 10 working sets.

Hinge
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift1 warm-up set first 4 × 10–15 1 90 s
Dumbbell B-Stance RDLSets are per leg. 3 × 8–12 1 75 s
Dumbbell Good Morning 3 × 12–15 2 1 min
How to run it
Twice a week on non-consecutive days. Take three seconds to lower on every rep.
How to progress
Add reps until every set hits the top of its range, then move up a dumbbell. At your heaviest pair, add a two-second pause at the bottom.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

One kettlebell and a band

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets30 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentKettlebells, Resistance Bands

You have one kettlebell and a long band, at home or on the road.

Swings come first while you are fresh and train the hinge fast, kettlebell good mornings slow it down with the load high on your body, and band good mornings finish with high reps. 10 working sets.

Hinge
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kettlebell Swing 4 × 12–20 2 1 min
Kettlebell Good Morning 3 × 12–15 2 75 s
Band Good Morning 3 × 20–25 1 45 s
How to run it
Two or three times a week. Stop each set of swings while every rep still snaps.
How to progress
Add reps to the top of each range, then use a heavier bell or a thicker band. On the kettlebell good morning, pause two seconds at the bottom once reps are easy.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

What exercises are similar to the good morning?

The Romanian deadlift and stiff-leg deadlift are the closest, since they use the same hip hinge. The 45-degree back extension, cable pull-through and dumbbell or kettlebell good mornings also train the same muscles.

Are good mornings and RDLs the same?

They use the same hinge, but the bar sits on your back in a good morning and hangs from your hands in an RDL. That makes the good morning harder on your lower back and the RDL easier to load heavy.

Are good mornings as effective as deadlifts?

They train different things. Good mornings work your hamstrings and lower back with light weight, while deadlifts train your whole back and legs with much heavier loads.

Can you do good mornings with dumbbells?

Yes. Hold a dumbbell at each shoulder, elbows forward, and hinge at your hips with a flat back. A kettlebell held at your chest works the same way.

What is a good alternative to good mornings at home?

With dumbbells, do dumbbell good mornings and B-stance RDLs. With a band, do band good mornings.