Step by Step Guide

  1. Stand tall with your feet shoulder-width apart and toes pointing slightly outward.
  2. Place your hands behind your head, with your elbows pointing outward or crossed over your chest.

Perform a Good Morning:

  1. Engage your core muscles and hinge at your hips, leaning forward with a straight back.
  2. Lower your torso towards the ground while keeping your knees slightly bent, maintaining a flat back throughout the movement.
  3. Lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground or as far as comfortable while feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
  4. Engage your hamstrings and glutes to raise your torso back to the starting position, keeping your back straight and core engaged.

Perform a Calf Raise:

  1. Once standing upright, rise up onto the balls of your feet by lifting your heels off the ground.
  2. Squeeze your calf muscles at the top of the movement to fully engage them.
  3. Slowly lower your heels back down towards the ground, maintaining control throughout the movement.
  4. Perform the combined movement of good mornings followed by calf raises for the desired number of repetitions.

Benefits of The Good Mornings + Calf Raises

  1. Total Body Strength: This compound exercise targets multiple muscle groups in the posterior chain, including the lower back, hamstrings, glutes, and calves, leading to overall strength development.
  2. Improved Posture: Good mornings help strengthen the lower back and improve spinal alignment, which can contribute to better posture and reduced risk of back pain.
  3. Enhanced Lower Body Stability: By engaging the core and lower body muscles, this exercise improves stability and balance, reducing the risk of falls and injuries.
  4. Increased Flexibility: Good mornings promote flexibility in the hamstrings and hip flexors, which is beneficial for overall mobility and range of motion.
  5. Calf Muscle Activation: The addition of calf raises to the movement targets the calf muscles, helping to strengthen and define the lower leg.

Tips for Beginners:

  1. Start with Light Weights: Begin with bodyweight or light weights until you master the movement pattern and build sufficient strength and stability.
  2. Maintain Proper Form: Focus on maintaining a flat back and engaging the core throughout the movement to prevent strain on the lower back.
  3. Control the Movement: Perform the exercise in a slow and controlled manner, paying attention to form and technique rather than speed.
  4. Use a Mirror for Feedback: Position yourself in front of a mirror to monitor your form and ensure proper alignment throughout the exercise.