can good mornings be done heavy?

[SoreArms]

or this an exercise mostly meant to be done with light to moderate weight for stretching and gaining flexibility?

 

[Illuminati]

or this an exercise mostly meant to be done with light to moderate weight for stretching and gaining flexibility?

they can be done heavy. my only advice is that if you decide to do them heavy, that you start out with working up to a heavy triple, until you are comfortable with going heavy on the exercise. after that, start hitting heavy singles.

one key note on the exercise...don't keep your legs straight. after you unrack the weight, and get yourself set, you need to push your glutes back. you shoud feel a stretch in your glutes and hams, and strain on your lower back

 

[SoreArms]

thanks bud

I stick my butt out a bit, try to keep my back straight and bend at the waist, but I also try to keep my legs straight. Should I bend my knees slightly?

 

[nelmsjer]

Slight bend to the knees, much like (if not exactly like) a SLDL or RDL.

Technically, to answer your question, it can effectively be used for both strength increases and increases in flexibility. Worked properly and through a full (but safe) range of motion, good mornings will work on BOTH features. As Illuminati stated, however, get comfortable with this exercise first. If you are a beginner at good mornings, I don't even know that I would work on a triple for the first few weeks. Build up to it, though, as there is nothing wrong with eventually doing singles, if your goals call for them.

 

[Illuminati]

thanks bud

I stick my butt out a bit, try to keep my back straight and bend at the waist, but I also try to keep my legs straight. Should I bend my knees slightly?

i dont know what you consider a slight bend in your knees. when i push my glutes back, i get a considerable bend in them. to the untrained eye, it almost looks like a 1/4 squat, but with hell of a lot more bend at the waist. if you got some money to shell out, go over to elitefts.com and buy the ME Squat workout video. being able to see it on video will help a lot. maybe if i have some time next week, i will get some video, and post it up.

http://www.flexcart.com/members/elitefts/default.asp?m=PD&cid=92&pid=4

 

[mekannik]

Good mornings or Russian Deadlifts?

Depends on your definition of the movement. Good mornings (in my frame of reference) are done with a rounded back, head travelling to your knees. So no - load should not be done heavy. Think ROM.

Russian deadlifts (arched back, cousin to the squat) can be done to maximums.

 

[blut wump]

I do mine very similar to those described by Illuminati. I use weight for triples just a shade more than I use for front squats.

 

[Chambewy20]

I use for max effort and accessory movements, many variations, one of the most hated is a good morning squat.

I absolutely agree, do with moderate weights in the beginning, if using for maximal effort, i would do a heavy triple, usually if going heavy, the person never hits depth on the first, sometimes second but mostly third rep.

 

[SoreArms]

I (try to) do them like this guy, see how he sticks his butt out but his legs remain straight/stiff, is that wrong?

http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/Hamstrings/BBGoodMorning.html

 

[Chambewy20]

What muscles are you attempting to target or what are you trying to improve?

If you want to do it as a hamstring exercise, yes that would work. If you want to improve you squat or dead, i would widen the stance a little and do straight back as well as arched good mornings, but it all depends on your goals...

 

[SoreArms]

I am currently doing them for hamstrings and increased flexibility, but if I can do a variation to help with DL and squat, then I'm more than willing to try it out.

where can I see a "how to" on those?

 

[Protobuilder]

Here's a great article on good mornings and their variations from a great old coach:

http://www.marunde-muscle.com/fitness/askem_good_morning.html

 

[blut wump]

There's one in the Pulling section on here
http://www.uwlax.edu/strengthcenter/videos/video_index.htm

and here's another alternative with narrow stance, which I'm not really keen on
http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/ErectorSpinae/BBBentKneeGoodMorning.html

 

[Chambewy20]

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=4102&tid=102

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=14297&tid=102

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=4103&tid=102

None animated or mpeg'd but you can get the jist.

 

[Illuminati]

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=4102&tid=102

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=14297&tid=102

http://asp.elitefts.com/qa/default.asp?qid=4103&tid=102

None animated or mpeg'd but you can get the jist.

what section are those in on elitefts? their new format screws me up

 

[Illuminati]

nevermind. i'm an idiot. its in the exercise index....

 

[TheOak84]

of course, a guy i see sometimes at my gym does them really heavy, a 500 pound triple, hes a bad ass. he can pull alot (around 700) and squat around the same, but his pressing sux, i think only 315. tremendous strength for being 40 years old!