Good Mornings (bent knee)
Bodyweight Strength - Bent Knee Good Mornings are performed exactly the same as the straight leg version of Good Mornings except that in the Bent Knee version you will allow the knees to bend significantly as you lower your torso towards the floor during the exercise. As you straight the torso back up with each rep, your knees will go back to being straight (but not locked) at the top of the movement. Basically there will be an increasing bend as you move through the downward portion of the rep and a decreasing bend as you move through the upward portion of the rep.
Ideally we want to lower the torso until it is about parallel with the floor on each rep before returning to the upright starting position. However, this requires significant flexibility and it is important that you always work only within your current flexible range of motion and never try to rush things along by attempting to force your body to be more flexible than it currently is. Over time, you will steadily gain flexibility in this exercise and you should eventually achieve the ability to reach the full parallel position. There is no rush, though...be patient with your body. This concept is explained thoroughly in the exercise description for Straight Leg Good Mornings. Please read that explanation and carefully follow the principles it explains.
In regard to the amount of knee bend that you should aim for on this version of the Good Morning, it is generally a matter of personal preference and personal body structure. The degree of bend will vary depending on the length of your legs, torso, etc. The main thing is that this exercise is not a Straight Leg Good Morning and it is not a Back Squat. From an outside look, it will appear to be a hybrid combination of the two exercises and it should contribute significantly to the strength of each of those important bodyweight strength exercises for you.
Most people will be able to handle a much larger weight on Bent Knee Good Mornings than on straight leg Good Mornings. This can be very helpful for the Back Squat because it is directly training your ability to stabilize a weight on your back while pivoting at your hips and engaging your core stabilizers (abdominals and spinal erectors) and lifters (hamstrings, glutes, and hips) intensely. By minimizing the role of the quads on this exercise you are giving your hamstrings, glutes, and hips a chance to develop great strength and thereby enhancing their contribution to the Back Squat as well. Not only this, but one of the most common weaknesses on the Back Squat is the ability to keep the torso strongly upright and the back solidly arched. People will often be held back on their squat because the bar keeps "pulling them forward" and making them lose their leverage over the bar by having their center of gravity shifted forward because the core stabilizers (the abdominals and spinal erectors) are not strong enough to maintain the strong arched position of the back. This version of the Good Morning trains that ability directly so that when its time to do heavy Back Squats, the core stabilizers have plenty of strength and thus are capable of holding the torso upright for the entire exercise and are no longer holding the strength potential of the lift back.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com
Ideally we want to lower the torso until it is about parallel with the floor on each rep before returning to the upright starting position. However, this requires significant flexibility and it is important that you always work only within your current flexible range of motion and never try to rush things along by attempting to force your body to be more flexible than it currently is. Over time, you will steadily gain flexibility in this exercise and you should eventually achieve the ability to reach the full parallel position. There is no rush, though...be patient with your body. This concept is explained thoroughly in the exercise description for Straight Leg Good Mornings. Please read that explanation and carefully follow the principles it explains.
In regard to the amount of knee bend that you should aim for on this version of the Good Morning, it is generally a matter of personal preference and personal body structure. The degree of bend will vary depending on the length of your legs, torso, etc. The main thing is that this exercise is not a Straight Leg Good Morning and it is not a Back Squat. From an outside look, it will appear to be a hybrid combination of the two exercises and it should contribute significantly to the strength of each of those important bodyweight strength exercises for you.
Most people will be able to handle a much larger weight on Bent Knee Good Mornings than on straight leg Good Mornings. This can be very helpful for the Back Squat because it is directly training your ability to stabilize a weight on your back while pivoting at your hips and engaging your core stabilizers (abdominals and spinal erectors) and lifters (hamstrings, glutes, and hips) intensely. By minimizing the role of the quads on this exercise you are giving your hamstrings, glutes, and hips a chance to develop great strength and thereby enhancing their contribution to the Back Squat as well. Not only this, but one of the most common weaknesses on the Back Squat is the ability to keep the torso strongly upright and the back solidly arched. People will often be held back on their squat because the bar keeps "pulling them forward" and making them lose their leverage over the bar by having their center of gravity shifted forward because the core stabilizers (the abdominals and spinal erectors) are not strong enough to maintain the strong arched position of the back. This version of the Good Morning trains that ability directly so that when its time to do heavy Back Squats, the core stabilizers have plenty of strength and thus are capable of holding the torso upright for the entire exercise and are no longer holding the strength potential of the lift back.
Disclaimer - We do not recommend performing any exercise without the supervision of a highly qualified bodyweight strength professional present with you. This detailed exercise description is for informational purposes only. Consult your physician before attempting any strength training program or attempting this exercise or any of the other exercises on www.bodyweight-strength.com