Also known as: wide-stance good mornings, wide-stance gm, straddle hip-hinge, bodyweight good mornings, hamstring hinge stretch

What is Straddle Good Mornings?

Straddle Good Mornings are a bodyweight hip-hinge exercise that targets the hamstrings, glutes and back. With a wide stance you hinge at the hips to load the posterior chain, improving flexibility and hip control. Difficulty: Easy - ideal as a warm-up or mobility drill.

How to Do Straddle Good Mornings

  1. Set wide stance: Stand with feet wider than shoulder-width, toes slightly turned out, knees soft and core braced to support the hip-hinge.
  2. Engage core: Pull ribs down, brace your core and maintain a neutral spine before initiating the hip hinge to protect the lower back.
  3. Hinge at hips: Push hips backward while keeping a soft bend in the knees; move slowly until you feel hamstring stretch across the straddle.
  4. Control descent: Lower with slow, controlled movement to avoid rounding; stop when back or hamstrings signal tension, not pain.
  5. Return upright: Drive hips forward, squeeze glutes and maintain a neutral spine to return to standing; exhale as you complete the movement.

Muscle Groups

Back, Glutes, Hamstring

Description

Start the exercise by standing with your feet wider apart than shoulder-width.

Engage your core and hinge your hips backward with. a slow controlled movement. After lowering your upper body, hinge forward and return to a standing position.

Repeat for the required amount of repetitions.
Movement Group: Warm-Up
Equipment: None (bodyweight only)

Progressions and Regressions

None

Frequently Asked Questions

What are the benefits of Straddle Good Mornings?

They improve hamstring and glute flexibility, strengthen posterior chain muscles and reinforce a safe hip-hinge pattern. Because they're bodyweight and easy-level, they work well for warm-ups, mobility work and injury-prevention when performed with controlled technique.

What are common mistakes with Straddle Good Mornings?

Common errors include rounding the lower back, hinging from the knees instead of hips, collapsing the chest, and moving too quickly. Fix with slower reps, cueing hip pushback, bracing the core and maintaining a neutral spine to protect the lower back.

How can I progress or modify Straddle Good Mornings?

To progress, add light weight (dumbbell or kettlebell), increase range of motion or slow the eccentric phase. Modify by reducing depth, narrowing the stance, or choosing seated good mornings and Romanian deadlifts as alternative posterior-chain options.