Smith Bent Knee Good Morning
Smith Bent Knee Good Morning Exercise Description
The Smith Bent-Knee Good Morning is a hip-hinge that targets the posterior chain, especially the gluteus maximus, hamstrings, and spinal erectors. Using the Smith machine’s fixed bar path lets you focus on bracing and hinge mechanics without balancing a free bar. A slight, consistent knee bend reduces hamstring tension so you can hinge deeply while keeping a neutral spine. The movement loads the hips through an eccentric stretch and concentric hip extension, with the trunk braced isometrically to resist flexion. Proper setup—bar across the upper back (not the neck), scapular retraction, and the bar aligned over the midfoot—helps maintain efficient leverage and consistent tension throughout the range of motion.
- Muscle Groups: Glutes, Hips
- Target Muscles: Gluteus Maximus
- Assisting Muscles: Adductor Magnus, Biceps Femoris - Long Head, Semimembranosus, Semitendinosus
- Stabilizing Muscles: Gluteus Medius, Internal Obliques, Longissimus, Multifidus, Transversus Abdominis
- Body Area: Lower Body
- Body Parts: Hips, Legs, Upper Legs
- Body Surface: Back
- Body Symmetry: Bilateral
- Equipment: Smith Machine
- Exercise Patterns: Hinge
- Exercise Type: Strength
- Functional Grouping: Hip Extensors
- Joint Involvement: Multi-joint
- Muscle Location: Glutes
- Movement Direction: Vertical
- Muscle Position: Posterior
- Gender: Male
How To Do The Smith Bent Knee Good Morning Exercise
‘- Set the bar just below shoulder height and position safety stops just below your end range.
– Step under the bar; place it across the upper traps/posterior delts, not on the cervical spine.
– Grip slightly wider than shoulder width; retract and depress the scapulae; pull the bar into your back.
– Stand with feet hip- to shoulder-width; align so the bar tracks vertically over your midfoot; toes forward or slightly out.
– Unrack by rotating the bar; take a stable stance and establish a soft, fixed knee bend.
– Inhale and brace the abdomen 360°; keep ribs stacked over pelvis; maintain a neutral spine and a slight chin tuck.
– Initiate by pushing the hips back; keep shins nearly vertical and heels grounded.
– Lower until you feel hamstring tension while the spine stays neutral and knees hold their angle.
– Drive the hips forward to stand tall, keeping the bar over midfoot; exhale near the top.
– Finish with glutes squeezed and torso stacked; avoid lumbar hyperextension or shrugging.
– Re-rack by rotating the bar back onto the hooks with control.
Smith Bent Knee Good Morning Tips
‘- Position the bar across your upper traps/posterior delts, not on your neck.
– Retract and depress your shoulder blades, and actively pull the bar into your back.
– Stand so the bar tracks vertically over your midfoot, with feet hip- to shoulder-width and toes forward or slightly out.
– Set a soft knee bend before hinging and keep that knee angle fixed throughout the movement.
– Initiate each rep by pushing your hips straight back while keeping your shins nearly vertical and heels grounded.
– Brace your abdomen 360° with ribs stacked over your pelvis, maintaining a neutral spine and slight chin tuck.
– Lower only until you feel hamstring tension while your spine stays neutral and your knees do not move.
– As you return to standing, drive your hips forward while keeping the bar over your midfoot.
– At the top, finish with your glutes squeezed and torso stacked, avoiding lumbar hyperextension or shrugging.
– Use the Smith machine’s rotation to unrack and re-rack the bar under control, with safety stops set just below your end range.
Smith Bent Knee Good Morning Beginner Introduction
The Smith Bent-Knee Good Morning is a machine-based hip hinge that emphasizes the back side of the body, especially the glutes, hamstrings, and lower back. With the bar moving on fixed rails instead of freely, the movement pattern feels more guided, allowing attention to stay on a solid brace through the middle and a smooth hinge at the hips. A gentle, unchanging bend in the knees eases some stretch on the hamstrings, which can allow a deeper fold at the hips while the spine stays straight and aligned.
During each repetition, the hips travel backward under control, loading the glutes and hamstrings as they lengthen, while the torso remains firm and resists rounding. The bar rests across the upper back and shoulders, centered over the feet, so the weight stays balanced through the whole motion. Standing back up comes from driving the hips forward, with the core working hard to keep the trunk steady from start to finish.