Resistance Band Good Morning: How to Do It and Muscles Worked
Load card
- Equipment
- Resistance band
- Muscle group
- Glutes and Hamstrings
- Main muscles
- hamstrings, gluteus maximus
- Also working
- spinal erectors
- Mechanics
- Compound
- Pattern
- Hip hinge
- Level
- Beginner
The Resistance Band Good Morning is a beginner-friendly hip hinge exercise that uses a continuous loop resistance band to provide tension. You stand on one end of the band and loop the other end around the back of your shoulders.
This compound movement targets your gluteus maximus and hamstrings while engaging your spinal erectors for support. It trains you to push your hips back effectively, building a solid foundation for more advanced lifting.
How to do it
Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart on the bottom loop of a resistance band, placing the top loop securely across the back of your shoulders. Stand tall with your chest up and hands holding the band near your collarbone.
- Keep a soft bend in your knees and brace your core.
- Push your hips straight back as if trying to touch a wall behind you.
- Lower your torso until it is nearly parallel to the floor or until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings.
- Keep your back flat and your neck in a neutral position throughout the descent.
- Drive your hips forward to return to the starting position.
- Squeeze your glutes at the top without leaning backward.
Sets, reps and load
Start with 3 sets of 10 to 15 repetitions. Focus on mastering the hip hinge technique before worrying about pushing to failure.
Choose a light resistance band that allows you to feel tension at the top without pulling you out of position at the bottom.
Common mistakes
- Squatting instead of hinging. Keep your knees slightly bent but fixed. Focus on horizontal hip movement backward rather than dropping your hips vertically.
- Rounding the lower back. Brace your core and keep your chest up. Limit your range of motion if your back starts to curve.
- Looking straight up. Keep your neck in line with your spine. Let your gaze naturally track down to the floor as your torso drops.
- Overextending at the top. Stop when your hips are fully extended and you are standing straight. Do not lean back at the top of the repetition.
- Band placed on the neck. Rest the band across the meaty part of your upper back and traps. Holding the band with your hands takes pressure off your neck.
Make it easier or harder
Easier
- Bodyweight good morning with hands behind your head
- Glute bridge on the floor to practice hip extension
Harder
- Dumbbell Romanian deadlift to introduce free weights
- Barbell good morning for heavier loading
Before you load it up
- This exercise loads the lower back in a hinged position. If you have a current back injury or back pain that spreads into the leg, get it assessed first and start very light.
Swaps and related glutes and hamstrings exercises
Same muscle group with different equipment:
- Kettlebell Deadlift Kettlebell
- Dumbbell Romanian Deadlift Dumbbell
- Bodyweight Hip Thrust Bodyweight
- Dumbbell Hip Thrust Dumbbell
More resistance band options:
- Resistance Band Deadlift Hip hinge
- Banded Clamshell Hip external rotation
- Banded Glute Bridge Hip extension
- Banded Glute Kickback Hip extension
Browse all resistance band exercises or every glutes and hamstrings exercise.
When to see a doctor or physio
- Sharp or shooting pain in your lower back.
- Numbness or tingling traveling down your legs.
- Pain in your cervical spine or neck area.
This page is general training information, not medical advice. If you are new to strength training, managing a health condition, pregnant or coming back from an injury, check with a doctor or physio first.
How this page was made. Exercise data (equipment, muscles, mechanics, level) compiled by the Unite Journal Crew as a general anatomy guide, cross-checked against the public-domain free-exercise-db list. Text drafted with AI assistance and edited by the crew; see our house rules. Last checked October 2026.