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Strength Training · Powerlifting

Cambered Bar Good Morning

The cambered bar good morning is a weighted hip hinge that trains your hamstrings, glutes, and back. Its low-hanging weights add a balance challenge because they can swing as you move.

Higher injury risk. Read the safety notes before adding weight.

  • Intermediate
  • Compound
  • Higher injury risk
  • Rest 2 min

How to do it

  1. Position your upper back beneath the padded center of the racked bar.
  2. Grip the bar firmly on both sides.
  3. Straighten your legs to lift the bar off the hooks.
  4. Step back into a hip-width stance with your knees slightly bent.
  5. Wait for the hanging weights to stop swinging.
  6. Push your hips backward to lower your torso, keeping your knee angle nearly fixed.
  7. Extend your hips to return to an upright position.

Form cues

  • Brace your trunk before each rep.
  • Keep pressure across your whole foot.
  • Let your head follow your torso.

Common mistakes

  • Chasing depth by rounding your backEnd the lowering phase before your back starts to round, even if your torso stays well above parallel.
  • Turning the hinge into a squatKeep your shins nearly vertical rather than letting your knees travel forward.
  • Jerking out of the bottomReverse direction smoothly so the hanging load does not gain momentum.

Safety

Losing torso tension under load can strain your back. Swinging weights can pull you off balance or strike the rack, making a failed repetition difficult to control.

  • Before loading, confirm that the hanging sleeves clear the rack throughout the hinge and that the safety supports can catch the bar just below your intended depth.
  • Secure the plates with collars so they cannot slide as the bar moves.
  • Practice with the empty bar before adding weight in small increments.
  • End the set when fatigue prevents you from controlling the bar, rather than attempting another repetition.

If you have current back pain or cannot control an unloaded hip hinge, choose a simpler version or seek guidance from a physiotherapist before loading this movement.

Muscles worked

Back

Primary muscles

  • Hamstrings

Secondary muscles

  • Glutes
  • Lower Back

Equipment

  • Barbell Collar
  • Cambered Squat Barbell
  • Lifting Belt (optional)
  • Power Rack
  • Rack Safety Supports
  • Weight Plate

Sets and reps

Sets
2–3
Target
6–10 reps
Rest
2 min

Choose a load that leaves 2–3 controlled reps in reserve.

Variations

Easier