Inclines with a barbell on the shoulders – an exercise for excellent glute pumping

The unofficial name of this exercise is good morning or “good morning”. It is multifunctional and uses different muscles, but to perform it correctly, you need to learn the technique. Since the exercise is potentially traumatic, the preparation should be thorough. So be sure to read our new material.

World Class fitness trainer

“This exercise can be referred to the OFP and CFP within the framework of weightlifting and powerlifting. It is not commonly used in fitness because there is a risk of injury for an untrained person. Bending over with a barbell can be replaced with safer exercises for the target muscle group.”

Read more about preparing for the exercise

Newcomers to the world of sports “good morning” is not suitable, because the exercise itself is difficult to perform, there is a chance of injury. Therefore, inclines with a barbell are recommended only for athletes of average level and above.

These inclines work the muscles of the legs and buttocks, as well as other muscles. The list is quite extensive, and we will talk more about it below. But, before you start performing, do not forget to warm up qualitatively. Before training, it is necessary to perform a prestretch of the main muscle groups involved in the exercises to activate the nervous system. Pay special attention to the warm-up of the lower back, because it will be a special load.

Warming up is important because after it you kind of go to the next level. Not only do your ligaments become more elastic, your joints become more mobile, but you become stronger. Your reactions and coordination improve, and you start to feel more alert.

Technique of performing inclines with a barbell

No matter what kind of warm-up you do, if the technique is incorrect, distorted, the risk of injury is still high. Especially when it comes to such an exercise as barbell bends.

Choose the weight to work with responsibly. We recommend doing the first approach with an empty barbell, then gradually add additional weight.

It is not difficult to determine the optimal weight. With the right weight, the exercise is not easy, and the last few repetitions should be difficult. Even so, you can do an entire lift without cheating. If you feel too light or too heavy, the weight is incorrect.

Bending with a barbell

Technique

• Starting position: feet shoulder width apart, the barbell is on top of the trapezius, hold the bar with your hands in a wide grip.
• The back retains its natural curves, shoulder blades are brought and lowered.
• As you inhale, gently lean forward while moving your pelvis backward.
• Pay attention to the fact that the torso should bend by bending the hip joint, not the lumbar spine.
• As soon as the body becomes parallel to the floor, return to the starting position.

What muscles does this exercise pump?

If we proceed from the technique, it is easy to guess that it mainly involves the leg muscles. Let’s talk about it in detail. Inclines with a barbell engage: the large gluteal muscle, the biceps femoris muscle, the semitendinosus and semitendinosus muscles located in the hips. And if you do this exercise in isometric mode, it will also engage the extensors of the spine.

Isometric technique is performing the element in statics. That is, you contract a muscle or a group of muscles, while fixing and keeping them in the same position.

Variations of the exercise

You can perform this exercise in two ways: standing and sitting. About the first variant we have already told above, now let’s talk about how to do inclines with a barbell in a sitting position.

Bending with a barbell while sitting

Technique

• You will need a bench, it is important that it is solid.
• Sit on its edge, put the barbell on your shoulders, straighten your back and spread your legs wide.
• Straighten your chest and shoulders, there should be a natural bend in your lower back.
• Slowly and smoothly bend forward.
• It is important to understand that from a sitting position you do not need to bend to a level parallel to the floor, finish the movement a little earlier.
• Then just as smoothly return to the starting position.

The question remains: what about the progression of the exercise? The answer is one: to make the inclines more difficult, you need to gradually increase the weight of the barbell. For example, add “pancakes” by 5 kg after each approach. Inclines themselves are not a complex movement, it’s just a matter of the weight you choose. But be careful, add a little bit at a time, do not try to jump above your head. Since there is a big load on the lower back, there is a risk of tearing, not calculating the forces correctly.

We recommend performing this exercise in 2-3 approaches of 10 repetitions. And if you want to replace inclines with a barbell, you can try a barbell pull, it pumps the same muscles.

Recommendations for training

As we have already said, the technique of performing the exercise is the most important aspect of sports, if you want to achieve your goals and avoid injuries. We have collected a list of the most important points that should not be forgotten when performing inclines with a barbell.

• Lift the body out of the incline only due to the force of the glutes and biceps femoris.
• Maintain the natural curves of the spine.
• Keep your abs tight.
• Master inclines with an empty bar and at a slow pace.
• Keep your legs slightly bent at the knee joints throughout the exercise.
• Do a good warm-up before training to avoid injury.
• Properly calculate the load. Remember that bending over with a barbell is only a part of the training process, so leave the strength for other exercises.

We tried to tell you all the most useful information about this exercise. But if you still have doubts or you are still not sure that you are doing this exercise correctly, we recommend you to contact a professional fitness trainer. He will help you learn the correct technique.