Legs
Standing Pancake Good Morning
Develop active hamstring flexibility and lower back resilience with this fundamental wide-stance hinging pattern.
How to perform.
Follow the sequence — setup is half the lift.
Stand with your feet in a wide straddle position, roughly one and a half to two times shoulder-width apart.
Place your hands behind your head or cross them over your chest to keep the center of gravity over your hips.
Inhale and engage your core while maintaining a slight bend in your knees to protect the joints.
Hinge at the hips by pushing your glutes backward while keeping your spine perfectly flat.
Lower your torso until you feel a deep stretch in your hamstrings or until your chest is parallel to the floor.
Pause for one second at the bottom of the movement to ensure stability and control.
Exhale as you drive your hips forward to return to the standing upright position.
Common mistakes.
Fix these first — they cost reps, kilos, and joints.
- Rounding the upper or lower back during the descent
- Allowing the knees to cave inward toward the midline
- Bending the knees excessively which turns the move into a wide squat
- Shifting weight onto the toes instead of keeping it balanced through the midfoot
Muscles worked.
The primary movers do the work; the stabilizers keep the path honest.