I just started the Art of Waterbury. Is it acceptable to replace Good Mornings with Deadlifts, as I currently have extremely poor flexibility which limits my range of motion when doing Good Mornings? Thoughts? Thanks.
I’m sure it would be ok to substitute these exercises, but, you may benefit a great deal by increasing your flexibility through good a.m.'s as long as you are not risking anything medically. Start light to work on form and flexibility and continue to increrase poundages as you increase your strength and flexibility.
If this is not an option, begin stretching to improve that area. Then when you feel comfortable, start with the lifting
You can replace them but remember that Good Mornings work different muscles than Deadlifts. Good Mornings really focus on your posterior chain and your “core”. If you don’t like doing them you would benefit from working those muscles out some other way. But it will take a combination of exercises to do what Good Mornings do.
[quote]lostinthought wrote:
You can replace them but remember that Good Mornings work different muscles than Deadlifts. Good Mornings really focus on your posterior chain and your “core”. If you don’t like doing them you would benefit from working those muscles out some other way. But it will take a combination of exercises to do what Good Mornings do. [/quote]
Then what, may I ask, do deadlifts focus on if not the posterior chain?
[quote]RIT Jared wrote:
lostinthought wrote:
Then what, may I ask, do deadlifts focus on if not the posterior chain?[/quote]
Where o where in my post did I say that Deadlifts do NOT work the posterior chain?
They work the same muscles but if you have poor deadlifting leverages you’ll benefit by more by doing goodmornings generally. Also flexibility shouldn’t be huge issue because you don’t really bend much more than 90 degrees at the hips during stiff leg GMs. Plus a couple hundred lbs. on your shoulders make its a lot easy to bend over…
Make sure your form is right. You should feels a huge stretch in your hamstrings. You get this by pushing your hips backwards with minimal knee flexion. Even in bend leg variants your thighs are usually only bent at 45 degrees.
[quote]lostinthought wrote:
RIT Jared wrote:
lostinthought wrote:
Then what, may I ask, do deadlifts focus on if not the posterior chain?
Where o where in my post did I say that Deadlifts do NOT work the posterior chain? [/quote]
I thought you implied this as well. You stated that Good a.m.'s work different muscles than deads, then went on to mention posterior chain and core. The deads work these areas quite well I would suggest. Not fighting, just trying to show that your post was alitlle ambiguous, at best, in explaining your rationale.
Good mornings simply focus on the post chain more, it isolates it. Whereas deadlifts work everything on your backside from your ankles to your ears. and a bit o’ quads too depending how set-up. Basically good morning will REALLY help your squat, if you hip break.
[quote]lostinthought wrote:
Where o where in my post did I say that Deadlifts do NOT work the posterior chain? [/quote]
obviously not what you meant but that’s how i read it as well. …
anyway back to the original question: what about doing romanian dl’s and some hypers ? might leave you with a little more energy and hit a little closer to the mark than dl’s.
Hyperextensions are good, so is the Glute Ham machine. Depending on exactly how you do that movement you can get a great lower back workout and it naturally hits your hams as well.
I would think that good mornings focus more on the hamstrings whereas DLs hit pretty much every muscle you can’t see in the mirror (and then some). You can also handle alot more weight with DLs and that’s a good thing. My suggestion: Try straight leg DLs until you build up your flexability. Then incorporate some good mornings.
My bad y’all. I’m used to being vague from my job. 
Wow, that was a really cool exchange to read. You guys rule, nobody freaked out.