10 Best Lever Seated Good Morning Alternatives for Glute Development

Ranked Lever Seated Good Morning Alternatives

10 substitutes, ranked by how closely each one matches the Lever Seated Good Morning on movement pattern, muscles worked, equipment and body position. The higher the score, the less you change. Open "How to perform this exercise" on a card for the steps; every card title links to that exercise's own alternatives page.

1. Best match

   Play demonstration

   1. Smith Bent Knee Good Morning

   87% match

   • Glutes
   • Smith-machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a Smith machine to work with, and it still works the glutes.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Start by standing with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing forward.
   2. Place the barbell across your upper back, resting it on your traps.
   3. Bend your knees slightly and hinge forward at the hips, keeping your back straight.
   4. Lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
   5. Engage your glutes and hamstrings to raise your torso back up to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: good-morning hinge, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Body position: standing, not seated
2. Play demonstration

   2. Lever Hip Extension

   85% match

   • Glutes
   • Lever
   • Intermediate
   • Isolation

   Pick this when you want an easier version that still works the glutes.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the machine to fit your body and sit on it with your back against the backrest.
   2. Place your feet on the footrests and grip the handles for stability.
   3. Engage your glutes and hamstrings, then push against the footrests to extend your hips and raise your legs backward.
   4. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Body position: seated, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
3. Play demonstration

   3. Lever Reverse Hyperextension

   78% match

   • Glutes
   • Lever
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   The same equipment, done lying face down instead.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the leverage machine to fit your body and secure your feet in the foot pads.
   2. Lie face down on the machine with your upper body hanging off the edge and your hips resting on the pad.
   3. Cross your arms over your chest or place them behind your head.
   4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings to lift your legs upward until they are parallel to the ground.
   5. Pause for a moment at the top, then slowly lower your legs back down to the starting position.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Body position: lying face down, not seated
4. Play demonstration

   4. Barbell Seated Good Morning

   78% match

   • Glutes
   • Barbell
   • Advanced
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a barbell to work with, and it still works the glutes.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Sit on a bench with your feet flat on the ground and a barbell resting on your upper back.
   2. Keep your back straight and your chest up.
   3. Slowly hinge forward at the hips, lowering your torso towards the ground.
   4. Pause for a moment at the bottom, then push through your heels to return to the starting position.
   5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Movement: good-morning hinge, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
   • Body position: seated, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever Seated Good Morning
5. Play demonstration

   5. Lever Deadlift

   77% match

   • Glutes
   • Lever
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   The same equipment, done standing instead.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the seat height and foot platform to your desired position.
   2. Sit on the machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the foot platform.
   3. Grasp the handles or the sides of the seat for stability.
   4. Engage your glutes and hamstrings, and push through your heels to lift the weight up.
   5. Keep your back straight and avoid rounding your shoulders.
   6. Extend your hips fully at the top of the movement, squeezing your glutes.
   7. Lower the weight back down in a controlled manner, keeping tension on your glutes and hamstrings.
   8. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Body position: standing, not seated
6. Play demonstration

   6. Smith Deadlift

   77% match

   • Glutes
   • Smith-machine
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Set up the smith machine with the bar at hip height.
   2. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointing slightly outward.
   3. Bend at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight and chest up, and grip the bar with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
   4. Engage your core and lift the bar by extending your hips and knees, keeping the bar close to your body.
   5. Stand up straight, fully extending your hips and knees.
   6. Lower the bar back down by bending at the hips and knees, maintaining control and keeping your back straight.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Body position: standing, not seated
7. Play demonstration

   7. Trap Bar Deadlift

   69% match

   • Glutes
   • Trap-bar
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   A good swap when you have a trap bar to work with, and it still works the glutes.

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and the trap bar on the ground in front of you.
   2. Bend at the hips and knees to lower yourself down and grip the handles of the trap bar with an overhand grip.
   3. Keep your back straight and chest up as you begin to lift the trap bar off the ground by extending your hips and knees.
   4. As you lift, focus on driving through your heels and squeezing your glutes at the top of the movement.
   5. Lower the trap bar back down to the ground by bending at the hips and knees, keeping your back straight throughout the movement.
   6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 or 4 sets of 6 to 10 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
   • Body position: standing, not seated
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever Seated Good Morning
8. 

   8. Seated Leg Curl

   69% match

   • Hamstrings
   • Machine
   • Beginner
   • Isolation

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Adjust the machine lever to fit your height and sit on the machine with your back against the back support pad.
   2. Place the back of lower leg on top of padded lever (just a few inches under the calves) and secure the lap pad against your thighs, just above the knees. Then grasp the side handles on the machine as you point your toes straight (or you can also use any of the other two stances) and ensure that the legs are fully straight right in front of you. This will be your starting position.
   3. As you exhale, pull the machine lever as far as possible to the back of your thighs by flexing at the knees. Keep your torso stationary at all times. Hold the contracted position for a second.
   4. Slowly return to the starting position as you breathe in.
   5. Repeat for the recommended amount of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 sets of 10 to 15 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: hamstrings, not glutes
   • Equipment: a machine, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Body position: seated, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
9. Play demonstration

   9. Band Pull Through

   69% match

   • Glutes
   • Band
   • Intermediate
   • Compound

   How to perform this exercise

   1. Attach a resistance band to a sturdy anchor point at ground level.
   2. Stand facing away from the anchor point with your feet shoulder-width apart.
   3. Step forward to create tension in the band, keeping your knees slightly bent.
   4. Hinge at the hips and push your glutes back, maintaining a slight bend in your knees.
   5. Lower your torso until it is parallel to the ground, feeling a stretch in your hamstrings.
   6. Drive your hips forward and squeeze your glutes to return to the starting position.
   7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

   Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

   Why this matches

   • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
   • Equipment: a band, not a machine
   • Body position: standing, not seated
   • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever Seated Good Morning
10. Play demonstration

    10. Dumbbell Sumo Pull Through

    68% match

    • Glutes
    • Dumbbell
    • Intermediate
    • Compound

    How to perform this exercise

    1. Stand with your feet wider than shoulder-width apart, toes pointed outwards.
    2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands in front of your body, arms extended.
    3. Bend your knees and lower your hips down into a squat position, keeping your back straight.
    4. Lower the dumbbell down between your legs, keeping your arms straight.
    5. Drive through your heels and extend your hips forward, pulling the dumbbell up and in front of your body.
    6. Squeeze your glutes at the top of the movement, then lower the dumbbell back down between your legs.
    7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

    Sets and reps: 3 to 5 sets of 5 to 8 reps.

    Why this matches

    • Primary muscle: glutes, the same as the Lever Seated Good Morning
    • Equipment: free weights, not a machine
    • Body position: standing, not seated
    • Balance: harder to stay steady on than the Lever Seated Good Morning