Back pain when you squat?

This guide is for you.

MoveU sent this email to their subscribers on March 28, 2024.

Doesn’t a\xa0butt wink\xa0sound cute? Despite its cute name,\xa0this is a very common\xa0squat form mistake.
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A butt wink happens when your low back and pelvis round posteriorly (tuck under) at the bottom of a squat. This puts the body in a less than ideal position for transferring force, reducing how much you can lift.
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Loading the spine in this position can increase your risk of low back pain due to SI joint issues or disk herniations.\xa0
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So how can you tell if your squat form is off and you’re butt winking?

ASSESS YOUR SQUAT FORM

To check your own squat form and see if you’re butt winking, film yourself from the side (without a shirt) doing your best squats. Start without any weight.

When you watch your video, pause it when you get into the bottom of your squat and screenshot that. If your lumbar spine looks more like our Stickman friend on the right, you are butt winking.

WHY IS SQUAT FORM SO HARD?

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Proper squat form isn’t hard although it does require body awareness, strength, and mobility. There are two common causes of butt winking during a squat:limited mobility and limited stability\xa0

1. LIMITED MOBILITY

Generally speaking, the\xa0deeper your squat\xa0(with good form), the better. To get into a deep squat, you need solid hip and ankle mobility.

ANKLE MOBILITY

To determine if you have limited ankle mobility, take a kneeling/lunge position on the floor with one hand width between your toes and the wall in front of you.\xa0
Keeping your heel\xa0firmly on the floor\xa0and your hips squared to the wall, shift your weight forward so your knee moves toward the wall. Can you get it to touch?\xa0

If you can’t get your knee within an inch of the wall, you likely have restrictions in your ankle joint and would benefit from our Knee, Ankle & Foot program.

HIP MOBILITY

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To determine if you have limited hip mobility, lay down on your back and bring your knees to your chest. Can you get your thighs to touch your chest? If not, you may have difficulty getting into a deep squat.

2. LIMITED STABILITY

If your mobility is good but your squat form is still off, you may have a stability issue.\xa0
To determine if your butt wink occurs because of a stability issue, perform a bodyweight squat. Film yourself for 3-5 reps and notice where your butt wink occurs. Screenshot your position in the bottom of the squat.

Next, repeat the process, this time holding a 10-20 lb weight\xa0 in front of you.\xa0
Did adding the weight in front improve your squat form like it did for our model in the photo above?

If so, it’s likely caused by a stability issue. The counter weight could be giving a false sense of stability by increasing\xa0abdominal recruitment.\xa0
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You need to improve your ability to brace and hold a neutral pelvis as you lower down into the squat, which we cover in our\xa0Back & Core program.

If you have a limited mobility and/or stability in your squat,continue reading for four exercises to get you started!