Does your lower back round when you do a full squat?
Do you get a bit of a “butt wink” going on when you squat ATG?
This is a very common squat technique issue that many lifters have. Basically what happens is you can maintain a flat back as you sink down into the squat, but as soon as your hips drop down below parallel your lower back rounds in and causes your butt to rotate down and forward. This is often referred to as a “Butt Wink” or “Butt Winking”.
Now there are many top level lifters who have this lower back rounding and it doesn’t cause them any problems. Some guys are able to squat big weights despite the fact that their lower back rounds in the bottom of the squat. However, for others this can be a problem and cause lower back pain when squatting. And often times it leaves your lower back really sore after a squat workout.
The root cause of this is usually lack of flexibility in the glutes and hamstrings. Especially the top of the hamstrings where they connect at the bottom of your butt cheeks, the glute / hamstring tie in area. When your hamstrings are tight like this it pulls your hips forward and causes your butt to dip down and your lower back to round when you break parallel in the squat.
To fix this problem you should focus on stretching out the hamstrings and the glutes. In the video below you’ll see some good stretches that can help increase flexibility and mobility in the hamstrings & glutes.
Watch The Video Below to Learn How To STOP
Your Lower Back From Rounding When You Squat…
Note: if you can’t watch the embedded video clip above,
you can watch it right on my YouTube Channel by Clicking Here
Does your lower back round when you squat?
If so please let me know in the comments below…
9 Comments
Daniel
Here is a video on butt wink you might like to view Lee.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0fN3NhZ5Ifc
Bret goes into reasons for butt wink.
Nina
Great info! I have been suffering from this problem for a long time, and haven’t been able to solve it. However, I find I can avoin the rounding if I place a plate under my heels, even though I know it’s not optimal for a proper balance with heavy weights. Could this have something to do with ankle mobility or is it just a lack of proper technique?
Nicola
I have discovered that I have the problem of my lower back rounding off when I squat, I videoed it and only realised then! But having read your article I am unsure as to why mine is doing that, my hamstrings are not tight, in fact they are loose and in stretch most of the time due to a postural thing I am working on (pelvis got a real knock when I flew off my bike!). Can you explain why I would have the same problem of the lower rounding back, when my hamstrings are doing the opposite to what you suggest? Cheers. Nicola
Patrick
Stretches for hamstrings and glutes? All I saw was psoas stretch and a sitting squat stretch.
leehayward
Patrick,
I have more leg stretches that you can see in this video…
https://youtu.be/3ScklQyKuuI
rishabh shrivastava
Weak core and hip flexibility are the two major reasons why squat form compromise.
Colin
Am curious as I have butt wink issue and can’t even get close to parallel. My hamstrings are reasonably flexible but I recently developed right hip pain through the glutes and hamstrings. I’m a track athlete but my job requires prolonged sitting. Would there be issues with glute tightness and weakness along with hip flexor tightness and weakness? If so what sort of hip mobility exercises would you recommend?
leehayward
Hi Colin, I’ve got a good hip mobility video that you can check out on my YouTube channel at:
Arian van Helden
So, posterior tilt = hips being pulled forward?