The 'Butt Wink' Squat Flaw (What Causes It and How to Fix It!)

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Learning how to squat properly or how to squat without butt wink is a matter of first understanding what actually causes the flaw in the first place. To do that, I put together this squat video to cover both the root causes of butt winking when squatting and also half of the solution for how to fix the butt wink during a squat.

The butt wink is one of the most common squat flaws, particularly as you get lower and lower in the squat. As you approach parallel and beyond (ATG squats) there is a tendency of the pelvis to quickly switch positions from an anterior tilt to a posterior tilt to compensate for a lack of mobility and flexibility elsewhere in the kinetic chain.

Some mistakenly think that this is caused by a weakness in the quads or hamstrings. This is not the case. The butt wink is actually a problem with the length and flexibility of the hamstrings on either one of both legs.

As you get lower into the squat exercise, the distance between your ischial tuberosity and your knee joint gets further and further apart if you are properly maintaining the natural anterior tilt and arch in your lumbar spine. The second this length becomes maxed out however, the hamstrings are no longer able to stretch any further and in an effort to keep you moving in your squat, will pull on the pelvis into posterior rotation. This compensation immediately relieves the tension on the hamstrings and allows the lifter to finish the squat.

Once you begin your ascent again, the length tension on the hamstrings is back to normal and you are able to again resume your anterior tilt. This quick switch back and forth makes it look like a quick wink.

The second cause of the butt wink and something you need to know if you want to know how to squat without winking is related to your thoracic mobility. Most people have a hard time getting full extension (or maintaining it) in their thoracic spine during squatting. This is why it's harder to do an overhead squat while keeping your trunk upright than it is a typical back squat. If your t-spine mobility is compromised at all, you'll want to be sure to include foam rolling or other self mobilization techniques to help restore that. If the thoracic spine falls into flexion, it will pull the rest of the spine as well by virtue of it's interconnectivity.

[gkfn]

I cannot emphasize enough how much I love the science behind his explanations. He puts in so much for a free video on Youtube. I know he may use the clips on Youtube in his actual athlean-x programs, but it's just so great that we get to have these express videos. Thank you so much for all this! 

[ginoestrada]

Why the dude on the left got no hands? I wanna hear his story

[JoeS]

Hi Jeff, I've lived with back pain all my life and I'm finding your free videos and explanations excellent and for the first time I'm getting excited about maybe being able to fix things. I will be discussing things with my doctor and physio next week with an aim of getting to one of your programs, I appreciate you and your work

[boulala]

dude this is clear as water explanation and makes total sense. Always heard about the hamstrings affecting your squat and contributing on lower back pain and this is the whole explanation. Makes so much sense now

[Sirceaser]

I got rid of the butt wink by listening to "pop lock it drop it" while I squatted.

[petramarion]

Love this explanation, especially as a fellow PT who has been doing barbell squats for 2, 5 months now and can hardly go to parallel because of the "butt wink", so now I'm working on my flexibility to improve the mobility of my lower back while squatting. After only a few good warm up exercises I can already go a little bit lower without the posterior pelvic tilt.

I'd also add that the anatomical positioning and the mobility of the hip joint can also affect the way we squat and especially how low we can go without the posterior tilt. Some people might never be able to do a deep squat, because we are all different.

[rodolfooviedo]

Hi Jeff:
Dr Stuart McGill also checks the anatomy of the hip joint socket. There are some people that will alway be unable to dip squat with good form. And if they do, they risk injuring the front part of the socket.
Thanks for all your videos on fitness. They are the best of the Web.
Best, Rodolfo

[sudhirkk]

Your videos are one of the most expressive and educating ones I could possibly find. And they actually are pretty much helpfull for individuals like me who've not had a specific coaching to improve on exercises. Thanks and please keep sharing.

[WolfJulia]

Oh wow! I've seen so many people with the butt wink problem that I started to believe i was the one doing it wrong and started striving for it! Looks like it's time to reverse that

[thecore]

Good discussion, I agree with some comments simply blaming hams. is quite an over simplification. I see clients with extremely tight hams yet can perform a deep squat with little nutation yet, psoas / ilacus are not short. Their erectors are so dominant and hams weak / tight. Others with quite flexible hams yet wink early in ROM.
Others have weak lumbar erectors, PGM, Gmax, soleus etc. etc. The question arises " why is the hams tight in the first place. Often it lies right in their posture. It is their dysfunctional rounded back with complementary gait, with sway back, forward pelvis, overactive internal obliques, upper abs...etc. Stretching the hams all day long via PNF / Muscle energy tech etc. does little good until above and below are fixed.

Basically, it can vary so much with each person. Slow mo gait analysis is quite useful.

[YOURlifeFitness]

The real obstacle is hip flexion range. By decreasing available hip flexion range you are guaranteed a “butt wink”.  Butt wink will occur in everyone at variable depths or ranges in a squat, and this is due to a multitude of possible concerns. What we need to determine is when the wink is apparent; winking early is bad, winking late is better, but stopping between is best.

Some factors that may cause early “Butt Wink” (we can fix):
• Decreased ankle dorsi flexion range – tight soleus/other ankle plantar flexors

• Squat stance too narrow – early soft tissue approximation

• Lack of hip abduction strength – strengthen glutes

• Tight short hip adductors – stretch groin

• Tight hip capsule and internal rotators of the hip – trigger point/release deep hip rotators and or pigeon pose stretch

• Tight glute max - refer to the dot point above

• Increased lumbar lordosis – may be a functional postural fault (weak abdominals and hip extensors, tight hip flexors and back extensors), may be technique fault (e.g. line of vission too high) – all leads to forward (anterior) tilt of the pelvis and decreasing hip flexion range.

• Lack of thoracic (upper back) extension – compensated for by overarching the lower back…increasing lordosis and decreasing available hip flexion range. Do your foam roller mobilisations or your thoracic spine.

• Functional Osteological: sacroiliac dysfunction, pubic symphysis issues, functional leg length discrepancies
Some factors we can’t fix:

• Genetic Osteological:  structural leg length discrepancies, suboptimal hip articulation angles.


Why Hamstrings don’t cause “Butt Wink”:
• Hamstrings extend the hip and flex the knee - increased knee flexion will accommodate for the increase hip flexion, minimising flexibility demands of the hamstrings.

[jamiemauser]

This is so helpful. It seems like almost every squat form video I've watched they have butt wink too

[ersankuneri]

My favourite channel ever. Came back after 8 years still helps !

[canreachsubswithnovideo]

Jeff is a genius. Im watching this in 2021 again and appreciating the beauty of this clear precise information, with the elbow analogy. Its absolutely amazing, i can visualise what he's saying, Youre a gem

[ukasz]

after 10 years this video is a gem. Everything you said is exactly my case

[glynhardy]

How are people thumbs downing It's quite simply good info and advice explained very nicely. Good job.

[christosnal]

Your videos are always so helpful, and the way that you explain everything is so clear. I always do the squat warm-up routine that you have uploaded. Now it's time to work on that wink.

[kennethronningen]

Loving your posts as always Jeff! I would add reduced ankle mobility and poor motor control as factors contributing to a the buttwink as well. If someone is unable to keep their heels on the ground they will compensate with posterior pelvic tilt and lumbar flexion. And I usually tell my patients to practice squatting, like in a Goblet squat and stopping when the buttwink occur, and stay there for some seconds and breeth. I guess poor hip mobility and stability would be a factor as well. If their iliopsoas and TFL is tight, the femur will not move as freely into flexion and could contribute to the buttwink.

[rolanda.]

Hi Jeff!

Just wanted to say thank you for your effort. I got a great deal of high quality knowledge from your videos and you have saved me from a shoulder injury. Thanks a lot!

I am following many youtube channels, which cover fitness and body building. I have to say, your channel stands out in every aspect.

All the best

[joafus]

But Jeff, what about the estructural theory of the butt wink, that says that it appears when the femur runs out of room in the hip socket. So the only way to keep going down you have to make that pelvic tilt