What the Hell Is a ‘Butt Wink’—And Is It Really All That Bad?

It looks as if there’s a form adage for all the pieces in fitness, especially for common exercises just like the squat. And

Wait, what? If that last one threw you for a loop, you’re not alone. While the butt wink may not be within the vernacular of the on a regular basis gym-goer, it’s a fairly popular topic on GymTok and other social platforms. There, trainers and coaches are captioning videos with words like “fixing,” “correcting,” and “mistake”—leading whoever’s scrolling on by to naturally assume this squat technique ought to be avoided in any respect costs.

But as we’ve all learned the hard way a time or two (or 10), social media isn’t at all times probably the most reliable source of intel. So that raises the query: Is a butt wink that bad? We dug in to seek out out.

Wait, what even is a butt wink?

First, let’s get clear on what this really means. A butt wink is when your pelvis tucks under at the underside of your squat. This causes your lower back to round forward or flex, relatively than stay upright—it’s what’s officially generally known as a posterior pelvic tilt. A butt wink is one among those things that’s hard to elucidate, but jumps right out in case you see it in a photograph or a video. The motion itself can appear as if a mini booty twerk, which can explain its fun name.

You can butt wink with numerous several types of squats, including front, back, weighted, and body weight, and there are several possible aspects driving it. One is your mobility: If you don’t have proper ankle dorsiflexion, or the power to bring your toes closer to your shins, it could be all but unimaginable to maintain a straight spine when sinking right into a squat, Carrie Pagliano, PT, DPTspokesperson for the American Physical Therapy Association and adjunct professor at Marymount University, tells SELF. Tight hamstrings may be a offender, since they will pull your pelvis right into a tucked position, physical therapist Nicole Haas, PT, DPTfounding father of Boulder Physiolab in Boulder, tells SELF.

you’re squatting may matter too. If your stance is just too narrow, it could make it harder to maintain an upright spine as you lower down, Dr. Pagliano explains. Squatting past parallel (where your butt is below your knees) may increase your possibilities of butt winking. Sinking to that depth challenges your balance, and could cause your pelvis to naturally tuck under as a option to prevent you from falling forward, Craig Secor, PT, DPTa Richmond, Virginia–based physical therapist, tells SELF.

Or it may be easy anatomy. Some folks, due to the shape of their hip sockets, usually tend to butt wink in a narrow stance, or conversely, in a wider stance, Dr. Haas explains. Others who’ve a naturally more flexed forward posture, or who are inclined to stand in a posterior pelvic tilt—say, their butt tucks under relatively than stands out or stays neutral—will probably even be more prone to accomplish that while squatting, Kellen Scantlebury, DPT, CSCSfounding father of Fit Club NYtells SELF.

Okay, but is a butt wink actually bad?

Here’s the thing: The butt wink is a little bit of a divisive topic—not only on the web, but amongst trainers and physical therapists too. Some experts, like Dr. Pagliano, say it’s NBD. She doesn’t imagine there’s anything actually bad or dangerous about it; relatively, it’s more only a form quirk, which some individuals are simply more liable to than others.