The Right Way to Squat (And Solve the “Butt Wink” Issue)

Introduction

Squats are considered the king of all exercises — a compound movement that strengthens your legs, glutes, lower back, and core while improving balance and posture. However, doing squats incorrectly can lead to injuries and long-term damage. One of the most common yet misunderstood squat issues is the “butt wink”, a posterior pelvic tilt that occurs at the bottom of a squat. This article will walk you through the right way to squat and explore in depth how to fix the butt wink, so you can lift safely and effectively.

1. Understanding the Anatomy of a Squat

Before jumping into technique, it's essential to understand which muscles are involved:

• Quadriceps – Front of the thighs
• Hamstrings – Back of the thighs
• Gluteus Maximus – Your buttocks
• Adductors – Inner thigh muscles
• Erector Spinae – Muscles along the spine
• Core Muscles – Abdominals and obliques for stability

A proper squat is more than just bending the knees; it’s a coordinated effort that involves hip, knee, and ankle mobility, as well as spinal stability.

2. The Right Way to Squat: Step-by-Step Guide

Step 1: Setup and Stance

• Stand with feet shoulder-width apart or slightly wider.
• Toes should point slightly outward (~15–30 degrees), depending on hip anatomy.
• Keep your chest up and spine neutral.

Step 2: Bracing the Core

• Take a deep breath into your belly, not your chest.
• Tighten your core as if preparing for a punch—this creates intra-abdominal pressure.

Step 3: Initiate the Movement

• Push your hips back slightly before bending your knees.
• Begin descending while keeping your chest upright and knees tracking over your toes.

Step 4: Depth and Alignment

• Go as low as you can while maintaining a neutral spine.
• For most people, a good target is thighs parallel to the floor or slightly below.
• Avoid rounding the lower back — this is where butt wink typically appears.

Step 5: Ascent

• Push through your heels and midfoot.
• Drive your hips up and forward, keeping your chest up and spine neutral.
• Return to the starting position.

3. What is the “Butt Wink”?

The term “butt wink” refers to the posterior tilt of the pelvis that causes the lower back to round at the bottom of a squat. While it may seem harmless, repeated stress on a flexed lumbar spine under load can lead to:

• Herniated discs
• Chronic lower back pain
• Decreased force production
• Poor biomechanics

A small amount of movement is normal for some lifters, but excessive rounding is a red flag.

4. Common Causes of Butt Wink

A. Poor Ankle Mobility

If your ankles can’t dorsiflex enough, your body compensates by shifting your pelvis.

Fix:

• Use ankle mobility drills like wall stretches, deep lunges, or foam rolling calves.
• Elevate heels with small plates to temporarily bypass mobility restrictions.

B. Tight Hamstrings

Tight hamstrings can restrict hip flexion and cause pelvic tilting.

Fix:

• Perform dynamic hamstring stretches.
• Incorporate Romanian Deadlifts (RDLs) and leg swings into your warm-up.

C. Weak Core or Poor Bracing

A weak core doesn’t stabilize the spine properly during deep squats.

Fix:

• Practice diaphragmatic breathing and bracing.
• Add planks, bird-dogs, and dead bugs to your training routine.

D. Lack of Hip Mobility

If your hips can’t rotate or abduct properly, your pelvis compensates.

Fix:

• Include hip stretches like the pigeon pose and 90/90 stretches.
• Use hip circles and banded distractions before squatting.

E. Going Too Deep (Beyond Your Active Range of Motion)

Not everyone has the same anatomy. Some lifters push too far past their natural depth, causing a loss of lumbar stability.

Fix:

• Squat only to your active range of motion (before the wink starts).
• Gradually work on mobility to increase depth safely.

5. How to Test for Butt Wink

A. Bodyweight Squat in Mirror or Camera

• Squat slowly and deeply.
• Watch your lower back; if it rounds at the bottom, you’re butt-winking.

B. Wall Squat Test

• Stand a few inches from a wall and try to squat down without letting knees or head touch the wall.
• Failure often indicates mobility restrictions.

C. Seated Hamstring Test

• Sit on the floor, legs outstretched.
• Reach for your toes without rounding your spine.
• Difficulty here often signals tight hamstrings contributing to butt wink.

6. Corrective Drills to Fix the Butt Wink

A. Ankle Mobility Drills

• Wall Ankle Mobilizations: Knee over toe against the wall.
• Calf foam rolling and stretching.

B. Hamstring & Hip Mobility

• Dynamic leg swings
• Banded hamstring flossing
• Deep lunges with rotation

C. Core Activation

• RKC Plank
• Pallof Press
• Ab wheel rollout (advanced)

D. Squat Variations

• Goblet Squats: Encourage upright torso and proper hip mechanics.
• Box Squats: Teach controlled depth and improve posterior chain activation.
• Tempo Squats: Slow descent helps focus on mechanics and bracing.

7. When to Seek Professional Help

If you’ve addressed mobility and technique but still experience a deep butt wink:

• Consult a physiotherapist or certified strength coach.
• Use motion analysis software or a professional camera setup to assess biomechanics.
• Get screened for anatomical variations like femur length, pelvic structure, or joint capsular restrictions.

The squat, hailed as one of the most fundamental and effective strength-training exercises, engages multiple muscle groups such as the quadriceps, hamstrings, glutes, core, and lower back, offering benefits that range from muscle growth and fat loss to improved posture and athletic performance; however, one of the most common and problematic faults seen during squatting is the “butt wink,” which refers to the posterior pelvic tilt that occurs at the bottom of the squat, causing the lower back to round and potentially leading to serious issues like herniated discs, chronic lower back pain, or decreased lifting performance if not corrected. To perform a squat correctly and safely, you must begin with proper setup—standing with feet shoulder-width apart, toes turned slightly outward, and chest lifted, followed by bracing the core through diaphragmatic breathing to create intra-abdominal pressure that supports the spine. As you descend into the squat, the hips should hinge backward before the knees bend, allowing the torso to remain upright and the knees to track over the toes; the goal is to reach a depth that maintains a neutral spine, which for most people is at or just below parallel. Butt wink commonly results when the depth exceeds your body’s current mobility limits, often due to restricted ankle dorsiflexion, tight hamstrings, limited hip mobility, a weak core, or simply squatting too deep for your anatomy. Ankle mobility is crucial, and exercises such as wall ankle mobilizations, calf foam rolling, and elevating the heels with small plates or lifting shoes can help correct this issue. Tight hamstrings can pull the pelvis into a posterior tilt as you descend, so incorporating dynamic stretches, Romanian deadlifts, and foam rolling can improve their flexibility over time. A weak or inactive core fails to stabilize the lumbar spine during squats, so core activation drills like planks, bird-dogs, and dead bugs are essential components of any corrective program. Hip mobility is another critical factor, and exercises like pigeon pose, 90/90 hip stretches, and deep lunges with rotation can open up the hips and allow for deeper squatting with better pelvic control. It's also important to assess whether the depth you are squatting to is actually within your active range of motion—if you observe that the butt wink consistently appears below a certain point, it’s safer to limit your range to just above that threshold while continuing to work on your mobility and stability. Tools like bodyweight squat videos, wall squat tests, and seated hamstring assessments can help you identify exactly when and why the wink is occurring. Once you've identified the contributing factor(s), you can implement targeted solutions such as goblet squats (which naturally encourage better form), box squats (which train controlled depth and posterior chain engagement), and tempo squats (which slow down the descent and allow better awareness and control). While minor butt wink under bodyweight may be tolerable, lifting heavy with compromised spinal alignment significantly increases the risk of injury, making it essential to correct the issue before progressing. In some cases, especially for individuals with specific anatomical features like long femurs, shallow hip sockets, or unique pelvic shapes, a slight butt wink may be unavoidable despite good mobility and form; for these lifters, depth should be adjusted accordingly, and a professional movement assessment can help confirm whether the range of motion is safe. Consistency in mobility training, strength development, and technique refinement typically leads to improvements within a few weeks, but patience and body awareness are key. In summary, while squatting is a powerful movement that builds strength and resilience, it must be done with technical precision, especially under load, to avoid injuries like those caused by the butt wink. The best approach is to identify the root cause—whether it’s a mobility issue, core weakness, or anatomical limitation—address it methodically through corrective strategies, and modify your squat technique accordingly using tools like heel elevation, reduced depth, or alternative variations like goblet and box squats. Ultimately, the goal is not to achieve maximal depth at any cost, but to perform each rep with integrity, control, and safety so you can benefit from squats over the long term without compromising your spine or joints.

Squatting is one of the most powerful and foundational movements in strength training, revered for its ability to build lower-body strength, core stability, and overall functional fitness, but to perform a squat correctly and safely—especially under load—requires far more than simply lowering and lifting your body; among the most commonly observed errors in squatting is the phenomenon known as the “butt wink,” a term used to describe the posterior pelvic tilt and associated rounding of the lower back that occurs at the bottom of a squat, which, while sometimes dismissed as harmless, can over time lead to significant mechanical inefficiencies and serious injuries such as lumbar disc herniation, nerve impingement, or chronic lower back pain if left unaddressed. At its core, the right way to squat begins with proper setup and alignment: feet should be positioned about shoulder-width apart, with toes turned slightly outward depending on individual hip anatomy, and the spine should be held in a neutral position with the chest lifted and gaze forward, supported by a braced core achieved through diaphragmatic breathing to create intra-abdominal pressure that stabilizes the spine throughout the movement. The descent should begin by hinging at the hips—pushing them slightly back before bending the knees—to ensure optimal balance and load distribution across the hips, knees, and ankles, and as you lower yourself, your knees should track in line with your toes without caving inward, while your weight remains balanced over your midfoot and heels; the ideal depth for most people is at or just below parallel, though this can vary based on limb proportions, joint mobility, and skeletal structure, and it's crucial to recognize when going beyond your natural range of motion leads to compensations like spinal rounding. The butt wink occurs most frequently when lifters attempt to squat deeper than their bodies can manage with proper alignment, and there are several potential causes behind this—tight hamstrings, for example, may restrict the pelvis from tilting forward, thereby causing it to round backward as depth increases; similarly, limited ankle dorsiflexion can prevent the knees from traveling forward adequately, forcing the hips to drop back and under to reach depth, resulting in lumbar flexion. Additionally, insufficient hip mobility, particularly in internal rotation and abduction, can inhibit the pelvis from moving freely during a squat, and a weak or inactive core may fail to provide the necessary support to maintain a neutral spine under pressure, all contributing to the breakdown of form. To correct a butt wink, it's essential first to identify its root cause through assessments such as filming your squat from the side to observe when the rounding begins, performing ankle mobility tests near a wall, or trying the seated hamstring reach test to evaluate posterior chain flexibility. Once identified, the issue can be systematically addressed through targeted mobility work, such as foam rolling the calves, hamstrings, and glutes; stretching the hip flexors and hamstrings with dynamic drills like leg swings or the 90/90 hip stretch; and improving ankle mobility with deep lunges, banded distractions, or wall ankle mobilizations. Strengthening the core is equally critical, using exercises like bird-dogs, dead bugs, Pallof presses, and RKC planks to enhance spinal stability and teach proper bracing mechanics, which should be practiced regularly even outside of squat sessions. Alongside corrective mobility and stability work, modifying squat technique and equipment can help prevent or reduce butt wink during training—using a slightly wider stance or experimenting with foot angles can sometimes accommodate hip structure more effectively; elevating the heels with weightlifting shoes or small plates can compensate for ankle mobility limitations; and adopting squat variations like goblet squats, box squats, or tempo squats can encourage better movement patterns and help build awareness at different depths. Goblet squats, in particular, are excellent for reinforcing upright posture and proper hip movement, while box squats teach depth control and posterior chain engagement without excessive depth that causes rounding. Tempo squats slow down the descent and allow the lifter to feel where spinal integrity starts to break down, making it easier to adjust before injury occurs. Importantly, one must understand that everyone's anatomy is different—femur length, pelvic shape, hip socket depth, and spinal curvature all influence how a person squats, and some individuals may experience a minor degree of pelvic tilt as a natural part of their biomechanics; in such cases, the focus should be on controlling the movement, avoiding load during compromised positions, and working within a safe, functional range of motion rather than forcing deeper squats for the sake of aesthetics or arbitrary standards. In fact, for many lifters, long-term progress comes not from squatting as deep as possible, but from squatting as well as possible, ensuring every rep is executed with stability, intention, and full-body control. In scenarios where consistent effort fails to resolve butt wink despite mobility improvements and technical corrections, it may be advisable to consult a certified coach or physiotherapist who can assess for structural limitations and guide appropriate regressions or alternatives. Whether you are a beginner learning the basics or an experienced lifter refining your technique, the key takeaway is that squatting is not merely a leg exercise—it’s a full-body movement that demands coordination between joints, muscles, and the nervous system, and any breakdown in this chain, like a butt wink, should be treated as an opportunity for improvement rather than ignored or masked by external load. With patience, intelligent programming, and consistent mobility and stability work, most individuals can either completely resolve or significantly reduce the butt wink, enabling them to squat safely, effectively, and confidently over the long term without risking spinal health or sacrificing performance.

Conclusion:

Learning the right way to squat is fundamental to strength and longevity in training. The butt wink is not merely an aesthetic flaw — it’s a warning sign of potential injury under load. By identifying its root cause and applying corrective strategies, you can protect your spine and unlock the full benefits of the squat. Like any skill, squatting well takes time, awareness, and consistency.

Q&A Section

Q1: – What exactly is a butt wink in a squat?

Ans: – A butt wink is when the pelvis tucks under (posterior pelvic tilt) at the bottom of a squat, causing the lower back to round.

Q2: – Is some butt wink acceptable?

Ans: – A small amount may be acceptable in bodyweight squats, but under load (barbell), it increases risk and should be corrected.

Q3: – How can I test if I’m butt winking?

Ans: – Record yourself from the side while squatting or perform a wall squat to see if your pelvis tucks under at the bottom.

Q4: – What are the main causes of a butt wink?

Ans: – Common causes include poor ankle or hip mobility, tight hamstrings, a weak core, and squatting beyond your natural range of motion.

Q5: – Can squatting with a butt wink cause injury?

Ans: – Yes, repeated spinal flexion under load can lead to disc issues, lower back pain, and long-term spinal problems.