Butt unlocking from back...

[Tor]

Hi Mark,

I've noticed this happening in almost all of my heavier squats but I can't seem to fix it. As I come up out of the bottom it looks like my butt is swiveling up independently of my lower back.

I wouldn't be worried about this but I've had two minor pulled muscles in my lower back in the past month and I think this might be the reason why.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=2D3cGDLM0RE

Thank you for your input,

Tor

[Mark Rippetoe]

What I see is a pretty egregious butt wink, an unlocking of the lumbar muscles that keep your spine in extension. This is accompanied by a shift onto your toes at the bottom. This a typical leg-press-with-the-bar-on-your-back squat that we see all the time. You may have some hamstring tightness that would account for both of these problems, but I think probably you just need to reach back with your ass, lean over more, shove your knees out, go to your heels, keep your shins more vertical, look more down, pick your toes up inside your shoes -- in short, start using your posterior chain correctly, as commented on a thousand times in this forum. And then, start really focusing on doing all this with your lumbar locked in place. This may take a coach.

[Tor]

Hm I was afraid of this. I've found that while using just a bar and pushing my knees and ass as hard as possible, I can squat down with correct lumbar position, keeping my knees back and out. But it takes everything I've got. Which has led me to realize how tight my shoulders, hams and groin are. And also how it's a miracle that I haven't totally jacked up my back or knees doing squats with horrible form.

I'm going to significantly back off the weight until flexibility and form improve.

As an aside, might it be useful to have a post that contained links to all of the 'squat form check video' threads? It could even be sticky and required reading... Just a thought. I could get it together over the next week or so, if that was of interest.

Thanks for the comments,
Tor

[Mark Rippetoe]

I don't necessarily think that a huge reduction in weight is the most productive way to deal with this problem. There are very few more effective stretches for tight squatting muscles than squats, and it might be that a slight (20%) reduction in weight with a ten-fold increase in attention paid to correct form would work better.

[XTrainer]

I wouldn't be suprised if these same form issues were responsible for all the problems I'm having.

Would these form issues have anything to do with a dispprotionately heavy front squat (compared to back squat), a generally weak back squat (compared to deadlift) and a considerable discrepancy between belted/unbelted squat weights?

Thanks for the help.

[Tor]

Thank you, I'll keep at it.

And what about the idea of a "Squats Form Check: Look here first" post? It could be edited (with a list of the most relevant threads) or just a complete compilation of all form check videos. This in an attempt to forestall the day when you throw up your hands in frustration at answering the same question for the 1001th time and write us all off to squat purgatory.

I'm pretty sure the members here, myself included, could take care of the groundwork for something like this.

Tor

[butter]

Mark,

Please can you clarify what is a butt-wink and a butt-wink Nazi?

Thankyou
butter

[Mark Rippetoe]

I have just finished an article for the CrossFit Journal that will clarify X's questions regarding the front squat/back squat discrepancy. In short, yes, it's your hamstrings.

And I have no objections to an indexing of the squat videos. I don't have time to do it, but if there are volunteers, it has my blessing.

As for the definitions of butt wink and butt-wink Nazi, the first is obscene and scatological, and the second is not discussable due to European Union restrictions.

[butter]

Hey Mark

I eagerly look forward to your article at the crossFit...

BUTT please can you tell me what a butt wink is, I believe it's somehing you look for in the movement, elaborating on this would be most appreciated.

[XTrainer]

I have just finished an article for the CrossFit Journal that will clarify X's questions regarding the front squat/back squat discrepancy. In short, yes, it's your hamstrings.

And I have no objections to an indexing of the squat videos. I don't have time to do it, but if there are volunteers, it has my blessing.

As for the definitions of butt wink and butt-wink Nazi, the first is obscene and scatological, and the second is not discussable due to European Union restrictions.

Is the article actually published yet?