Daily Mobility Exercises by Dr. Kelly Starrett › Forums › Back › Buttwink

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    • 04/17/2015 at 10:42 pm #71335
      AvatarLynn Mount
      Participant

      Hi.

      I’m new here and new to self assesment. I have been following the thought around buttwink lately and have become a little concerned as to whether or not I have it. 
      If any of you would mind having a quick look at my video and critiquing and advising it would be greatly appreciated. 
      As for my own assessment, it seems that I round ever so slightly at the bottom. What would you advise to clear this up and help return to normal movement pattern?
      Thanks so much for your help. 
      ps. If the video shows private the password is “buttwink?”
      pps. sorry about the mess
    • 04/20/2015 at 2:16 pm #75944
      AvatarMargaret Williams
      Participant

      im very interested in this topic as well. Hope someone can post some input. The only videos that Kelly has talked about it I believe were “pro” videos : (

    • 04/21/2015 at 5:23 am #75948
      AvatarDrew Feyerabend
      Participant

      imho as ‘layman’, yes I see a big wink.
      Also some hyperextension in the lower back (- again imho).

    • 04/21/2015 at 10:18 am #75951
      AvatarNathan Richer
      Participant

      yes you do buttwink right as you cross horizontal with your upper legs.

      lots of reasons and solutions to buttwink. 
      1. it is hard to tell how far apart your feet are, but it will be easier if they were just a tad wider than shoulder width. once you go wider, it will get harder. it will also get harder if the feet come closer together.
      2. do lots of hip openers with band, and work a supernova/lacrosseball into the glutes, quads, hams, adductors.
      3. your feet look like they are pointed out. it is ok to point out a little bit but it looks like your arches are collapsing which makes me think that you are not driving your knees out strongly enough. driving your knees out will create space between the legs for your hips to drop between. when you drive knees out, only go as far as not letting your big toe off the ground. so while knees out is a good cue, you really want to screw your feet into the ground to create torque, which also drives the knees outward in reaction.
      4. lower leg needs to be worked – calves, heel cord, posterior tibialis, anterior tibialis, peroneals. 
      5. hows your ankle dorsiflexion. it looks ok here, but you will want to test with feet straight instead of pointed out. the knee should track slightly to the outside towards the 4th little toe as you do ankle movements.
      6. to do the squat properly really requires a mobile t-spine. i’d get on a double lacrosse ball or gemini and make sure you have mobility in the t-spine, which may also encourage a buttwink if too stiff.
      7. one last thing – set the femur heads to the back of the socket! get on the ground with band distracting to the outside or rear. then with one knee down, try to push the femur head out your butt behind you.  do this for 2 min at least each side. if the femur heads are biased to the front, they will run up against the front of your pelvis and cause the buttwink.
    • 04/24/2015 at 2:08 am #75970
      AvatarRob Lavoie
      Participant

      Great suggestions David!

      One thing I would add (as Lucas mentioned) you appear to be in an over extended position to begin the squat, which really accentuates the buttwink.  Try setting your pelvis in a more neutral position (ie not so hyperlordotic) prior to starting the squat and create that torque David mentioned.  You can achieve this more neutral position by slightly tucking your tail bone under and squeezing your glutes.  Break from the hips and then maintain that pelvic neutral throughout the movement.  That way you don’t get the huge swing from extension to flexion and back to extension, because at the end of the day it is that what will lead to injury.
      I’ve spent many nights staring at the ceiling, contemplating the mechanics of a ‘simple’ air squat!
    • 04/24/2015 at 7:45 am #75971
      AvatarLynn Mount
      Participant

      Very thankful for all your suggestions. One of the hardest things for me is that I train alone so seeing what I do when I train is near on impossible. That being said, when I do go to my box I am told I have a good squat and therefore I have no idea there is something that needs fixing. 

      I think my biggest problem is that in a recent effort to fix my general posture, I took the ‘chest up to get shoulders back’ route. This has obviously led to me spending a lot of time in extension. My hammies are very tight so I am constantly working on them to relieve some tension. The biggest help though has been to screw the feet and butt and get the knees out. Its still requires concentration to maintain position and Im still not sure how I go rep to rep but I think if I keep practicing I’ll get there. 
      Thanks again for your help everyone. 
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