We have been doing a lot of Front Squatting in the program for this cycle and it has given everyone a good chance to really work good positioning in the bottom for the squat. Lately I have addressed the dreaded posterior pelvic tilt aka “Butt Wink” in my classes during warm-ups. I have kept it brief and advised everyone of being mindful of it during lifting. It might have given some of you a reason to worry a bit about it and blaming it for back pain. Now let us clarify this issue and see if it is a big problem or not.
Research shows that keeping a Neutral Spine is a range, it is not fixed position. Here is an example to explain this range of an athlete with no clear mobility issues and starts in a braced position. If you watch a person doing a squat from side on. They start in a slight extended hip position, as they squat down they go through a straight hip position and into a slight flexed hip position at the bottom. This would be the neutral spine range. A coach should and will have to go through this with every athlete individually to make sure they are within an acceptable range. You can not give a general rule for this for all your athletes hence why I haven’t told you guys much about this in class as it could be construed as me being ok with you going from a hyperextended position into overly flexed bottom position.
Now that we have this cleared up lets look at how we can minimize this to stay within acceptable range. This is where I have talked to most of you individually during class. If you don’t have extreme mobility issues a thing I have told a lot of you is still squat below parallel but come up a tiny bit to stay within neutral spine range. You do not have to go super deep in your squat.
If you have had mobility issues I would have given you a couple of things to address during warm up or cool down again these will be individual as not all of you have the same limitations in your movement.
Final words on the subject. You need to stay in a good position for force production. If you are too extended or flexed you will not be able to lift heavy weights and/or create force through explosiveness and if you try that in a bad position you can get hurt. Pay attention to this when you squat again.
Christian
Wednesday 24/5/17
Strength: Strict Press
3 x 8 @ 80-82%
WOD: 15 min AMRAP
10 Deadlift 80/55kg
15 Push Ups
30 Reverse Lunges
