Squat Butt Winks: Should they be feared ?⭕️⁣⁣

Squat Butt Winks: Should they be feared ?⭕️⁣⁣
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Many coaches believe that exercises need to be “text-book” like,- but if we take a deeper look at the research, we can see that in reality there’s no such thing as a “text-book” movement, at least not as the way it’s interpreted.⁣⁣
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Interestingly, spinal flexion, or flexion past “the neutral zone” has generally seemed to be something to be avoided, because *theoretically* correlated to pain/injury… but in reality, there’s no definitive research that supports this claim. ⁣⁣
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“Lumbar flexion should be avoided!”

Interestingly, various studies have looked at the flexion of the spine when performing different exercises, including KB swings, Goodmornings, and Squats, still showing plenty of lumbar flexion (out of neutral), despite being coached to stay within a “neutral zone.” [1, 2, 3]

Active individuals performing compound lifts move way in excess of what it is thought to be a “neutral lumbar zone”, and they’re still able to exercise just fine.

Active people who move their spine past the idea of “neutrality” still show less occurrence of herniated discs when compared to sedentary individuals. And interestingly, keeping a neutral spine isn’t even necessary better at preventing discs from bulging/herniating. [4]

What’s even more interesting is that recent research has even concluded that a flexed spine is associated with greater strength and efficiency during maximal lifts. [5]

And to conclude, there isn’t even evidence that can establish a connection between flexion of the spine and herniation/pain.

Pain is a complex topic, and it cannot be reduced to a singular, structural cause as many people would assume. In fact, many things can play a role in its experience, including biological, social, and psychological factors.

For this reason, educating ourselves on pain science, and how our body *positively* reacts to movement, when exposed to mechanical stimuli is fundamental, in order to become more optimistic about exercjse and create less barriers to training in general!