Rounded back at bottom of narrow squats#1635

Hi Hybrid Calisthenics team,

Just tried Narrow Squats for the first time, and when I reach the bottom, my back almost rounds into a tuck position. This feels natural to me, but I don’t know if I’m doing it right. Just looking for help, thanks!

Hey. This is Chrys, one of the trainers at Hybrid.

What you’re describing is called a posterior pelvic tilt, or “butt wink,” and it’s really common at the bottom of squats. A little rounding isn’t dangerous, but if it’s excessive it can put extra strain on your lower back. Usually it happens because of tight hips, hamstrings, or limited ankle mobility. The narrow stance makes it show up more since your body has less room to open up at the bottom.

For now, only go as low as you can while keeping your back neutral, even if that means stopping a little higher than you’d like. Over time, working on hip and ankle mobility—things like deep squat holds, 90/90 hip stretches, and calf stretches—will let you sit deeper without rounding. You can also experiment with slightly turning your toes out to see if that gives you more space.

Okay, thank you for the help!