Can we have a concensus on exactly where TBL is?

[Bagginslover]

There seems to be some disparity in the definition of TBL within the community, where do YOU think it lies?

I always thought it was the bottom of the tailbone, and was often measured as the ends touching a seat when you are seated.

I have also seen it measured as the top of the tailbone though, close to/the same as BCL.

Which is it?

[Tini'sNewHair]

This is my favorite photo because it shows exactly where everything is - perfect!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm242/MayasMommy7nov/esHairLengthApproximationChart-vi-1.jpg (http://s298.photobucket.com/user/MayasMommy7nov/media/esHairLengthApproximationChart-vi-1.jpg.html)

[neko_kawaii]

The tailbone is a small bone at the bottom of the, uh, crack, and is not always obvious visually. It can also vary from person to person. My tailbone is a couple inches higher than sit length for me. Sit length being the bottom of the large pelvic bones (ischium). I'd guess that most people are going to have a tailbone that is slightly higher than their ischium. The ischium are designed for sitting on, the tailbone is not.

[Bagginslover]

This is my favorite photo because it shows exactly where everything is - perfect!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm242/MayasMommy7nov/esHairLengthApproximationChart-vi-1.jpg (http://s298.photobucket.com/user/MayasMommy7nov/media/esHairLengthApproximationChart-vi-1.jpg.html)
I've not seen that particular photo before (I'm not fond of the pose of the figures, not standing squarely throws the markers off), but I have seen others, and they all seem to but TBL in different places, this one at least shows the actual bone, thank you .


The tailbone is a small bone at the bottom of the, uh, crack, and is not always obvious visually. It can also vary from person to person. My tailbone is a couple inches higher than sit length for me. Sit length being the bottom of the large pelvic bones (ischium). I'd guess that most people are going to have a tailbone that is slightly higher than their ischium. The ischium are designed for sitting on, the tailbone is not.
What length would you call your signature pic? I have seen that termed TBL many times on others. My own tailbone is lower than yours by the sound of it, I've broken it several times, and when seated, I cannot get a finger between it and the seat now, though I'm not sat on it (hope that makes sense?).

[lapushka]

I'd say following the bones, so below BCL.

[neko_kawaii]

My siggy pic is an inch or so past TBL and an inch away from Sit.

[Bagginslover]

My siggy pic is an inch or so past TBL and an inch away from Sit.

Really? Wow, my tailbone is VERY low then! I'd need another 2 inches on you to hit TBL! Gosh!

[didrash]

I always thought TBL is at the beginning of the crack (blush), its an easy marker :).

[TiaKitty]

I call TBL on me about half way down my butt crack. That's where my tailbone *is*... It will be different on everyone.

Sorry about the TB breakages, bagginslover... those suck, utterly. How painful! I wonder if yours being low has contributed to the fractures?

[neko_kawaii]

oh, TB bruising from my sons birth was pretty horrible, i cant imagine breakage. *hugs to everyone with TB injuries*

[Bagginslover]

Thanks for the sympathy Tia and Neko, it was *VERY* painful!! Both times it was falling off horses (I gave up jumping after the second break, I'm definitely a flat-work person!), and I was told the second time that it wouldn't heal right, but it wasn't bad enough to need pinning. My bones are oddly shaped in several places on my body, so it could have always been low, and I just didn't notice ittil it was pointed out, after all, we're all used to whats normal for us ;)

[tetisheri72]

I've broken mine a couple of times. Once from falling down the stairs right on my tail from top to bottom. The other was from a sledding accident that made me land on the street after accidentally going over a snow berm. It's now got arthritis and is offset from the rest of my spine a little bit.

[mariakatija]

For me, I'm counting TBL as the halfway point between BCL and Classic. It makes it easier that way.

[tigereye]

The bottom of my actual tailbone (the coccyx) is around an inch and a half from the seat when I'm sitting. The padding and muscle in my butt and thighs mean there's no way the bottom of my pelvis or tailbone are ever going to be touching the seat/ground. I've fallen off horses many a time and never done any damage to either.
You have my sympathy BagginsLover.

I remember reading once that bareback-riders should either have a relatively high tailbone or ride with a thick saddle pad on and lean forward slightly, because otherwise the horses spine and humans tailbone tend to bang together, especially in trot and both get damaged. Mine is pretty high, but I certainly found when riding bareback that some of my fellow riders tended to get off afterwards with a literal pain in the ass.

[cathair]

I think there might be an easier way of looking at it. How can I put this as politely as possible..? TBL on me is a couple of inches below BCL and above sit length by an inch or so. TBL is also just above BHL, if you get me? ;) If you take BHL as a marker, you're looking just above that, it couldn't be below.

[Bagginslover]

I think there might be an easier way of looking at it. How can I put this as politely as possible..? TBL on me is a couple of inches below BCL and above sit length by an inch or so. TBL is also just above BHL, if you get me? ;) If you take BHL as a marker, you're looking just above that, it couldn't be below.

This is a very good point! when I had the breaks, I could feel the pieces grinding together when I 'went' (TMI! sorry!!), so had to have softners for a while :/ mine still seems to be low in comparison to others though, maybe thats whats skewing my view of where it should be as an arbitrary marker-its me thats off!

Thanks Tigereye :)

[Sterlyn]

OMG, reading this thread....... we have a new length marker BHL :laugh:

But on a more serious note, I thought the same thing, it would be really difficult to tell on the outside of the body where the tailbone actually ended, hence the erm other marker.

LOL but I am years from needing that particular marker, if ever. :p

[spidermom]

when I could find my tailbone by pushing a finger through the ends of my hair, a little less than halfway down the cleft

[~*~Aspen~*~]

This is my favorite photo because it shows exactly where everything is - perfect!

http://i298.photobucket.com/albums/mm242/MayasMommy7nov/esHairLengthApproximationChart-vi-1.jpg (http://s298.photobucket.com/user/MayasMommy7nov/media/esHairLengthApproximationChart-vi-1.jpg.html)


i think so too.

[ouseljay]

What I get from this thread is essentially...

owowowowowowow. :lala:

(I've got something weird going on with my own tailbone, such that it's intensely uncomfortable [but not painful] if it's touched or poked, so I don't go assessing TBL much. :laugh: I'd estimate a couple of inches below BCL for me.)

[Anje]

On me, I'm pretty sure it's a few inches below where the crack starts, but it's not very apparent. Relative variations in cushioning probably play a role here.... :D

[ravenreed]

I call TBL where my tail bone is. Since I am well-padded in the fundament, there is quite a bit of space between TBL and classic for me. It a few inches below Butt Crack Length. Aren't humans fun? There is no standard model!

[tigereye]

I just made a remarkable discovery (in my very bored, revision laden mind). When I'm standing, my tailbone lines up perfectly with some stitching on my jeans back pocket. When I'm sitting, it lines up with the top of the same pockets. Putting lines on pictures is going to be so much easier now I have an external marker.

[LauraLongLocks]

So, now we have BCL, TBL, and BHL? Oh my! I have never given so much thought to my backside in my life! Ha ha!

[Andeee]

I love the new BHL milestone! I'm not really sure where my tailbone is, so I'll go by when hair touches the chair when sitting up straight. It's gonna be at least a year until I get there...

[mariakatija]

What's BHL?

[Sterlyn]

I think there might be an easier way of looking at it. How can I put this as politely as possible..? TBL on me is a couple of inches below BCL and above sit length by an inch or so. TBL is also just above BHL, if you get me? ;) If you take BHL as a marker, you're looking just above that, it couldn't be below.

mariakatija, LOL see earlier post above.

[leslissocool]

Tailbone for me is half my butt where I can feel the bone, past BCL by an inch and I couldn't sit on it. Now I can and it's close to classic.

I have dimples in my lower back, it's two inches past it.

[LauraLongLocks]

What's BHL?

Well, there's butt crack length, tailbone length, and now butt hole length. I guess we could abbreviate it AHL... :run:

[mariakatija]

mariakatija, LOL see earlier post above.

I still don't understand :( What does BHL stand for?

[vanillabones]

I, like many others, consider it exactly where your tailbone is / ends. Mine is about an inch down my 'crack', I do feel like I have a long bum crease though :( I don't like it. My tailbone is about an inch above when I sit (on my squishy bum). I don't consider it a visible length considering you have to 'feel' where the bone ends o_o
My goal is anywhere within hip to TBL, preferably BCL, that gives me a lot of space to maintain and make new hair decisions.

[makeminea99]

Heheheheheheh! I feel about 9 years old, giggling at all these references to bottoms!!! :lol: I have a well-upholstered bottom so it's been taking me a while to inch down from hip to tailbone . . . about 3 inches to go!! :)

[askan]

I did a lot of situps and other exercises on a hard floor tonight and I can feel my own tailbone quite clearly after that.

[cathair]

Well, there's butt crack length, tailbone length, and now butt hole length. I guess we could abbreviate it AHL... :run:

Love it :D I creased up reading that :)

[mariakatija]

Nevermind, haha :)

[chen bao jun]

If my hair ever gets anywhere within this vicinity, I will be too happy to remember to look the exact definition up.

[woodswanderer]

I thought I was +hip! but I must be almost tailbone then. Yay!

[LauraLongLocks]

Well, there's butt crack length, tailbone length, and now butt hole length. I guess we could abbreviate it AHL... :run:


I still don't understand :( What does BHL stand for?

Already answered above.

[Tini'sNewHair]

HAHAHAHAHA :o dont know if i can hold a straight face when i get to butt hole length :tbear: I think i will just pretend that my hair grew so fast that it just never stopped there for long enough for me to take any notice of it - moving right along :silly:

[Merlin]

In the world of Tai Chi one of the core ideas is to tuck the pelvis under (sort of a forward rotation) and the easiest way to feel this is to put a hand flat against the lower back, so I've done this a lot. I can say with complete confidence that I've never actually felt the end of my tailbone as it curves away underneath somewhat, I can only feel the side of it. I wonder if this is what is causing some doubt and ambiguity about this one as for a lot of people tbl is going to be where it curves rather than where it ends?

[Bagginslover]

Good thought Merlin. I *know* where mine ends *ouch!*, and it is very low. I'm not advising anyone investigates too thoroughly (!) but I'm sure I didn't used to be able to feel as much as I can now.

[Nae]

I don't really have anything appropiate to add lol, but I did want to chime in with sympathy for your various taibone injuries. Once as a kid I jumped down some stairs and landed squarely on my tailbone. I was about six and I thought I would die. I couldn't walk right for like a week.

In the spirit of this thread. Here is an interesting scientific-y video about how great our butts are......you know. In case somebody else wants to be a 12 -year-old like me and giggle uncontrollably at it. It is called, Why is Your Bottom in the Middle? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKg9Vl_Wg5U

[lapushka]

It is called, Why is Your Bottom in the Middle? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKg9Vl_Wg5U

Very interesting, thanks for posting, Nae!

[MandyBeth]

I got a big ol' booty, so I'd go hip/BCL (very nearly the same), then erm Beavis & Butthead length at a few inches straight down, then classic a few inches further.

But my big butt means if my exact measure to classic is 30" (I have no clue at all, I'm just picking numbers), I'm probably around between HL and B&BL in appearance, and won't hit CL on appearance until 40".

[Bagginslover]

I don't really have anything appropiate to add lol, but I did want to chime in with sympathy for your various taibone injuries. Once as a kid I jumped down some stairs and landed squarely on my tailbone. I was about six and I thought I would die. I couldn't walk right for like a week.

In the spirit of this thread. Here is an interesting scientific-y video about how great our butts are......you know. In case somebody else wants to be a 12 -year-old like me and giggle uncontrollably at it. It is called, Why is Your Bottom in the Middle? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xKg9Vl_Wg5U

Oh dear! My computer got a wash at 'Dick Swett'!! Whoops! Very interesting though!

MandyBeth, is that due to your hair draping around you curves rather than falling straight?

[Ocelan]

My TBL is about 2 inches past BCL too and I can just barely feel the bone when I try. Then classic is maybe 4 inches below that. I have a long and flat butt... Either way, I don't think I've heard of anyone having their TBL at or above BCL so pretty much anything from an inch past BCL is probably correct enough.

Hihi, BHL! *giggles* Or should we call it the "nether eye" length? NEL! ;)

[Bagginslover]

I have to say, after this thread, I'm totally posting a boasting thread when I get to BHL! ;)

[lapushka]

Hihi, BHL! *giggles* Or should we call it the "nether eye" length? NEL! ;)

:lol: Could catch on!

[truepeacenik]

Points to every person who checked their own TB versus cleft.
On me, the coccyx is three finger widths in.
The cleft starts one finger width under the bottom post of the sacrum.

But I always considered them basically the same length.
Like fingertip being any finger. :)
I love the idea of the skeleton shot.

But I just want to scream, "posture!" at them.

[Emanuelle]

The end of my tailbone is a bit past where my butt crack starts... around butt hole :P

[Robot Ninja]

See, I always thought the tailbone was the protruding bone at the top of my buttcrack and we called it TBL instead of BCL because there are adults present. Now that I know where it really is...I don't think it's a very good milestone, since you can't actually see it. Except I'm just past the real TBL, so I don't know what else to call it, because hurry-up-and-get-to-classic length is a bit clunky.

[HintOfMint]

My tailbone and top of the vertical smile are within an inch of each other, maybe even exactly on top of each other, so they're interchangeable to me.

[Yozhik]

My tailbone and BCL are the same on me, but I thought TBL was supposed to be your hair touching your seat when you were seated. :confused:

Also, thanks everyone for adding BHL to my vocabulary! :spitting:

[Merlin]

I have to say, after this thread, I'm totally posting a boasting thread when I get to BHL! ;)

Okay, this is one of those occasions where we break the golden rule of LHC - this is one time when it's not pictures or it didn't happen

[makeminea99]

My TBL is about 2 inches past BCL too and I can just barely feel the bone when I try. Then classic is maybe 4 inches below that. I have a long and flat butt... Either way, I don't think I've heard of anyone having their TBL at or above BCL so pretty much anything from an inch past BCL is probably correct enough.

Hihi, BHL! *giggles* Or should we call it the "nether eye" length? NEL! ;)

Baahahahahaha!! 'NEL'!!! Love it!
OOh and loved the informative video Nae - I've learned something today! :)

[Bagginslover]

Okay, this is one of those occasions where we break the golden rule of LHC - this is one time when it's not pictures or it didn't happen

Yeah, no. No photos of THAT, promise!! ;)