One of the most common physical exercises to build big, strong butt muscles is to do leg lifts in the back plane of the body. On the Internet you can find hours of videos with young, fit people doing these leg lift exercises — straight leg and bent leg — pumping the lifted leg backward to fire up their glutes. 

Although this is a widely accepted type of exercise to effectively build the glute / butt muscles, it is often practiced in misaligned way, leading to chronic hip issues and lower back pain. In the standard model exercises for the glutes, in which a leg is lifted behind in the back plane, the thigh is commonly externally rotated, the top of the thigh bone is pushed forward with the groins protruding, the pelvic floor is narrowed, and the glutes are contracted downward with the tailbone tucked under. This misalignment leads to tightening of the psoas and to hip issues over time. 

When the Bowspring alignment is applied to these leg lift exercises, then not only do the glutes get a full workout, the exercises are therapeutic for the hips and lower back. 

A key difference with the standard model hip alignment is that the Bowspring alignment keeps the top of the thighbone back in the hip socket, and so the groins stay hollow. In the Bowspring, the glutes are actively lifted and mounded up towards the sacrum and the top of the pelvis, instead of pulled down like in the standard model exercises. Most people tuck the tail to do these butt exercises, yet to optimize the function of the glutes, an anterior tip of the pelvis gives a positional advantage to engage and actively lift the glutes. 

In the Bowspring method, the anterior tip of the pelvis is created by an active muscular engagement of the legs and hips, not by a passive movement of simply tipping the pelvis. An anterior tip of the pelvis without uniform engagement of the leg and hip muscles, usually causes tightening in the hip flexors, particular the psoas which leads to hip and lower back pain. 

The pelvis is optimally positioned for full gluteal power by a uniform engagement of all of the leg muscles and the hip muscles, which all starts with a balanced alignment of the feet. If the feet are disengaged or poorly aligned, then it is very difficult to create uniform tone in the leg and hip muscles. 

When all sides of the legs are uniformly engaged from the feet up into the hips, and the pelvis can be anteriorly tipped to optimize the strength of the glute muscles, then the hips can be strongly rooted, providing an anchor from which the full extension of the spine and central channel can occur. 

In the Bowspring alignment, the hips are securely rooted down and back away from the lifting and extension of the rest of the torso – the belly, lower back, ribcage, neck and head. While the leg is in Square Leg position in the back plane of the body, and the leg and the hips are rooting energetically away from the rib cage, at the same time the rib cage is pulling forward and up away from the hips, then the belly and psoas muscle can get maximum length and therapeutic opening.

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Four basic Bowspring exercises with Square Leg in the back plane to build the butt muscles:

The first exercise is Square Leg is Supine Bow – the forehead can be placed on the hands. 

Squeeze the sides of the feet in order to isometrically tone all sides of the legs up into the hips. 

Press the base of the thighs right above the knees down on the floor, and hollow the groins up away from the floor.

You can place your hands by the sides of your chest to lift your ribs up away from the floor, so you maximize the stretch of your belly, hip flexors, and spine. 

The legs and hips are fully engaged and rooting back as you extend your torso forward. 

2. The next pose is Square Leg in All-Fours – Engage all sides of the legs by softening the toes, squeezing the sides of the feet, while flexing the front ankles. Tone the hamstrings on the back of the thighs by isometrically dragging the heels back toward to sitting bones. 

Dynamically press the base of thigh forward while moving the bottom of the hips back. 

Pumping the foot upward in this alignment will fully engage the glutes. With the hips rooting backward, strongly pull the belly and the spine forward toward the top of the head. 

Keeping the tail lifting and the glutes engaging, come back to All-Fours – bringing the top of the foot to the floor, then the knee. 

3. From All-Fours lift the knees up and stretch into Crouching Cat pose. 

With the knees bent, move the bottom of the hips back and up away from the hands. Lift the ribcage and draw the torso forward while pulling the hips back. Lift one leg into Square Leg behind you, keeping all sides of the legs uniformly engaging. Once again, press the base of the thigh forward, and move the bottom of the hips up and back away from the hands. 

When all sides of the legs are uniformly engaged from the feet up into the hips, the pelvis can be anteriorly tipped to optimize the strength of the glute muscles. Then the hips can be powerfully rooted, providing an anchor from which the full extension of the spine and central channel can occur. 

4. This same hip alignment can also be practiced in a one-legged standing pose called Propeller. Begin in Earth position with Chin-Up Arms. 

Take a step forward, bending the knees, fold forward from the groins, moving the base of the hips back. Lift the back leg into Square Leg, while keeping the tail lifted. 
Keep rooting the hips back while bOwing the belly forward and lifting the ribcage upward.

Separate the hips and the ribs as much as you can. 

Fully elongate the central channel up through the top of the head to maximize the opening of your creative life force. Blessings.