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Butterfly Stretch

Sit with the soles of your feet together and let the knees fall open. Anyone who sits in a chair all day is tight here, whether they feel it or not.

Level Beginner
Equipment None
Sets and reps 2 sets x 40 sec
Works on Inner thighs, hips

How to do it

  1. Sit on the floor and bring the soles of your feet together.
  2. Hold your ankles and sit up tall through the spine.
  3. Let the knees relax down towards the floor under their own weight.
  4. To go deeper, hinge forward from the hips with a flat back.

Common mistakes

  • × Pushing the knees down hard with the hands - let gravity do it.
  • × Rounding the back to get the head lower.
  • × Bouncing the knees up and down.
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One thing that matters

The further your heels are from your body, the gentler it is. Slide them out if it bites.

How much

Sets and reps for Butterfly Stretch

Where you are Aim for
Just starting 2 sets x 30 sec, sitting on a cushion
The standard 2 sets x 40 sec
Once it is easy 2 sets x 60 sec, chest forward
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Breathing

Breathe out and let the knees sink a little further on each exhale. Never bounce them.

Questions

Butterfly Stretch, answered

Why will my knees not go down?

Hip anatomy varies a lot between people, and some hips will never let the knees reach the floor no matter how much they are stretched. Work with the range you have rather than forcing it.

Should I push my knees down with my hands?

Light pressure is fine. Bouncing or pushing hard is not - it triggers the muscle to tighten against you, which is the opposite of what you want.

Does sitting on a cushion help?

A lot. Raising the hips above the knees tilts the pelvis forward and makes the position far easier to hold with a straight back.

One exercise is never the whole story

Which day to do Butterfly Stretch, how many sets, and what to pair it with - the AI builds the whole plan. Your first one is free.

Build My Free Plan
Stretching

You can also try

🧘 Beginner

Hamstring Stretch

Back of the thigh

Sitting all day tightens the back of your thighs. This is what opens them up again.

2 x 30 sec each leg →
🧘 Beginner

Cobra Stretch

Abs, lower back

Essential after any ab work. It also gives your lower back some relief.

2 x 20-30 sec →
🧘 Beginner

Child's Pose

Lower back, shoulders

The very last thing you do. It cools you down and opens up your lower back.

1 x 60 sec →
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This is general information, not medical advice

Everything on this page is worked out from a formula or from published averages. It has never met you, and it cannot see your blood pressure, your medication or an old injury.

Talk to a doctor before you start if you are pregnant or breastfeeding, have a heart condition, diabetes or high blood pressure, take regular medication, have or have had an eating disorder, are recovering from injury or surgery, or are under 18. Stop and get advice if any exercise causes pain, dizziness or chest discomfort.

More about where these numbers come from is on the about page.