Butterfly Stretch

Crack open tight hips and inner thighs.

StretchingSecondary: AdductorsBodyweight

How to do it

Sit tall and bring the soles of your feet together in front of you.
Hold your ankles and let your knees fall out to the sides.
Gently press your knees toward the floor with your elbows.
Hold and breathe deep, sitting tall the whole time.

The one cue that matters

⚡

Sit up straight instead of rounding forward. The stretch comes from the hips opening, not from hunching.

Muscles worked

Soles together, knees falling wide, the butterfly opens the hips into rotation while the adductors along your inner thighs take the main stretch. It targets exactly the tissue that turns squats narrow and hips cranky. Sitting tall is what separates a productive hold from folding into a rounded slump.

FAQ

My knees stick way up in the air, is that normal?

Completely. Knee height reflects your current hip mobility, not effort. Sit tall, press gently with the elbows, breathe, and let them drop over weeks of consistency rather than forcing them down in one session.

Should I pull my feet close or keep them further away?

Closer to your hips biases the stretch deeper into the hips and groin, further away eases it off. Start further out, settle in, then work the feet closer as the stretch relaxes.

When is the best time to do the butterfly stretch?

After training or as its own mobility session, when the muscles are warm and happy to lengthen. Before leg day, keep the holds short and gentle, save the long deep holds for afterwards.