Duration exercise

Butterfly Stretch form, muscles worked, and workout tracking

The butterfly stretch is a seated groin stretch in which the soles of the feet are pressed together and the knees drop toward the floor, lengthening the adductors and inner-thigh muscles while gently opening the hips. It is used before and after lower-body training to improve hip abduction and external rotation range, support wider squat stances, and relieve tightness from prolonged sitting.

Butterfly Stretch illustration

How to do Butterfly Stretch

  1. 1Sit tall on the floor, press the soles of your feet together, and pull your heels comfortably toward your groin.
  2. 2Hold your feet or ankles with both hands and lengthen your spine so you are not slouching.
  3. 3Let your knees sink toward the floor, hinging slightly forward from the hips to deepen the stretch if desired.
  4. 4Avoid rounding your back or bouncing your knees; the stretch should feel steady, not sharp.
  5. 5Breathe slowly and deeply, easing a little further on each exhale, and hold for thirty to sixty seconds before releasing.

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Track Butterfly Stretch in Plates

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