Hips and adductors
Butterfly Stretch
The Butterfly Stretch is a stretch with no equipment for your adductors. Share of the load in the Zulta muscle model: adductors 76%, hip flexors 7% and gluteus maximus 7%.
How to do it
- Sit on a mat, bend both knees and press the soles of the feet together.
- Pull the heels in toward the body as far as is comfortable.
- Hold the feet or ankles and sit tall.
- Let the knees fall toward the floor and hinge forward slightly from the hips.
- Hold for 30 to 60 seconds, breathing slowly, then straighten the legs.
Tips
- Place the elbows on the inner thighs and press gently to deepen the stretch.
- Move the feet farther away if the lower back rounds.
Common mistakes
- Flapping the knees up and down.
- Rounding the back to bring the head down.
- Forcing the knees to the floor with the hands.
Muscles worked by the Butterfly Stretch
Share per muscle in the Zulta muscle model. The model spreads the load of one rep over 40 muscles, based on EMG and biomechanics research.
Knees bent: the short adductors, not the hamstrings. Spreading the legs or opening the knees lengthens the adductors, with the medial hamstrings joining when the knees are straight.
Butterfly Stretch alternatives
Same equipment
Frequently asked questions
What muscles does the Butterfly Stretch work?
Mainly the adductors.
Is the Butterfly Stretch good for beginners?
Yes. The Butterfly Stretch is rated beginner in the Zulta library: the technique is easy to learn with a light weight.
What is a good alternative to the Butterfly Stretch?
For example the Deep Squat Hold, Frog Stretch and Happy Baby. They train mostly the same muscles.
Log your sets in Zulta
Zulta tracks your sets, weights and muscle load next to your running, riding or Hyrox training. The app opens soon.