Advertisement
Relax Your Mind (& Your Hips) With Reclining Butterfly Pose
There's a time and place for intense yoga poses, and there's also a time and place for more relaxing ones. Whether your hips feel like they need a good stretch, or you just want to unwind and de-stress, reclining butterfly is one of those relaxing poses to consider. Here's how to do it, as demonstrated by yoga instructor Emily Chen, plus tips, modifications, and benefits.
How to do Reclining Butterfly pose:
- Come into a seated position on your mat, bring the soles of your feet together, and allow your knees to fall to either side.
- Place a yoga block under your lower back and your head, and allow your body to lower down.
- Let your arms relax overhead, and hold this position for as long as you need.
Tips & modifications:
- If your knees aren't quite resting comfortably, you can use a block underneath each for extra support.
- Kick this stretch up a notch by incorporating a strap; From a seated butterfly stretch, loop a yoga strap into a large circle. The strap will circle around your low back, and your feet in front. The strap should look like it's laying across your ankles and hip joints. From there, slowly lower down.
- Be mindful here if you have any knee or hip problems, always using props when needed.
What are the benefits?
Along with simply being a super relaxing posture, reclining butterfly is great for working on hip mobility. It requires a good deal of hip opening, but even if you're struggling with hip flexibility, the use of props can help you better relax into this pose.
The extended hold of this posture is sure to help you release any tension you're storing in the hips and groin, which can then relieve the low back. And thanks to the block under your back, you can also get a nice, gentle backbend here, which will open up the front side of the torso, and particularly your chest.
On top of that, if you're at all into chakras, this posture is a good one for both the root chakra (located at the base of the spine), and the heart chakra.
Bottom line.
The bottom line is, sometimes we need a solid stretch sesh, whether we're cooling down after a workout, about to go to bed, or just need a moment of calm to turn inward. In any case, reclining butterfly is a pose you (and your hips) won't want to miss.
Watch Next
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
Enjoy some of our favorite clips from classes
What Is Meditation?
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Light Watkins
Box Breathing
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
What Breathwork Can Address
Mindfulness/Spirituality | Gwen Dittmar
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
Yoga | Caley Alyssa
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
Nutrition | Rich Roll
What to Eat Before a Workout
Nutrition | Rich Roll
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Nutrition | Sahara Rose
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
Love Languages
Love & Relationships | Esther Perel
What Is Meditation?
Box Breathing
What Breathwork Can Address
The 8 Limbs of Yoga - What is Asana?
Two Standing Postures to Open Up Tight Hips
How Plants Can Optimize Athletic Performance
What to Eat Before a Workout
How Ayurveda Helps Us Navigate Modern Life
Messages About Love & Relationships
Love Languages
Advertisement
