Butterfly stretch

This stretch is for the muscles that run along your inner thigh and groin. To do this stretch, follow these steps:

1. Sit on the floor with your back straight, your abdominals in, and the soles of your feet touching each other. It’s important to keep your back straight during this stretch because rounding your back places undue pressure on your lower back and spine. Sit up tall and think of your chest lifting forward as you tilt your pelvis back.
2. Place your hands on your ankles and bring your feet as close to your groin as you can (see Figure a).
3. Inhale and as you exhale, gently press down on the inside of your knees with your elbows (see Figure b).
4. Hold this stretch for 30 seconds or four to five slow, deep breaths. With each breath, try to get your knees closer to the floor.

A few do’s and don’ts for this stretch:

• Do breathe as you hold the stretch.
• Do lengthen your spine as you lean forward from the hips.
• Do keep your neck in line with the rest of your spine. You should be looking at the floor in front of you, not at your feet.
• Don’t round your back or tighten your shoulders.
• Don’t bounce your knees toward the floor — be patient and hold the stretch.