Forget pigeon pose — 'this is my go-to exercise for opening up my adductors after hours of sitting, and working on my hip mobility'

a woman doing the seated butterfly stretch — (Image credit: Getty Images/Alexandr Dubynin)

I’m a marathon runner, who spends a lot of time sitting down behind a desk, so if I didn’t have tight hip flexors, I’d probably be super human. As I gear up to the start line of my sixth marathon, I’ve been suffering with tighter hips than usual, so I returned to my favorite stretch for opening my adductors and working on my hip mobility — the seated butterfly. This peaceful-sounding move is powerful, and if you haven’t tried it yet, you probably will in a few minutes time. Read on to find out more.

As always, if you’re returning to exercise following an injury, or you’re pregnant or recently postpartum, it’s always worth checking in with a qualified professional before trying something new. If at any time you experience pain or discomfort, stop and see a doctor.

What is the seated butterfly and how do you do it?

The seated butterfly is a fantastic stretch for anyone who spends a lot of time sitting down, as it stretches all of the muscles you’re probably neglecting. It directly relieves tightness in your hips, as well as working on the flexibility of the adductor muscles (inner thighs) and your lower back.

Here’s how to do it:

Sit down on the floor, you might want to use one of the best yoga mats for some extra cushioning.
Bring the soles of your feet together, and hold your ankles or feet.
Keep your spine straight and your core engaged, gently pull your feet towards your body.
To increase the stretch further, and really work into your inner thighs and groin, hinge forward slightly from the hips, keeping your back straight.
To add some movement to the stretch, move your knees up and down slightly. If you’re comfortable, take some slow deep breaths, and hold here for ten.

What form mistakes should you look out for?

Like all exercises, to really reap the benefits, you’ll need to do the exercise with good form. The most common form mistake during this move is arching your back — this takes the stretch away from your inner thighs and into your lower back, which isn’t what you want. Be sure to keep your back flat during the move, and hinge from your hips, not your shoulders.

You also shouldn’t be bouncing or forcing your knees down during this exercise — pushing down on your knees can stain or injure your knee joints, or pull your groin muscles. Let gravity do the work for you. It doesn’t matter if your knees don’t touch the floor initially, you’ll still be stretching the right muscles.

If you have tight hips, you might find it hard to pull your feet close to your pelvis. That’s absolutely normal. Avoid pulling your feet into your body, as this can make you slump, putting pressure on your spine, and move your feet further from your body if you’re struggling to sit up straight.

What are the benefits?

This exercise is my go-to for stretching my tight hips after hours of sitting behind my desk. I find it more effective than pigeon pose at relieving tightness, as I often find my adductor muscles are tight from my marathon training.

It’s also a nice one to try if you suffer from menstrual cramps, and I used it during pregnancy to relieve tension in my hips without my bump getting in the way.

Like all yoga poses, it ca also help de-stress at the end of a long day. Focus on taking slow, deep breaths as you hold the pose.

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Jane McGuire is Tom's Guide's Fitness editor, which means she looks after everything fitness related - from running gear to yoga mats. An avid runner, Jane has tested and reviewed fitness products for the past five years, so knows what to look for when finding a good running watch or a pair of shorts with pockets big enough for your smartphone. When she's not pounding the pavements, you'll find Jane striding round the Surrey Hills, taking far too many photos of her puppy.

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