Butterfly Yoga Pose
Learn how to do the Butterfly Yoga Pose with proper form and technique. This body weight exercise primarily targets your Adductors, with secondary emphasis on Hamstrings, Groin.
How to Do the Butterfly Yoga Pose
Follow these steps to perform the Butterfly Yoga Pose with correct form:
- 1Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you.
- 2Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to fall out to the sides.
- 3Hold onto your ankles or feet with your hands.
- 4Sit up tall and lengthen your spine.
- 5Gently press your knees down towards the floor, feeling a stretch in your inner thighs.
- 6Hold this position for a few breaths.
- 7To release, slowly bring your knees back up and extend your legs.
Butterfly Yoga Pose Muscles Worked
Primary
Secondary
Exercise Details
- Equipment
- body weight
- Body Part
- upper legs
- Category
- Extended
Recovery & Training Frequency
- Recommended Recovery Time
- 2–3 days
- Weekly Frequency
- 2–3 sessions per week
- Why
- Medium-sized muscles like the deltoids and traps recover well with 48–72 h between targeted sessions. Higher training frequency (3 ×/week) is viable when volume per session is modest.
Sets & Reps by Goal
Strength
- Sets
- 3–4
- Reps
- 5–8
- Rest
- 90–120 s
Isolation movements can be trained with moderate loads for strength, though peak strength expression is secondary to compound lifts.
Hypertrophy
- Sets
- 3–5
- Reps
- 10–20
- Rest
- 45–90 s
Isolation exercises shine in the 10–20 rep range with a 2-second eccentric. Taking the final set close to failure drives maximum hypertrophic stimulus.
Endurance
- Sets
- 2–4
- Reps
- 20–30
- Rest
- 20–45 s
Light-load, high-rep isolation work is useful for rehab, joint health, and pump-focused training.
Which Workout Splits Include Butterfly Yoga Pose?
Based on the muscles this exercise targets, it fits naturally into these training splits and day types:
Push / Pull / Legs
Leg Day
Upper / Lower
Lower Day
Full Body
Any session
Bro Split
Leg Day
Not sure which split is right for you? Cora builds personalised training plans that match your schedule and goals. Learn more about progressive overload.
Related Exercises
Frequently Asked Questions
What muscles does the Butterfly Yoga Pose work?
The Butterfly Yoga Pose primarily targets your Adductors. Secondary muscles worked include Hamstrings, Groin. This makes it an effective exercise for developing your upper legs.
Do I need equipment for the Butterfly Yoga Pose?
No. The Butterfly Yoga Pose is a bodyweight exercise that requires no equipment. You can perform it anywhere with enough space.
How do I perform the Butterfly Yoga Pose with proper form?
Start by Sit on the floor with your legs extended in front of you. Bend your knees and bring the soles of your feet together, allowing your knees to fall out to the sides. Hold onto your ankles or feet with your hands. Focus on controlled movement throughout the entire range of motion. See the full step-by-step instructions above for complete form guidance.
How often should I do the Butterfly Yoga Pose?
For most people, allow 2–3 days between sessions targeting the same muscle group. That translates to 2–3 sessions per week. Medium-sized muscles like the deltoids and traps recover well with 48–72 h between targeted sessions. Higher training frequency (3 ×/week) is viable when volume per session is modest.
What are the best sets and reps for the Butterfly Yoga Pose?
It depends on your goal. For strength: 3–4 sets of 5–8 with 90–120 s rest. For hypertrophy (muscle growth): 3–5 sets of 10–20 with 45–90 s rest. For endurance: 2–4 sets of 20–30 with 20–45 s rest.
Which workout splits is the Butterfly Yoga Pose best for?
The Butterfly Yoga Pose fits well into the following training splits: Push / Pull / Legs (Leg Day), Upper / Lower (Lower Day), Full Body (Any session), Bro Split (Leg Day). It is classified as a legs, lower movement.
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