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Partner Yoga Pose: Butterfly Pull
Most of us can always use some lower back stretches, and this one called Butterfly Pull stretches your entire spine and opens your hips as well.
- Partner #1 (blue shirt) sits in Butterfly pose with his heels together and knees out wide.
- Partner #2 (no shirt) sits with his legs straight facing Partner #1, and places his feet on Partner #1's shins.
- Both partners hold each other's hands or wrists. Partner #1 folds forward over his feet as Partner #2 leans back, pulling him deeper into the stretch.
- They hold for five or so deep breaths, making minor adjustments if necessary.
Stretch Those Tight Hips and Lower Back
Chances are if you are reading this, you have the ever popular "office job" that involves sitting at a desk for 8 hours a day. This can wreak havoc on your precious body creating tight hips and lower back pain. Many stretches for your hips also stretch out your lower back, so these poses are like 2 for the price of 1.
Strike a Yoga Pose: Butterfly
Sanskrit name: Baddha Konasana
English Translation: Bound Angle
Also Called: Butterfly
This is the first pose I do right after a run. It feels utterly amazingly to stretch out my tight hips and low back. Here's what to do:
- Sit on the ground, bending both knees and bringing your feet together.
- Using your hands, open your feet up like a book.
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Partner Yoga Pose: Back-to-Back Butterfly
Butterfly pose is one of my favorite hip openers, and there are many Partner Yoga moves that involve this pose. There's the Butterfly Pull, Butterfly Supported Forward Bend, and Seated Butterfly Lounge is great way to stretch. If you have tight hips then you will appreciate trying Back-to-Back Butterfly with a partner since this variation deepens the stretch and it is only slightly hands-on compared to a couple of other partner poses.
Partner Yoga Pose: Butterfly Supported Forward Bend
One reason I love partner yoga poses that allow you to relax and slowly get deeper into poses. This pose Butterfly Supported Forward Bend, will also bring you a little bit closer to your yoga partner; it is definitely intimate, but it allows for a deep stretch in the hips, lower back, and shoulders from the Butterfly, as well as relaxing hamstrings stretch from Seated Forward Bend. Why not take this opportunity to get to know someone a little bit better while you stretch your hips?
Partner Yoga Pose: Seated Butterfly Lounge
Keeping your hips flexible helps prevent injury, and here's a great hip stretch you can do with a partner. It's similar to the Seated Straddle Lounge, but for this one, the person on the bottom is in Butterfly pose with her feet together and her knees out wide.
Music: "Shiva Shambho" by Namaste
To see a detailed description of how to do this hip-opening partner pose read more
Strike a Yoga Pose: Balancing Butterfly
If you're a runner, chances are your feet could use some extra love. Here's a tranquil pose that will stretch your arches and toes like Toe Breaker stretch, but will also open your hips and challenge your sense of balance.
To learn how to do this pose and see another variation read more
Relax Already: Supported Butterfly
After a long day of work or a challenging workout, it's nice to take a few quiet minutes to yourself, to do nothing but relax. Some people chill with a bath, a hot cup of tea, or a glass of wine, but I like to do a calming stretch. This is one of my favorites because not only does it relieve tension, it also opens my hips, which tend towards tightness.
Why Bouncing and Stretching Don't Mix
I remember taking a dance class when I was a little girl. We would always do floor exercises to warm up before dancing. My favorite was called Flying Butterfly.
Fittingly Mad: Don't Touch Me - Yoga Assists Gone Wrong
Over the holidays, I went to a Primary Series yoga class. I pretty much knew what to expect - the sequencing of postures is the same no matter where you take it. But I wasn't expecting Mr. Touchy-Feely Yoga Assistant.
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