The butterfly yoga pose is a classic that has been used beyond the realm of yoga for ages. It is also known as Baddha Konasana, cobbler pose, or bound angle pose.
The butterfly pose activates the entire pelvic region and opens up the inner thighs, hip flexors and the back. Being part of yoga, the butterfly pose also promotes a sense of peace and encourages inner awareness, allowing us to get in touch with our grounded selves.
You will often see people perform this pose at the beginning or end of strength training, cardio or other types of workouts, as it makes a great hip opener and stretcher. In fact, some people may even do this pose all on its own as it reduces tension and increases flexibility in the hips, which makes it ideal for people to loosen their lower body after a long day at the office, sitting in a desk chair for hours.
When you sit for long periods, the hip flexors are in a tight, shortened position. This can be troublesome for anyone, especially active individuals who need their hip flexors to be nice and active enough to perform exercise without the risk of injury. Additionally, tight hip flexors are often linked to lower back discomfort. To help prevent this, the butterfly asana can be an effective stretch.
In this blog, we will tell you more about this pose, what the benefits of the butterfly yoga pose are, and the steps to do it effectively.
Table of Contents
- 6 Benefits of The Butterfly Yoga Pose — What Does Butterfly Yoga Help In?
- How To Do The Butterfly Pose: Step-by-step Baddha Konasana
- Is Butterfly Yoga Good For Weight Loss — Can It Reduce Weight?
- Expert’s Advice
- The Final Say
- FAQs
- References
6 Benefits of The Butterfly Yoga Pose — What Does Butterfly Yoga Help In?
What does butterfly exercise do to your body? The butterfly yoga pose is a simple hip opener that stretches your hips, lower back and thighs. It relieves tension in the lower body by stretching the hip, leg and back muscles and improving blood circulation.
Here are the benefits of the butterfly yoga pose:
1. Stretches The Inner Thighs — get those thighs in flight!
The primary benefit of the butterfly pose is that it opens and stretches the inner thighs and hips, improving flexibility in those areas. This is especially useful for those people who sit for hours on end or those who engage in activities that put a strain on these areas.
2. Relieves Tension in The Lower Back — unwind your back
The butterfly yoga pose is a great stretching exercise for your lower back, relieving discomfort and tension in that area. This makes the butterfly pose a useful asana for those who suffer from stiffness or chronic back pain or those who have unusual back pain or tension from exercise, sitting too much, poor posture, etc., by opening up the pelvis and lower back and easing the pain.
3. Relieves Stress & Calms The Mind — stressed to serene
Like all other yoga asanas, the benefits of this pose are not limited to your body! The butterfly pose can relieve stress and help calm your mind, making it a great yoga pose for mental relaxation. By focusing on mindful awareness and deep breathing while doing this stretch, you may even be able to remove feelings of anxiety and tension and relaxation from within.
4. Improves Hip Mobility — free your hips!
This point goes hand-in-hand with the first benefit! By doing the butterfly pose, you're stretching your hips and thighs, and if you do it regularly, you'll be able to improve your hip mobility.
5. Stimulates Your Abdominal Organs — better digestion & health
When you do the butterfly asana, you're gently squeezing your abdomen. This can stimulate your abdominal organs, including the prostate and ovaries. In extension, it also stimulates your kidneys and bladder. This stimulation of abdominal organs can have a positive impact on your digestive system and even on your reproductive function and urinary tract health.
6. Activates The Second Chakra — awaken your passion & creativity!
This asana does more than just stretch — it activates your second chakra, Svadhisthana. When this chakra is activated, you can access your centre of passion and awaken your creative powers. This stimulates critical thinking, creativity and emotional harmony. By regularly practising the butterfly pose, you can awaken and balance this energy centre.
Also Read: Top 15 Most Impactful Stretching Exercises In Yoga For Flexibility
How To Do The Butterfly Pose: Step-by-step Baddha Konasana
Whether you're looking to stretch your muscles, improve flexibility, ease stress, or just add some calm to your day, the butterfly pose can be your friend. Follow these steps to do the butterfly pose effectively:
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Also Read: 12 Benefits Of Yoga for Mental Health And 5 Ways To Improve Well-Being
Is Butterfly Yoga Good For Weight Loss? Can It Reduce Weight?
Well, not really. While the butterfly pose can certainly be a part of weight loss, it cannot directly promote weight loss.
For weight loss, you will need to primarily focus on creating a calorie deficit by reducing your calorie intake so that it's less than the calories you burn. Along with this, you should also incorporate some regular exercise by adding a mix of cardio and strength training throughout the week, as well as yoga exercises for weight loss.
However, while the butterfly yoga pose alone cannot help you lose weight, it can still play a supportive role by promoting mindfulness, reducing stress, and improving overall fitness.
Expert’s Advice
Butterfly Pose can be added to your yoga or exercise routine or be done on its own whenever you want to centre yourself or stretch your hips. Practising yoga helps develop both the body and mind, offering many health benefits. However, along with this, I also recommend focusing on a balanced diet rich in healthy proteins, fibre, fruits, and vegetables for a healthier body.
Health Expert
Lavina Chauhan
The Final Say
Butterfly pose can help improve posture and relieve tension in your lower back, hips, and inner thighs. It is ideal for anyone who sits for long periods of time or for people before or after doing a workout involving the lower body. The butterfly pose is suitable for most levels and is a great yoga pose to start as a beginner. However, you need to be careful or avoid this pose if you have groin or knee problems.
FAQs
1. How long should you do butterfly yoga?
You may be able to hold the butterfly pose for 1-5 minutes, depending on your comfort level. However, if you're just starting out and your hip mobility and flexibility are not great, then hold it for 30 seconds and gradually increase the time as you get comfortable.
2. How often should I do butterfly exercises?
You can do the butterfly pose 3-5 times a week, depending on your flexibility and comfort level. Incorporating it regularly helps improve hip flexibility and reduce tension.
References
- https://www.truemeds.in/blog/butterfly-position-benefits-and-how-to-do-it
- https://www.rishikulyogshalarishikesh.com/blog/butterfly-pose-in-yoga/
- https://www.healthshots.com/fitness/staying-fit/flutter-into-the-butterfly-pose-for-these-5-fantastic-benefits/
- https://www.beatoapp.com/blog/fitness-benefits-of-yoga-butterfly-asana-how-to-do/
- https://www.artofliving.org/yoga/yoga-poses/butterfly-pose-badhakonasana
- https://fitelo.co/fitness/butterfly-yoga-for-weight-loss/
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