I do a lot of Pilates, cycling, and strength training, but my lower back still gets stiff from sitting for long periods of time. I’m very mobile, so I’m very flexible, but my joints get really stiff, so I’m always looking for ways to keep them strong and mobile.
You may have heard that Butterfly Pose, or Baddha Konasana, is a great way to release tension, improve pelvic health, and reduce stress. Since I don’t have many opportunities to sit still and focus on my breathing, I decided to try butterfly pose for 10 minutes every day for a week in hopes of relieving tension in my hips and helping me relieve stress.
Here’s everything that happened and an explanation of how to do the pose.
how to do butterfly pose
Carrie Speed, a yoga teacher living in Texas Joyful Risingwho showed us step-by-step how to do the popular pose.
- Sit tall, bring the soles of your feet together, and slowly bend your knees outward. If you want to increase strength, bring your heels closer to your body and hold your feet or ankles with your hands.
- Maintain an upright position or, if comfortable, fold forward from the hips to keep your spine as long as possible.
- You can further strengthen your lower back by gently raising and lowering your knees, like flapping the wings of a butterfly. This pose can also be practiced by lying down and practicing butterfly pose.
At Speed, if you have stiff lower backs or other problems when performing Butterfly Pose, we recommend using a block under your knees or using a cushion for support.
what i found
(Image credit: Future)
My posture has improved
During the first week, 10 minutes of sitting upright felt like a long time because my back and shoulder muscles were weak. My lower back started hurting after a few minutes, but it felt better when I switched to the lying butterfly pose.
By the second week, I was able to hold the seated butterfly pose for longer and felt more comfortable in the upright position.
Now I can relax and sleep better
I’m good at sitting to work or watch TV, but I’m not good at sitting for mindfulness. I get easily distracted and my mind and eyes wander.
But after practicing this pose for a few days, I found it to be really relaxing. I usually did it after putting the kids to bed and found it gave me time to relax and reset after a long day.
I focused on breathing in through my nose and exhaling through my mouth, keeping my mind as empty as possible. It also seemed to really help me sleep at night.
At the same time, you can also train your pelvic floor muscles.
When practicing this pose, I spent the first two minutes doing Kegel exercises and the rest of the time focusing on my breathing. I liked doing something first to focus my mind.
It’s hard to find time for pelvic floor exercises during the day, so I welcomed the chance to sit still and get a little attention.
Note: If you have back or hip problems, please seek the advice of a qualified physician before performing this exercise as it may worsen your symptoms. Be sure to stop if you feel pain or tension.
