Bound Angle Pose / Butterfly Pose - Baddha Konasana

Step by step

• From a seated position, bring the soles of your feet together, close to your pelvis, allowing your knees to fall out to the sides.
• Ground your sitting bones and lengthen your spine
• Hold onto the outsides of your feet and press the soles of your feet towards each other.
• If your body allows it, fold forward from the hips, keeping your spine long and your collar bones spread
• Stay for 5 to 10 breathes
• To come out of the pose, sit up straight again, lift your knees and straighten your legs

Beginners’ tips

• Sit up on a cushion or a folded blanket to encourage your pelvis to tilt forward

Try it in class

35:04

Spacious, lighter hips

Adela Serrano

Relaxing Anxiety Mental health Stress relief Backbends Lower back Spine Upper back Back health Hip Openers Hips Psoas Flexibility Runners Hatha All levels Iyengar

Benefits

• Increases hip mobility and stretches the inner thighs
• Grounding and calming

Watch out for

• Focus on keeping your spine long and your chest open, rather than on bringing the knees to the floor
• Keep breathing towards the stretched area

Variations

• Butterfly Pose is the Yin Yoga version of Bound Angle. In Butterfly the heels are much further away from the body so that the legs make a diamond shape. Allow the back to round as you softly fold into the pose. You can stay here for 1 – 5 minutes.