Butterfly

How to do it

Sit on the floor. Bring the soles of the feet together, letting the knees fall out wide to either side. The feet can be closer to the body or farther away — closer is more intense, farther away is easier. Allow the spine to round forward toward the feet, letting the head hang heavy. Hands can rest on the feet or on the floor in front. Long, passive hold; let gravity do the work.

Why it's good for runners

Butterfly is a long-hold release for the adductors and the inner hips — the same tissues running quietly tightens without ever asking them to lengthen. A long hold lets the connective tissue around the hip socket actually relax, which is what running-induced hip tightness is really about.

Common mistakes

Don't bounce the knees toward the floor — that's an active stretch, not the long passive hold the pose is designed for. Don't pull the feet hard into the body if it hurts the knees; slide them out farther. And don't worry about getting the chest to the feet; the round-forward shape is the point, not depth.