Hips, lower back and knees

Dragonfly: Half

One leg stretches wide while the other supports you, giving your inner thigh and hip a gentle, sustained release: sitting tall works perfectly; folding forward is optional.

How to do it

1. 1

   Sit with one leg wide, the other folded in

   Take one leg out to the side and bring the other foot in towards your inner thigh. Sit on a folded blanket or block if you feel your pelvis tipping back.

2. 2

   Support the folded knee if it sits high

   Slip a block or a cushion under it so the leg can rest rather than hover. Keep a slight bend in the wide leg too.

3. 3

   Sit tall, this is already the pose

   Lengthen up through your spine. Sitting upright gives you the full benefit, and the stretch belongs to the inner thigh and hip.

4. 4

   Fold forward only if you want to

   Leaning forward is an optional extra, never the target. A bolster under your trunk makes it restful, and staying upright is always a good choice.

5. 5

   Stay for 2 to 3 minutes, then change sides

   Use your hands to bring the wide leg in before you straighten up, then set up on the other side.

What to watch for

Treating the forward fold as the point of the pose. If leaning forward rounds your back or makes your inner thigh grip and brace, sit back up, the upright version is doing the job.

Ways to adjust it

• Reduce the open-leg angle
• Sit on a folded blanket or block
• Reduce stretch intensity
• Stay upright instead of folding forward
• Bolster under the trunk
• Never force end-range flexion
• Support the bent knee with a block or bolster
• Bend the extended knee slightly

If this one is too much today

Try the gentler version instead. It asks less of you and does much the same work.

• Half Butterfly

Before you try it

Move within a range that stays comfortable. Stop if this brings on sharp pain, dizziness, or symptoms that travel down an arm or a leg, and speak to a clinician before repeating it.

From the clinically authored Vinys movement library.