How to do the butterfly stretch
Sit tall, bring the soles of your feet together and let the knees fall outward. Hold your feet and hinge gently forward from the hips, letting gravity do most of the work.
How long to hold it
The most common recommendation for a static butterfly stretch is a single continuous 45 second hold — both knees fall open at once, so there's no side to switch to and nothing to repeat. That is exactly how this timer is pre-configured: press start, hold through the countdown, and it gives you 30 seconds of rest once you're done. Your eyes never leave the floor.
Common mistakes
Pushing down on the knees with your hands, rounding the spine to get lower, and pulling the feet in so close that the knees rise up.
Why it's worth doing
Opens the adductors and groin, which stiffen with both sitting and heavy leg training. A staple in warm-downs for football and martial arts.
About this timer
ExtendTimer is a free stretching timer with sound cues for every phase: a steady tick while you hold, a count-in when you switch sides, and an alert on your final rep. It works offline, installs to your home screen like an app, and needs no account. Routines of up to two stretches are free forever; Pro ($4.99/month or $29.99/year) unlocks unlimited routines and the full sound studio.