1. Hip External Rotation (Front Leg)

• Tight piriformis / deep glutes
• Limited turnout or straddle comfort
• Difficulty keeping knees down in butterfly

2. Posterior Hip Capsule Mobility

• Feeling “blocked” deep in the hip
• Can’t rotate the thigh outward easily

3. Glute + Deep Rotator Flexibility

• Tension in glutes that restricts pancake depth

4. Pelvic Control in Asymmetry

• One side tighter than the other
• Need to address side-to-side differences

Who Benefits Most

Pigeon folds are great for:

• Athletes / dancers / yogis with tight hips
• People who feel glutes limit their pancake more than hamstrings
• Anyone who collapses or twists in straddle positions

How to Program Pigeon Folds

• Place after 90/90s or Frog Rocks
• Before deep pancake work
• 2 x 30–60 sec holds / side
• Optional PNF: push front shin into floor 6 sec → relax deeper