Weighted Butterfly Flies

Primary Targets:
Adductors (inner thighs)
• Hip stabilizers
• Core (light)

Classification:
👉 Active end-range adductor strength

Starting Position

• Sit tall in a butterfly position (soles of feet together).
• Knees relaxed toward the floor.
• Hold a light dumbbell, kettlebell, or plate in each hand.
• Elbows lightly rest on your thighs OR hands hover just above knees.

Execution

  1. Inhale and grow tall.

  2. Exhale and gently press the weights down, guiding the knees toward the floor.

  3. Let the knees come back up under control.

  4. Move slow and controlled — no bouncing.

Progressions

• Increase load slowly
• Longer pause at bottom
• Add PNF: gently try to lift knees against the weight for 6 sec → relax → go deeper

Execution (PNF Style)

  1. Lower the knees with the weights to your comfortable end range.

  2. At the bottom, gently try to lift your knees UP into the weights.

  3. Contract at 30–40% effort for 6–8 seconds.

  4. Fully relax.

  5. Let the weights guide your knees a little deeper.

  6. Hold the new range for 15–25 seconds.

➡ That’s 1 PNF round.

Sets

• 2–3 PNF rounds per set
• 1–2 sets total

Regressions:

• Use hands instead of weights
• Smaller range

Why It Helps Your Pancake

✔ Strengthens adductors at end range
✔ Teaches control, not just collapse
✔ Transfers to stronger straddle & pancake depth

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Side-Lying Inner Thigh Lifts