Yoga 101: Warrior II Pose

September 3, 2:09 PMChicago Yoga ExaminerAlison Curtis

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Warrior II  Pose

Sanskrit Name: Virabhadrasana II (veer-ah-bah-DRAHS-anna)

Benefits of Warrior II

•  Strengthens quadriceps, posterior deltoids. hip adductors, and muscles protecting the knee and ankle jointsstrengthen muscles protecting knee and ankle joints
• Stretches hip adductors, chest, anterior deltoids, teaches leg muscles to hold joints in proper alignment
• teaches leg muscles to hold joints in proper alignmenthip adductors
• relieves tension, aches, pains
• builds stamina
• fosters mind-body awareness
• awakens the body & stimulates the mind

Getting into the pose

1. Begin standing in Mountain Tadasana

2. Step your right foot out to the back of your mat, angling your left foot toward the front of the mat and your right foot parallel to the back of your mat.

3. Raise your arms to shoulder level and bend your left knee, aligning it directly over your ankle.

Enhance your Warrior II

• Spread the weight evenly between both feet, as if you are stretching your mat in both directions.
• Lengthen your right leg, keeping the knee soft but nearly straight. Open your left knee so that when you look toward your foot, you can see your big toe but none of the others.
• Extend your tailbone downward while growing the crown of the head toward the sky
• Tuck the left hip under, making your body as slim and narrow as possible
• Draw the shoulder blades down and back, relaxing the shoulders yet lengthening the arms.
• Gaze past your left middle finger

Breathe into your Warrior II

• Inhale, lengthening your spine skyward.  Exhale, sinking the tailbone toward the earth
• Inhale, stretching through the space between your fingers.  Exhale, pressing the palms down (without moving the arms)
• Inhale, opening the left knee.  Exhale, stretching the right.
• Inhale, lifting your arches up toward the ankle.  Exhale pressing into all 10 toes and each heel.

Counter Poses

• Dancer, or Natarajasana, opens the quadriceps muscles
• Bow, or Dhanurasana, also open and stretch the quadriceps
• Triangle, or Utthita Trikonasana shifts the stretch into the hip adductors

Contraindications

• Headache
• Insomnia
• Low Blood Pressure

Practice Yoga at one of the great Chicago Yoga studios!

Spring Pilates and Wellness Center

Global Family Yoga

Millennium Park Outdoor Yoga

Lotus Wellness Center

Experiment with different types of Yoga

Kids' Yoga!

Bikram Yoga

Hot Yoga

Thai Yoga Massage

Environment Yoga

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