WARRIOR II (Virabhadrasana II)
Warrior II, the second in the trifecta of Warrior postures, is a glorious full body pose that is also a building block of Sun Salutations.
Like WARRIOR I, the feet can be in heel-heel or heel-to-arch alignment although I have a preference for the latter. Heel-to-arch alignment in both Warrior I and II are more forgiving for the knees as one squares the hip points forward.
ALIGNMENT
From MOUNTAIN: jump or step the feet out such that with arms extended, wrists are above ankles.
- Rotate front foot 90 degrees
- Angle your back foot so toes lead the heel
- Bend the front knee generously; not to exceed 90 degrees
- Extend the arms, palms down
From WARRIOR I: If the right leg is forward, open the arms so right arm forward, left arm back. Both palms down.
WORK IN THE POSE
Activate the inner legs by magnetizing the feet together
Reach through the crown of the head, ground down through all 4 corners of the feet, and allow the tailbone to drop down
Work on bringing the bent thigh parallel to the ground
Focus your gaze (drishti) on your forward hand’s middle finger
Release the shoulders down away from the ears
Situate your shoulders above the hips so your body weight is distributed between the front and back legs
BENEFITS
- Strengthens the legs, arms, feet, ankles and shoulders
- Improves balance, stamina and concentration
- Opens the groin