Benefits of Warrior I, II and III (Virabhadrasana I, II and III)
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Photos by Respiro Photography featuring Sporti Studio neon nights leggings from Yoga Outlet.
Do you ever wonder why we do Warrior poses in yoga class?
Today I wanted to share some info about the benefits of Virabhadrasana I, II and III, as well as some tips for safe alignment in these postures.
Benefits of Warrior I, II and III (Virabhadrasana I, II and III)
- Warrior poses build strength. In these poses, you cultivate a sense of joyful determination; even while your muscles quiver, you have the opportunity to tune in to your breath and set your focus on the present moment.
- Warrior poses increase flexibility in the hips.
- Virabhadrasana I, II and III tone the muscles in the legs, ankles and feet.
- The Warrior poses allow you to practice a balance between effort (sthira) and ease (sukha). There is major effort happening in some muscles of the body, yet the breath remains slow and even, and the gaze (dristi) is steady.
Alignment Tips for Warrior I, II and III (Virabhadrasana I, II and III)
- Keep length in your lower back. Concentrate on lifting your abdomen and knitting your lower ribs together. Engage navel to spine; while your legs are doing a lot of work, your core is doing a lot of work, too. By removing a forward tilt in your pelvis, you'll avoid crunching in the low back.
- Be aware of where your knees and ankles are in space. The safest position for your knee joint is to stack it directly over your ankle. Notice if your knee is collapsing inward rather than tracking out toward your middle toes of your foot.
- Press down through both feet. Notice that both your front foot and back foot are active in the pose.
PS My new favorite leggings to wear to yoga are the Sporti Studio Neon Nights leggings from Yoga Outlet. So comfortable, colorful and functional! I highly recommend shopping at Yoga Outlet or following them on Twitter or Instagram for fun workout clothes ideas.
