Yoga Basics: Warrior II
Sanskrit Name: Virabhadrasana II
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Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana).
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Step legs wide - about 3 1/2 - 4 feet apart. Lift and extend your arms to shoulder height. Your wrist should be directly over your ankles.
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Lower your arms.
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Turn the left foot in a quarter turn (see picture above). Turn the right foot to 90 degree angle. Align heel of right foot to center of left foot.
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Bend the right knee to a 90 degree angle. Knee directly over ankle. Anchor left foot, by pressing the outer edge of foot into the ground. Do not grip the toes on the right foot.
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Stretch your arms open, keeping them at shoulder height. Turn the palms to face upward and to open and relax the shoulders. Keep the shoulders open and turn the palms to face downward.
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Turn your head gaze over right finger tips.
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Hold for several breathes, feeling the strengthen of this pose, then switch sides.
Did you know?
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A study done by a Harvard Business School professor found that power poses can make you feel more confident. Power poses are as expansive and open. These poses take up a lot of space, with your arms and legs away from the body. So, next time you’re feeling nervous or anxious, pause and expand into Warrior II.
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Warrior II is said to symbolize the present moment. The front hand symbolizes the future. The back hand symbolizes the past. In Warrior II, you are standing right here, in the present moment.