Virabhadrasana I

Virabhadrasana I


aka: warrior I


Virabhadra’s Pose is also known as the Warrior Pose (there are three variation of Warrior, of which this is customarily numbered 1). It may seem strange to name a yoga pose after a warrior; after all, aren’t yogis known for they’re non-violent ways? But remember that one of the most revered of all the yoga texts, the Bhagavad-Gita, is the dialog between two famous and feared warriors, Krishna and Arjuna, set on a battlefield between two great armies spoiling for a fight. What’s really being commemorated in this pose’s name, and held up as an ideal for all practitioners, is the “spiritual warrior,” who bravely does battle with the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering.

The root of virabhadrasana, virabhadra, represents the warrior of historic yogic texts, derived from the ancient god Shiva.

This asana has three different versions:

* Warrior I
* Warrior II
* Warrior III

Exercise: Keep your arms straight by squeezing your triceps and lengthening up through your fingertips. Keep your right knee directly over your ankle. Your fingers should be open and draw muscularly from fingertips down into shoulder socket.

Physical Benefit: Strengthens the arches, ankles knees, and thighs.

Mental Benefit: Builds focus.

The Warrior One yoga position


The Warrior One yoga position, also known as Virabhadrasana, is an excellent strengthener for the legs and a good exercise in balance.

Advantages


Warrior I is a great pose for balance and gaining overall strength. While the pose mainly targets leg muscles, the stomach and back muscles should also be engaged if the pose is done correctly.

Warrior I is often introduced after Warrior II in yoga classes because it can be a deceptively difficult pose. While it may look simple enough, finding the right distance between your two feet, and balancing in this pose, can be challenging. The key to getting it right is to work into it slowly and gently, and when you reach the moment of looking up at your hands, gradually look upwards in order to maintain your footing.

Step Into the Pose


1. Start in Mountain Pose, and step your left foot out to the side, wide, but not too wide (adjust as necessary). Turn your right foot out at a 90-degree angle.
2. Turn your torso to point in the same direction as your right foot. Align your hips directly under your shoulders.
3. Turn your left foot to an angle that is neither parallel, nor perpendicular to the angle of your right foot (45 degrees is ideal).
4. Slowly bend your right knee into a lunge, being careful not to overextend. Your knee should never extend farther forward than your toes. The deeper the lunge, the better, but for beginners, a shallower lunge is a manageable place to start.
5. Raise your arms over your head. Some yogis leave hands above shoulders, with palms facing each other, while others bring the palms together, or clasp the hands.
6. When balanced, tip your head back to look up at your hands. As you hold the position, be aware of keeping your neck supple, your shoulders down, and your pelvis pointing towards the floor. Pull in your navel in order to reduce back strain. Breathe deeply and evenly, opening your chest as you hold the position.
7. Come out of the pose slowly, in the opposite order in which you entered it.

Beginner Tips


The other two parts of the Warrior asana, Warrior II and Warrior III, round out Warrior I. Those with lower back problems should seek the assistance of a yoga instructor in order to properly execute this pose.
natomical Focus
# Ankles
# Calves
# Thighs
# Groins
# Abdomen
# Chest
# Lungs
# Shoulders
# Neck

Therapeutic Applications
# Sciatica

Benefits

* Stretches the chest and lungs, shoulders and neck, belly, groins (psoas)
* Strengthens the shoulders and arms, and the muscles of the back
* Strengthens and stretches the thighs, calves, and ankles


Contraindications and Cautions

* High blood pressure
* Heart problems
* Students with shoulder problems should keep their raised arms parallel (or slightly wider than parallel) to each other.
* Students with neck problems should keep their head in a neutral position and not look up at the hands.


Beginner's Tip

When the front knee bends into the pose, beginners have a tendency to tip the pelvis forward, which duck-tails the coccyx and compresses the lower back. As you perform step 2 in the main description above, be sure to lift the pubis toward the navel and lengthen the tail toward the floor. Then as you bend the knee, continue to lift and descend these two bones, keeping the top rim of the pelvis relatively parallel to the floor.

Variations

This pose can be performed with the arms in various positions. For example, go through steps 1 to 3 as described above, except with your hands resting on your hips. Then, once the forward knee is bent, swing your arms around behind your torso and clasp your hands. Stretch your hands away from the back torso and lift your chest. It's acceptable to squeeze your scapulas together at first, but be sure, once the chest is lifted, to push them away from the spine. To leave the pose, reach back with your hands and, with an inhalation, "pull" yourself up, straightening the front knee.

Modifications and Props

Beginners find it very difficult to keep the back heel grounded and the lower back lengthened in this pose. As a short-term solution, raise the back heel on a sand bag or other height.

Partnering

Here's a partnering exercise for this pose, but you need two partners (of approximately the same height) and a thick pole (like a broomstick). As you perform the pose, have your partners stand, facing you, to either side of your torso. It's helpful if you and your partners are similar in height. They should hold the ends of the pole and hold it above your head. Grasp the pole with your raised hands, then you and your partners push the pole up until your arms are fully extended. Imagine then, as all three of you push, that your torso and legs are "hanging" from the pole.

Preparatory Poses

* Adho Mukha Svanasana
* Gomukhasana
* Parivrtta Parsvakonasana
* Parivrtta Trikonasana
* Prasarita Padottanasana
* Supta Virasana
* Supta Baddha Konasana
* Supta Padangusthasana
* Upavistha Konasana
* Utthita Parsvakonasana
* Virabhadrasana II
* Virasana
* Vrksasana


Follow-Up Poses

Virabhadrasana I is commonly used as the beginning position for Virabhadrasana III. It's also a good standing pose preparation for backbends.