Warrior 2 Pose

warrior 2 pose

Warrior 2 Pose Yoga Asanas for Beginners

  1. Begin in Mountain Pose (Tadasana), standing with your feet hip-distance apart and your arms at your sides. Let go of distractions. Notice the quality of your breath. Draw your awareness inward, to the center of your body. Turn to the left.
  2. Exhale as you step your feet wide apart, about 4 to 5 feet. Check to ensure that your heels are aligned with each other.
  3. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, so your toes are pointing to the top of the mat.
  4. Pivot your left foot slightly inwards. Your back toes should be at a 45-degree angle.
  5. Lift through the arches of your feet, while rooting down through your ankles.
  6. Raise your arms to the side to shoulder height, so they’re parallel to the floor. Your arms should be aligned directly over your legs. With your palms facing down, reach actively from fingertip to fingertip.
  7. On an exhalation, bend your front knee. Align your knee directly over the ankle of your front foot. Your front shin should be perpendicular to the floor. Sink your hips low, eventually bringing your front thigh parallel to the floor.
    1. Make sure your front shin stays vertical. Widen your stance as needed to make sure that your knee does not move forward past your ankle.
  8. Press down through the outer edge of your back foot, and keep your back leg straight.
  9. Keep your torso perpendicular to the floor, with your head directly over your tailbone. Do not lean towards your front leg.
  10. Turn your head to gaze out across the tip of your right middle finger. Broaden across your collarbones and lengthen the space between your shoulder blades. Engage your triceps. Drop your shoulders and lift your chest.
  11. Draw your belly in toward your spine. Keep your torso open, not turned toward the front leg.
  12. Hold for up to one minute.
  13. To release, inhale as you press down through your back foot and straighten your front leg. Lower your arms. Turn to the left, reversing the position of your feet, and repeat for the same length of time on the opposite side.

Warrior 2 Pose Modifications & Variations

If you’re unable to perform the full expression of the pose right now, try these simple changes to lighten the resistance and reduce the amount of necessary exertion:

  • If your hips are very tight, shorten your stance and straighten your front leg to a degree that is comfortable as you work on gaining flexibility.
  • Place your hands on your hips if you have a shoulder injury or if you are still building upper body strength.

Warrior 2 Pose Benefits

  • Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles
  • Stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders
  • Stimulates abdominal organs
  • Increases stamina
  • Relieves backaches, especially through second trimester of pregnancy
  • Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica

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