As we age, we may have difficulty in balancing and focusing. There are several yoga poses that help us to keep balanced. Warrior 3 is one such pose, an intermediate pose that creates stability and helps to keep focused. It strengthens back muscles, calves and feet. It improves balance and prevents injuries. In addition, it improves awareness to the surroundings and brings body to stability by adjusting to surroundings. By regular practice on can get into the pose easily – Healthy life

LEVEL :Intermediate

Anatomy : Abdomen|Biceps|Chest|Hamstrings|Quadriceps|Shoulders|Spine|Triceps

Pose Type :Balance|Standing

Sanskrit :Virabhadrasana II VEER-ah-bha=DRAS-anna Virabhadra = a warrior from Shiva’s being

Benefits

• Strengthens the entire body
• Improves balance
• Improves posture
• Aids in increasing energy and boosting concentration
• Contraindications
• High Blood Pressure
• Back problems or injury
• Migraines

How To

1. Stand with your feet at the top of your mat, about hips-width distance apart
2. Inhale, extend your arms to the ceiling
3. Begin to balance on your right leg
4. Ground down through your right foot
5. Exhale, begin to hinge forward with your upper body
6. Lift and kick your left leg out behind you
7. Find core engagement to aid in your balance
8. Keep your left foot flexed
9. Square your hips and upper body down to your mat
10. Wrap your biceps in towards your face
11. Direct your gaze towards the floor
12. To release, return slowly to standing and then repeat on the other side

Modify or Replace

• Rest your hands at heart center to lessen the energizing aspects of Warrior III

Sequencing Tips

Before:

• Warrior I (Virabhadrasana I)
• Warrior II (Virabhadrasana II)
• Mountain Pose (Tadasana)

After:

• Toppling Tree (Patan Vrksasana)
• Standing Splits (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)
• High Lunge (Ashta Chandrasana)

Teaching Cues

• Flex your back foot and draw your pinky toe towards the ground to level your hips
• Become a capital ‘T’ with your body and keep your shoulders, chest, and hips in a straight line
• Find a minimal bend in your standing leg
• Ground down through the four corners of your standing foot

Variations

• Eagle Arms
• Hand(s) to a block
• Against a wall

Watch Out For

• Hinging chest and shoulders far forward
• Arching in the low back
• Dropping extended leg towards the mat

This article and image published here with prior permission from beyogi.com