Warrior 1

Virabhadrasana I

Warrior I pose

Virabhadrasana I (veer-uh-buh-DRAHS-uh-nuh) Or Warrior I, in English is one of the more common Yoga poses, but equally it’s one of the more challenging Yoga poses, challenging you to push yourself not just physically but mentally, helping to develop an inner focus, determination and physical stability, but ultimately allowing you to set free your inner warrior.

As the name of the pose suggests Warrior One is a strong pose, not just from a physical standpoint, by stretching and strengthening just about every part of the body from your feet to the tips of your fingers, especially noticeable in the quadriceps and calf muscles, but warrior one also draws its name from the opposing forces within the alignment of the pose. Reaching up against gravity with the torso and arms while lowering the hips downwards, whilst at the same time pushing the back leg away whilst drawing the hip forward, the broadening of the shoulders, whilst reaching up with the hands. holding this challenging pose, for three or five long slow breaths, requires I focused mental, physical, strength, stability, and determination

Alignment

As with all yoga poses, we should start by just taking a moment to focus on how our body feels and how fast our breath is and how focused our mind is, try to establish a long slow steady even breath in and out through our nose, making your inhalation and exhalation the same length of time. 

Start by taking a step back, with the feet leg length apart, the shorter the stance the easier the pose is, larger the stance the harder the pose becomes, but not so far back as to make it uncomfortable, the front foot should point straight forward, and the rear foot should be turned forward about 45-degree angle. Family ground both feet, finding the four corners of the feet, e.g., big toe and little toe joints, inside and outside of the heels.

Then bend into the front knee, making sure the front knee stays directly above the ankle, it is important to always make sure that you don't overextend your knee forwards or straighten your front knee, an outward rotation of both thighs will help keep the front knee tracking above the ankle.

Twist the hips, drawing your back leg hip forward and the front leg hip backwards as far as possible to square the hips and shoulders towards the front of the room, as you breathe in raise your chest your head and your arms.

As you breathe out try to relax your shoulders, tuck your tail bone under to stand a little taller and to ease deeper into the pose.

With each inhalation try to position your shoulders above your hips, lengthen your spine still further, keeping your shoulders relaxed, reach through your fingers towards the ceiling, hands can be together in prayer or shoulder width apart, focus your attention towards the front of the room at eye height or a little above.

Refocus on your steady even breath, finding strength with each in inhalation and ease with each exhalation, to gain the most from this rewarding and challenging pose, holding this pose for three or five long slow steady breaths.