November 18, 2021

WARRIOR II POSE

This standing pose is a staple used to transition in and out of many other poses in standing sequences. If you don’t feel the difficulty in the pose at first, pay close attention to the cues. It’s easy when done incorrectly but challenging (and impactful) when done correctly.

WARRIOR II BENEFITS

Warrior II pose can help to:

- strengthen the legs, back, core, and arms

- build stamina and endurance

- create heat and blood flow

HOW TO DO WARRIOR II

1. With your body facing sideways on your mat, extend your arms out parallel to the floor.

2. Step out to broaden your stance. Aim to place your feet wide enough to match the wingspan of your outstretched hands. (If this is too challenging for now, you can shorten your stance and work towards that over time.)

3. Point the toes of your front foot to face the front of the mat. Your back foot should be placed at a 45 degree angle.

4. Bend the front leg towards a 90 degree bend in the knee. Keep the back leg straight.

5. Turn your head to gaze over the fingertips facing the front of your mat.

MODIFICATIONS FOR BEGINNERS

- The closer the bend in your front knee gets to 90 degrees, the more challenging this pose will be. Adjust to your needs.

- Stay active and engaged through your back leg by pressing through the back heel.

- Relax your shoulders away from your ears.

- Reach actively through both hands to stretch across the collarbones.

#Manduka #YogaAum