Warrior I || Virabhadrasana Eka

Vira || courage   Bhadra || blessed, auspicious

Primary Purpose of Warrior I || Strengthen the legs, build heat in the body, and open the quadricep of the back leg

Benefits of Warrior I

Strengthens

• feet
• legs (quadriceps, hamstrings, psoas)
• buttocks (gluteus maximus)
• back (erector spinae)
• abdomen (rectus abdominus, obliques)
• shoulder (deltoids)
• arms (triceps)

Stretches

• legs (soleus, gastrocnemius, quadriceps, hamstrings, psoas)
• chest (pectoralis)
• abdomen (rectus abdominus)

Stabilizes

• ankles,
• knees,
• hips

Stimulates

• circulation
• digestion
• the mind; builds concentration, confidence, strength

Tones

• abdominal organs,
• especially the kidneys, helping in elimination of toxins

Relieves

• constipation
• sciatica

Proceed With Care

• if you have high blood pressure or heart conditions: practice short holding times and rest your arms on your hips

Avoid Posture 

• if you have recent or chronic ankle, knee, hip or shoulder injury, inflammation or pain

Common Misalignments To Look Out For

• front knee dips to the right or left side
• back leg is not engaged, ridge edge of foot is not touching the ground
• shoulders are past the hips

Encourage

• grounding through both feet, especially the knife edge of the back foot
• hips face forward as much as possible
• front knee is stacked onto of ankle, make sure you can see your big toe
• engage the core by drawing your navel in and up
• stacking your shoulders onto of your hips by shifting your torso back in space

Come Warrior One With Me!

Learn how to Warrior One in this Yoga with Ilona class. After a short warm up I will guide you through Warrior One, some fun variations, and demonstrate a couple misalignments I see most often in my classes. It all begins with the foundation aka the feet. Pay extra close attention to how you ground or distribute your weight between your feet.

Come along for the ride – as we continue to explore each yoga posture from the ground up in Pose By Pose Series.

Over to you!

What variation of Warrior One did you like the most? Let me know, I love the shares!!

xox

Ilona