This is one of the strongest poses in the Warrior series. Virabhadrasana 1 embodies the attitude of the warrior, encouraging qualities of strength and confidence. It is a part of the standing series and Sun Salutation B in Ashtanga Yoga- primary series by Pattabhi Jois.
Warrior 1 Yoga is The Basic Foundational Pose
Setting up the Pose:
Stand with your legs approximately 4 feet apart, adjust your stance according to your height, the taller you are the wider your stance and vice versa. A good gauge to find the correct stance is to spread your arms at your level, your feet should line up just below fingers.
Point your right foot at 90 degrees and your left foot at 45 degrees, bring your hands on your hips and square them forwards to that you are looking past your right foot with a long straight back.
Bend your right knee halfway, make sure that your knee does not go past ankle
Lift your arms above your head and stretch your fingers up
Hold the pose for 10 breaths
Repeat on the left side
In the pose you will feel the power as you push your feet into your mat and lift your fingers up, stretching the sides of your body. Make sure you keep your hips square and point your tailbone downward by engaging your core muscles. In Warrior 1 you are engaging the quadriceps on the bent leg while stretching the calf muscles and hip flexors of the straight leg as you extend the heel into your mat. This is a great pose to strengthen your legs, improve the range of motion around your hips and lengthen your back. As you get comfortable in Warrior 1, bring your hands together overhead and turn your gaze up to your thumbs, this limbers your neck, shoulders and chest. It is most effective to practice Virabhadrasana I in the morning, it wakes you up with a surge of energy leaving you feeling alert and active.
