Featured Pose: Warrior 2 Pose (Revisited)

by Baxter

We wrote about Warrior 2 pose (Virabhadrasana 2), a staple of modern yoga asana practice quite a long while ago (October 20th, 2011, on our first month of the blog), but it is such a valuable pose I felt it was worth revisiting and updating, especially as we have some ideas for useful variations that we never described.

Warrior 2 is one of the most commonly taught and practiced yoga poses in our modern era, and is often one of the first standing poses taught to beginners. This is probably because you are mostly upright and therefore not to far away from the home base of Mountain pose. It is a pose that fosters both strength and flexibility, especially in the legs and shoulders, and begins to introduce just a bit of rotation or twist to the spine. Specifically, it will strengthen the hip flexors of the front leg, the knee extenders of the back leg, the muscles that help to keep the arms parallel to the floor, such as the deltoids, upper trapezius, and supraspinatus, to name just a few. It encourages lengthening of your inner thigh muscles of both legs in slightly different areas, as well as your back leg calf muscles.

Your spine rotates a bit in this pose, as your pelvis turns slightly towards your front foot, your thoracic spine turns toward the long axis of your mat, and your neck and head turn towards your front hand, so the pose is also a mild twist. Because you step the feet apart and one foot turns out and other turns in, it is one of the first balancing poses you are likely to meet if you are new to yoga. And if you step carefully in and out of the pose, or move from the starting position in and out with our breath (see Warrior 1 and 2 Mini Vinyasas), this pose also cultivates agility.

I prescribe this pose for:

• General strengthening 
• General stretching 
• Osteoporosis. The pose is weight bearing for the lower body, so strengths lower body bones. It also provides isometric work of the shoulders and upper back so it can improve the thoracic spine bone health.
• Improving balance and agility
• Improving mental focus (when held for longer periods of time)
• Improved overall muscular endurance (when held for longer periods of time)
• Anxiety (the pose burns off excess energy and is “grounding”) 
• Fatigue, sluggishness, or depression (standing poses can stimulate your nervous system) 

Cautions: For those with uncontrolled blood pressure or a history of heart disease, I recommend that you don’t hold the pose for more than a few breaths, as it can cause an increase in blood pressure and the workload of the heart. For those with balance issues, I recommend that you work with your back to a wall or start with the chair version shown below. If you have knee problems, don’t bend your front knee quite as deeply. Make sure it stops just shy of being over the front ankle.

Classic Version

Step your feet wide apart (about the length of your legs). Turn your right foot and leg out 90 degrees. Then turn your left foot in slightly, so the lateral edge of your back foot lines up with the short edge of your yoga mat, or even in a bit more than that. 

Inhale and extend your arms out to your sides, parallel with your shoulders. Then, exhale and bend your right knee toward 90 degrees (but not further), making sure your right knee is aligned with your middle right toe and positioned over the right ankle. 

Allow your hips to rotate around the vertical axis of your spine a bit towards your front foot. At the same time, rotate your chest towards the long axis of your mat. If it’s comfortable for you, turn your head to gaze over your right hand.

You can hold the pose for a few breaths initially, and gradually add more time in the pose as you feel ready, eventually up two minutes.

To come out, straighten your front leg, turn your feet parallel and relax your arms to your sides. Repeat on the second side.

First Variation: Feet Closer Together, Hands on Hips

Working with your feet slightly closer together and keeping your hands on your hips is a good variations for people newer to yoga, those with tight inner thigh muscles and connective tissue, and those with shoulder issues such as rotator cuff injury that make taking your arms to sides challenging or painful. It is also less challenging for balance then the first variation, so is a good place to start for those with balance challenges.

Instead of stepping the feet as wide as classic Warrior 2, step your feet only about three feet apart. Then adjust your front and back foot as in classic Warrior 2, but keep the hands on the hips, with the shoulder blades relaxed on the back chest.

From here, the rotations of the spine are as with the full version.

Second Variation: Warrior 2 with Chair

This variation of Warrior 2 is particularly helpful for those with balance issues, with other health issues that compromise endurance, or with injuries that could affect safely standing without pain, such as knee, hip and ankle injuries or arthritis. But it is also beneficial for people who have no restrictions, and you might find that it actually creates more sense of stretch to the muscles and connective tissue of the inner thighs.

Sit on the front edge of a chair. If you are taller or have long legs, you may need to use a blanket or lift under your front leg, so your thighs are not lower than your knees.

Swivel to your right, bringing your right sitting bone and the back of your right thigh along the front edge of the chair seat. Your left sitting bone may actually be slightly off the chair seat.

Bend your right knee so that the right knee is right above the ankle with the right foot turned out 90 degrees.

Slide your left leg back away from the right until you can fully straighten your left knee with the sole of your left foot on the floor. Note that your left leg will likely not stretch straight back as in the full pose, but will probably need to come towards the right long edge of the mat a few inches. From here, your arms and spinal movements are the same as the classic pose. 

Stay for several breaths, and gradually work up to 90-120 seconds with practice.

To come out of the pose, lower your arms, bend your back knee and swing both legs forward so you sit evenly on the front edge of the chair. Then repeat on the second side.

Third Variation: Reverse Warrior 2 (aka Exalted Warrior)

This variation challenges the stability of your legs and also adds some stretch and lengthening for your chest and arms on the front leg side. It will also add more challenge to your balance.

Come into classic Warrior 2 as described above.

Maintaining the alignment of your front knee, inhale and bring your right arm up towards the ceiling as you reach your left hand down toward the outer left thigh.

Keeping your right knee firm and steady, slowly slide your left hand further down your left leg as you side bend your torso over your left leg and continue to reach your right arm up and back. Stop when your body signals significant tightness. 

Lynda Bailo

Lynda Barrow

Your gaze can remain straight ahead, or for more challenge to your balance, you can carefully gaze up towards your top hand. Stay for just few breaths at first, working towards longer holds over time. 

To come out, start by tipping back into classic Warrior 2, then exit as described above. Then repeat on the second side.

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Featured Pose: Warrior 2 for Upper Body Strength

by Baxter and Nina

Warrior 2 is the first pose in our upper body strengthening series because it is a very easy and accessible pose that is very strengthening for your arms and upper body. Even though you don’t bear weight on your hands or arms, the arm position entails resisting gravity. This strengthens the muscles that lift your arms to your sides and all of the small muscles inside the joint that help you stabilize your arms at the shoulder joint, including the deltoid and supraspinatus, which are important for maintaining the health of those joints. In addition the pose provides equal strengthening of both your upper back, around the shoulder blades, and your chest, around the collar bones, as you build strength in your upper trapezius. And of course an added benefit is that this  pose is very strengthening for the legs as well as the upper body!

This pose is accessible even if you have something going on in your shoulders that is challenging because it doesn’t require full range of motion in the shoulder joints. And you don’t need to bear weight on your hands, so if you have wrist or hand problems you can still can do the pose.

Because we’re focusing on upper body strength for next several weeks, we’re going to give you three different ways to strengthen your body with Warrior 2. Version 1 is the traditional pose, and Versions 2 and 3 use a slightly different arm position.

Instructions: Starting in Tadasana, step your feet wide apart. Turn your right foot out 90 degrees, then, pivoting on the ball of your back foot, shift your left heel back an inch or two to your left so the foot is slightly turned in.

Next, inhale and raise your arms up so they are parallel to the floor, with your palms facing down toward the floor. Keep your shoulder blades relaxed and moving down your back (not sliding up toward your ears) as you raise your arms. Then, on an exhalation, bend your right knee directly over your right ankle while keeping your torso centered over your pelvis (not leaning over your front leg). Allow your hips to rotate slightly toward your right knee but rotate your chest away from your right knee so your chest faces directly forward. Finally, allow your head and neck to turn so you gaze over your right hand.

Once you are in the pose, use your eyes to check both arms to make sure they are in an even line with the tops of your shoulders, that they are neither too high or low, and that they are parallel with the floor.

Because your purpose in doing Warrior 2 this time is to develop strength in your upper body, you should keep your arms out to your sides for a decent amount of time. Start with 30 seconds and work your way up to 1 to 2 minutes over time, gradually building up endurance. Of course if you’re very fatigued or shaking, come out earlier. Notice that the longer you hold your arms up, the more you unconsciously will slide your shoulder blades up toward your ears. If this happens, consciously move relax your shoulder blades back down your back.

To come out of the pose, exhale and release your arms. Then straight your knee, turn your feet to a parallel position, and switch to the other side:

Version 2: Palms turned up

Because of the external rotation in your shoulder joint required to turn your palms up, this variation allows you to strengthen areas that aren’t strengthened with the first version With your palms up you activate a different portion of your deltoid muscles (front portion) and other muscles deeper in your shoulder joint. You could do Version 2 of the pose immediately after doing Version 1 or you could alternate different arm positions on different days. activates a different portion of your deltoid muscles and activates other muscles deeper in the shoulder joint.

For this version, follow the instructions for Version 1. When it comes time to raise your arms, start by spinning from your upper arms to turn your palms to face front. Then as your raise your arms, keep spinning form your upper arms to turn your palms up toward the ceiling.

Version 3: Holding blocks

This version strengthens the same muscles as version 2, but provides increased strength building because you are holding a weight. You can use yoga blocks, same-weight books, or even bags of rice or beans. However, we recommend building up your strength practicing Versions 1 and 2 before trying Versions 3. We also recommend that you start off with lightest weight possible, such as foam blocks, and work up to heavier weights over time, such as cork or wooden blocks.

For this version, start by holding the props and then follow the instructions for Version 1. As you lift your arms, rotate your upper arm bones so as you arms come out to the sides, the blocks are resting on your upturned palms.

Because of the additional weight, you may feel the additional work, and you may need to reduce the time you stay in the pose! If you become fatigued or shaky, release your arms. Gradually, over time, increase your time in the pose to up to 2 minutes.

Cautions: In general, Warrior 2 is a very safe pose. However, if you experience pain in your shoulder joints or neck, come out of the pose and get some advice from a yoga teacher about your alignment. If you have a history of rotator cuff injury or dislocated shoulder, approach the pose carefully, especially Version 3.

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Featured Pose: Warrior 2 (Virbrdrasana 2)

by Baxter and Nina

This week’s featured pose is one of Baxter’s favorite poses for osteoporosis (see here). In addition to building bone strength, Warrior 2 strengthens your arm and leg muscles. This pose also improves your balance and stretches your inner thighs. The variations we describe below make it accessible to almost everyone (it can even be done on a chair).

Baxter prescribes Warrior 2 for:

• osteoporosis
• balance problems
• anxiety (it burns off excess energy and is “grounding”)

Warrior 2 Pose (from Moving Toward Balance)

General Instructions:Step your feet wide apart (about the length of your legs). Turn your right foot out about 90 degrees and your left foot in slightly, so the toes of your back foot line up with the long edge of your yoga mat. Inhale and extend your arms out to your sides. Then exhale and bend your right knee toward 90 degrees (but not further), making sure your right knee is aligned with your middle right toe. If it’s comfortable for you, turn your head to gaze over your right hand. Repeat the pose on your left side.

Recommended Timing:30 seconds (8 breaths) for beginners, working up to 1 minute (12 to 16 breaths)

Some helpful variations:

1. To build arm strength, leave your arms up while changing from the right side to the left.

2. If you have balance problems, practice with your back to a wall, with the hip of your front leg touching the wall. If balance is a serious concern, you can touch your hands to the wall as you bend your knee and while you stay in the pose.

3. If you are generally weak or tight in the hips, practice the pose with your back heel touching the wall. This is also useful to get a clear sense of the straightness of your back leg.

Cautions: If you have knee problems, don’t bend your front knee quite as deeply. Make sure it stops just shy of being over the front ankle. In addition, standing with your feet a bit closer than the 4 to 4 1/2 feet apart that is usually recommended can also help. And if your knee is acutely painful, you could sit on a chair with your front thigh supported by the chair seat to take all weight off your front knee.

Warrior 2, with feet closer, knee less bent (from Moving Toward Balance)

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Poses for Osteoporosis

by Baxter 

As promised, today’s post will address a few of my recommendations for yoga for osteoporosis. As many of you know, OP is a very common condition that increases in incidence as we age. And before you fellas tune this out with the common misconception that OP is just a woman’s condition, it might surprise you to learn the following statistic from the Mayo Clinic: 1 in 8 men over the age of 50 will suffer an osteopenic fracture! And what are the most common fractures in men and women? The hips, spine and wrists are the areas most commonly affected. 

The easiest lifestyle recommendation to have a positive impact on the progression of the condition is weight-bearing exercise. And although there are other forms of physical activity and exercise that fall in that category, all of yoga’s poses or asana fit the bill, and unlike walking, yoga actually requires that we bear weight on not just the feet, but the wrists and the spine as well, so in my estimation yoga is far superior to walking alone.

Three classic modern poses that are well known to most yogis are good examples of poses that are good for OP:

Warrior 2: I like this one because you are balancing on both feet, which is easier than on one foot, yet it is still a challenge for your balance receptors. And not only are you bearing weight, but if you do the pose for 1-2 minutes, you notice that you are also building strength and endurance in your legs and arms. (Later this week, we’ll talk about this Warrior 2 in detail. See here.)

Warrior 2 Pose from Moving Toward Balance

Downward-Facing Dog: Since all four of your limbs are in contact with the floor, balance is not much of an issue, but you are now bearing weight on your hands, wrists and arms as well as your legs. This will stimulate the bones of the upper extremities and could lead to increase density in these areas. 

Downward-Facing Dog Pose from Moving Toward Balance

Tree Pose: For immediately obvious reasons, Tree pose will challenge your ability to remain balanced on one leg. The supporting leg must really work and be strong and stable to keep you upright, and the other leg’s hip gets a bit of opening from its position. And although this or any yoga pose will not eliminate the chance of a fall at some time in your future, more than one of my students has reported that after taking an unexpected spill, they felt their yoga practice prepared them to fall more gracefully and minimize the injury they sustained.

 Tree Pose from Moving Toward Balance

Keep in mind that if you are young and/or without evidence of OP at this time, a regular practice could be preventative. If you have been diagnosed with osteopenia, the precursor to OP, it is possible that your regular practice could stabilize or even reverse the trend of thinning of the bones, at least according to a recent pilot study by Loren Fishman, MD. The same is true if you already have OP, but have not suffered fracture; but you will need to be a bit more cautious as you practice, and I’d recommend that you take class with an experienced teacher familiar with modifying the poses to fit your individual needs.

Even 10 minutes a day may be enough yoga asana to impact OP, so why not start today with these three poses?

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