Iyengar Certified

Only the world's most knowledgeable, rigorously-trained teachers earn the Iyengar Yoga Certification Mark.

Pose Practice

Virabhadrasana II – Warrior II
by Bethany Lohss

Try It!

Bethany Lohss in Warrior II

Stand In Tadasana (mountain pose).  Inhale, jump your feet 4 to 4-1/2 feet apart and simultaneously move the arms out to the side at shoulder height, with the palms down.

Turn the right foot and leg out 90 degrees and the left foot in 15 degrees. Lift both knees and thighs up, roll the thighs out and extend the trunk up.

Exhale, bend the right leg to a right angle, bending the left hip joint between the hip and thigh to keep the trunk vertical. Turn the head to the right and look over your right fingers. Breathe. Hold for 20 – 30 seconds.

Inhale, come up and turn the feet to the left and repeat.

Focus for this pose: As you bend the right knee to a 90 degree angle bring the knee towards the outer right heel to help bring the right sit bone forward. Roll the back thigh out as well. This helps create the wonderful opening in the hip joints and when the tailbone is brought directly beneath the spine a lift is felt, taking weight off the legs.
 

Pose Practice Archives:
Tree Pose
Half Moon
Forward Bend
Virabhadrasana I - Warrior I
Virabhadrasana II - Warrior II
Virabhadrasana III – Warrior III
Full Arm Balance
Upward Bow Pose or Backbend
Half Lord of the Fishes Pose
Revolved Triangle pose
Powerful Mighty
Wide-Legged Forward Bend
Upward Facing Angle
Intense West - Back Stretch Pose
Extended Side-Angle Pose
Staff Pose
Upward Facing Dog Pose
Mountain Pose
Extended Hand to Foot Pose
Extended Angle Pose