Virabhadrasana 2

Warrior 2 – The second of the Warrior Postures = a warrior from Indian mythology

A strong standing posture, with one leg bent at the knee lunging forward, with the other leg stretched out behind. The torso remains upright with the arms taken to shoulder height and the gaze to the tips of the front hand.

Preparations Shoulder stretches, hamstring stretches.

Method – From the Wall From feet apart, turn the right foot in and the left foot out 90 degrees. Raise the arms to shoulder level with the palms facing down. Encourage a neutral position for the hips. Maintain strength in both legs, ensuring that the right knee looks in the same direction as the right toes are pointing. Bend the front knee to 90 degrees or to your measure. Keep the torso upright.

Now rotate the front arm and make a fist (thumb upmost) as if holding a Bow

Bring the back hand forward, close to the front hand, as if reaching for the bow string and its attached arrow.

Now grasp the imaginary bow string and arrow and bring it back strongly across the chest as if drawing the bow.

Keeping the chest open, keep the gaze forwards in the direction in which your arrow will fly. Then open the hands and let the fingers reach strongly away from your centre.

Repeat to the other side.

Anything to watch out for

Ensure that the inner arch of the back foot is lifted and that the outer arch contacts the floor.

Back foot like this Avoid this action

Make sure that the front knee is carefully aligned, knee over ankle.

Avoid this Action

Once there Keep the sternum and the collarbones rising. Develop a sense of the front body lifting Work the back leg strongly Maintain strength in the legs. Anchor the outer edge of the back foot Develop a sense of the back arm drawing backwards and keeping the torso upright.

Coming Out Straighten the front leg. Lower the arms. Jump or step the feet together.

Too challenging at the moment?

Have the feet closer together. Keep the arms down. Keep the head / gaze facing forward. Don’t bend the front knee too deeply.

or

Variation

Work towards rotating the back leg outwards (laterally) to open the hips Side bend towards the back foot, drop the back hand down to the inside of the back leg and the drusti down over the back shoulder Now take the front arm up and back and turn the drusti to look up to the top hand.

Tip

Keep the attention in the outer edge of the back foot, this approach lifts the inner ankle and supports the knee of the back leg.

Benefits The develops strength and stamina in the legs, it encourages expansion of the chest and builds strength in the shoulders. B.K.S. Iyengar (1):

On an esoteric level Virabhadrasana 2 is energising, strengthening and encourages concentration.

Thought for the posture. Those who must conquer must yield. Lao Tzu (2)

Bibliography Iyengar B K S (1991) Light on ; The Aquarian Press Lao Tsu. (Translated Gia-Fu Feng & Jane English) 1988 Tao Te Ching. Wildwood house. Aldershot

References [1] Iyengar (page 73) (2) Lao Tzu (chapter 61)

Bob Insley; August 2013