Warrior II pose (Virabhadrasana II) Figure 5: Warrior II Pose
Instructions: 1. Stand erect with both the feet together (mountain pose/ tadasana ). 2. Walk your feet one leg length plus one foot length apart; adjust the distance so that you feel stable and well stretched. 3. Raise your arms to the sides, stretch them in line with your shoulder girdle, bring the hands in line with the arms, and keep the fingers together and palms facing down. 4. Keeping your trunk upright, turn your left foot on its heel 15° inward, and your right foot and leg 90° outward. 5. Keeping your left leg firm and the trunk vertical, exhale as you bend your right knee until your right shin bone is perpendicular to the floor and the knee is in line with the heel. 6. Keeping your head in line with your spine, gently turn it to the right and look toward your right hand. 7. Hold the posture for 5–10 breaths. 8. To exit, inhale as you straighten your right knee and turn your feet parallel. If necessary, relax your arms. Repeat on the left side. Modifications using props: 1. If unable to stand unsupported, stand with your back against a table. Rest your hands on the table while you build up the posture. 2. If unable to keep your knee in the correct alignment, hold a yoga brick between your upper shin bone and a wall or pillar (Wö rle et al., 2010) . Instructions: 1. Stand erect with both the feet together (mountain pose/ tadasana ). 2. Perform warrior I pose to the right. 3. Exhale as you bend forward to bring your trunk close to the right thigh. 4. As you shift your weight forward, lift your left foot off the floor, and straighten your right leg so that you stay balanced on the right foot. 5. Adjust your pelvis horizontally, and bring your left leg, trunk, and arms in a horizontal line; raise your head as high as your neck can tolerate. 6. Stay in the posture for 5–10 breaths. 7. To exit, inhale as you bend your right knee, come back to warrior I, straighten the right leg, and turn to the center. Relax your arms if necessary. Repeat on the left side. Modifications using props: 1. If unable to balance unsupported, rest your hands and/or your lifted foot on a chair or table for support (Wö rle et al., 2010) .
Indications : Quadriceps and hip extensor strengthening.
Warrior III pose (Virabhadrasana III) Figure 6: Warrior III Pose
Indications : Hamstring and hip abductor strengthening.
Triangle pose (Utthita Trikonasana) Indications : Hip flexor, hip extensor, and hip abductor strengthening. Half-Moon pose (Ardha Chandrasana) Indications : Hamstring and hip abductor strengthening. Instructions: 1. Stand erect with both the feet together (mountain pose/ tadasana ). 2. Perform triangle pose to the right. 3. Bending your right knee in the plane of your right toe; place your right hand on the floor or on a yoga brick in line with the right toe one foot length away; turn your head to look at the floor. 4. Exhale as you straighten your right leg while lifting your left one; turn your pelvis and trunk to the left, and lift your left shoulder so that the shoulder girdle is in line with the right arm.
Instructions: See “Range of Motion” (Wörle et al., 2010).
5. If you can keep your balance, stretch your left arm up in line with the shoulder girdle. If you can still keep your balance, turn your head to look up at your left hand. 6. Stay in the posture for 5–10 breaths. 7. To exit, exhale as you bend your right knee exactly in line with the right foot, come back to triangle pose, and then to a standing position with the legs apart and the feet parallel. Repeat on the other side. Modifications using props: 1. If unable to balance on one hand and foot, perform with your back against a wall for added support. 2. If unable to touch the floor, support your lower hand on a yoga brick or on a chair depending on your flexibility (Wörle et al., 2010).
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Book Code: PTNY1024
Page 116
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