Warrior I Pose (Sanskrit: Virabhadrasana / वीरभद्रासन)
Named after Virabhadra, the son of Adiyogi (the first yogi) Shiva himself, this pose is great for increasing our sense of balance. It is usually followed by Virabhadrasana (Vīrabhadrāsana) II and III and together these three poses instill power, agility, and flexibility into our system.
Instructions for Doing the Warrior I Pose
- Start by standing in Tadasana (Tāḍāsana) or the Mountain Pose, which is the basic standing pose of yoga. Keep your feet joined with heels and big toes lightly touching each other. Stand tall with your chest forward and look straight at your eye level.
- Now raise both your arms above your head, in line with your ears, and join your palms. Maintain a constant tension in your arms. Keep your elbows locked.
- Take a deep inhale and with a jump spread your legs apart with a 4 to 4.5 feet distance between your feet.
- Exhale and turn your upper body towards your right while simultaneously turning your right foot towards the right as well. Stop at a 90-degree angle. Your left foot firmly points forward or slightly towards the right.
- Now bend your right knee so that a 90-degree angle is formed between your right thigh and calf. Make sure your thigh is parallel to the floor and the knee is in line with your right heel.
- Keep your left knee locked and gaze at your joined hands for about 20 to 30 seconds. Your breathing should be relaxed, without any jerks.
- Slowly come back to position 3 and then repeat all the steps from step 4 to 6 with your left leg, this time.
- Now exhale and jump back to position 1 (Tadasana).
Benefits of Virabhadrasana I
- As mentioned in the beginning as well, this pose brings agility and strength to your system. It builds your stamina and corrects your posture.
- This pose tones your arms, legs, hips, thighs, and abdominal area.
- Your sense of balance increases and you feel more at ease in your day to day life.
- This asana opens up your shoulders and chest and also helps increase your lung capacity.
- Warrior I Pose can help you relieve stiffness from your neck, shoulders, and spine.
Precautions
- Avoid this asana completely if you have high blood pressure or any other heart-related problems.
- If you have a shoulder injury, raise your arms but do not join your palms. Instead, hold them parallel to each other with a 1-1.5 foot distance between your two palms.
- If you have neck-related issues, do not look up to gaze at your hands. Instead, focus on a point located at your eye level.