How To Do: Warrior 3 Pose (Virabhadrasana)

Warrior 3 is an intermediate to advanced level posture designed to bring a balancing element to the Warrior poses of yoga. But with a few modifications most beginners can give it a try.

This dynamic standing pose utilizes all the muscles of your core, arms, and legs. Practicing Warrior 3 will energize you and build stability throughout your whole body.

The pose will challenge you mentally, requiring concentration and stamina to maintain the balance between the opposing muscles pushing and pulling.

This is very versatile pose if you practice Vinyasa Yoga as there are many entry and exit options to experiment with.

Try These Complimentary Poses:

• Triangle Pose – Trikonasana
• Tree Pose – Vrksasana

1. Begin in Warrior 1 (Virabhadrasana 1) with your front knee bent and your back leg straight with the heel lifted. Your hips and torso squared to the front and your arms lifted overhead.
2. Bring your palms together in front of your chest in prayer position.
3. Inhale to lengthen your spine.
4. Exhale and lean forward as you shift your weight into your front foot. Hinge at the hips and lift the back leg as you move forward until it is parallel with the floor. Flex your back foot to point your heel back.
5. Extending your arms out ahead with your palms facing each other.
6. Keep your shoulder blades back and down, not up by your ears.
7. Your body should form a straight line from your fingertips to your feet.
8. One side of your hip will naturally start to lift. Keep it neutral and squared to the floor and your gaze on the floor just in front of you.
9. Push back with your back heel and extend forward with the arms. Both legs actively engaged. Your hips and inner thighs firms toward each other.
10. Make sure to keep your abdominal muscles engaged to support your lower back and aid your balance.
11. Your balancing leg should be strong and straight. But don’t lock the knee.
12. Hold for 5 breaths.
13. To exit the pose. Exhale and bring your palms together by your chest, bend your front knee and step back into Warrior 1.
14. Repeat on the other side.

Modifications:

• If you can’t keep your balance in this position. Place your hands on yoga blocks below your shoulders.
• Another modification to aid in balance is to lightly place your hands on a wall or chair in front of you.
• If you don’t have the strength or flexibility to keep the back leg lifted, you can press it into a wall or rest it on the edge of a table or chair.
• There are two optional hand positions to use while you are still building strength and flexibility in the upper body. This will keep you balanced so you can focus on getting the upper body down and the back leg up:
  • Keep your palms together in prayer position in front of your chest.
  • Reach your arms back alongside your body with your palms facing your body.

Variations:

Try these three more advanced variations once you are comfortable in the pose.

• Bring your hands into reverse prayer position behind your back.
• Extend your arms to the sides at shoulder level. This is called Airplane Pose (Dekasana).
• When your arms are extended forward, clasp your hands with the index fingers pointing forward.

Tips For Beginners:

• Its ok to keep the standing leg bent as much as needed.
• If your back leg can’t reach 90 degrees, it ok to keep it at whatever level is comfortable.
• Do not lock or hyper extend the knee of the standing leg. Keeping slight bend in the knee to protect the joint. This will also help improve your balance.
• Do not lift the raised leg higher than the hips. Your arms torso and leg should form a straight line.
• Make sure to keep your abdominal muscles engaged to protect your lower back.
• Your focus should be on the stretch not the lift. Make sure to maintain correct alignment of the hips.
• Flexing the toes of the raised leg will help keep the leg muscles engaged.
• Place your hands on your hips momentarily to check if your hips are equal. The hip of the raised leg will naturally want to lift. Both sides of the hips should face the floor so to speak.
• Your head should be in line with your torso and spine.
• Keep your neck long and relaxed.

Benefits Of Warrior 3:

• Warrior 3 strengthens your ankles, legs, shoulders, and back muscles.
• It improves your balance.
• Tones and strengthens the abdominal muscles.
• It strengthens the stabilizing muscles in your feet and ankles improving your balance.
• Improves mental focus and coordination.
• The increased balance and flexibility gained in this pose will improve your posture and the ability to overcome the physical challenges of everyday life.
• Warrior 3 promotes correct spinal alignment which also improves your posture.

Caution:

• Practice with caution if you suffer from high blood pressure.
• Always practice within your own bodies range of limits and abilities.
• To avoid injury, take extra caution if you have issues with your feet or ankles.
• Come out of the pose if you experience pain in any of your muscles or joints.

Related Article: 5 Beginner Yoga Poses for Tight Hips and Lower Back Pain.