Warrior Pose II (Virabhadrasana II): How To Practice, Benefits And Precautions

Warrior Pose II is one of the best yoga poses that helps stretch your body and relax your muscles. Here's how you can perform Virabhadrasana II.

Warrior Pose II, also known as Virabhadrasana II in Hindi, is an apt yoga asana for beginners and yogis alike. Virabhadra was the name of a Warrior created by Lord Shiva, according to Hindu mythology. This yoga asana is named after the warrior. This position is considered challenging due to the precise body alignment that is required, however, it is often classified as an Intermediate or Beginner Level Pose.

This pose stretches your hips, engages your hips and extends straight out from your shoulders, and calms your gaze. It's the second of three Virabhadra-themed positions. It is very important that you maintain the alignment to avoid complications. Here's how to practice it properly.

How To Perform Warrior Pose II?

Here's how you can perform warrior pose II:

1. With your arms straight out from your shoulders and your feet parallel to each other in a wide stance, face the long side of the mat.
2. Your ankles should be about halfway between your wrists.
3. Slightly indent your left toes toward the mat's upper left corner.
4. Your right knee should be bent and stacked over your right ankle.
5. Make sure your weight is evenly distributed between both legs. Grasp the outside edge of your back foot and press down.
6. Keep your shoulders over your hips and the crown of your head over your pelvis.
7. Reach towards the front and rear of the mat with both arms and turn your head to look past your right hand.
8. Hold this position for 5 10 breaths.
9. Exhale as you press down through your feet to exit the pose, then inhale and straighten your legs. Return your feet to a parallel position facing the mat's left long side.
10. Repeat on the opposite side.

Benefits Of Warrior Pose II

Take a look at how the warrior pose II benefits you:

• Stretches the hips and shoulders
• It expands your lungs and chest
• Improves stamina and concentration
• Helps deal with fatigue
• Stimulates your abdominal area
• Relieves backaches
• Improves balance and brings stability
• Good for blood circulation and your respiration system

Precautions To Take

Here are the precautions you should take while doing the warrior pose II:

• People with knee pain should avoid practising this pose
• Avoid if you have high blood pressure
• Do not practice if you suffer from spinal alignment
• Those with neck pain should not perform this
• People with knee, shoulder or hip injuries should also avoid
• Make sure your weight is divided equally on both your legs