Secrets of Performing Virabhadrasana 1, Warrior Pose 1 Technique in Yoga, Asana Benefits

Virabhadrasana is dedicated to the mighty hero named Virabhadra, created by Shiva from his tangled hair. It may seem strange to call a yoga pose - warrior pose. After all, aren’t yogis known for their non-violent ways? But remember that one of the most revered of all yoga texts, the Bhagavad Gita, is a dialogue between two famous and fearsome warriors, Krishna and Arjuna, set on the battlefield between two great armies waging war. What is truly meant by the name Virabhadrasana, and is the ideal for all practitioners, is the “spiritual warrior” who bravely fights against the universal enemy, self-ignorance (avidya), the ultimate source of all our suffering.

Technique

Step 1:

Stand in Tadasana (Mountain Pose). Raise your arms up perpendicular to the floor and join them together, pressing your palms together (Namaste gesture). Tense your arms and actively pull them towards the ceiling, drawing in your elbows and the entire outer side of your arms from the little fingers. Bring your shoulder blades together and pull them down towards your tailbone. Do not strain your neck - actively pull your shoulders away from your ears down.

Step 2:

With an exhale, take a step or spread your legs in a jump to a distance of 120-130 cm from each other. Turn your right foot 90 degrees to the right, and turn your left foot to the right by 45-60 degrees. Align your heels: they should be on the same line. Simultaneously with your legs, turn your torso to the right, and, bending your right knee, sit down on your right leg, moving your torso forward. Do not lean! Your arms and torso should remain perpendicular to the floor, stretch upwards with your arms and torso. The angle between the thigh and shin of your right leg should be 90 degrees. To align your heels and hip bones, then move the head of the left femur back and fix the left foot, resting it on the floor with its entire surface area. Lengthen your tailbone towards the floor and slightly lift your rib cage.

Step 3:

Strongly stretch your arms towards the ceiling, stretching your entire spine, as if you want to tear your rib cage away from your pelvis. Open your rib cage and breathe deeply. Keep your head in a neutral position, looking forward, or tilt it back and look at your thumbs.

Step 4:

Stay for 30 seconds to a minute.

Exiting the Pose

To rise, inhale, firmly press your back heel to the floor and extend your arms through your right knee. Turn your feet forward and release your arms with an exhale, or keep them extended upwards for more challenging tasks. Take a few breaths, then turn your feet to the left and repeat the same length. When finished, return to Tadasana.

Asana Adjustment / Control Points:

Pull in the knee of your back leg to avoid injury and for proper asana adjustment.

Benefits

Contraindications

Preparatory Yoga Exercises

• Adho Mukha Shvanasana ;
• Gomukhasana;
• Parivritta Parsvakonasana ;
• Parivritta Trikonasana ;
• Prasarita Padottanasana ;
• Supta Virasana ;
• Supta Padangusthasana ;
• Supta Baddha Konasana; - Virabhadrasana 2 ;
• Virasana;
• Vrksasana.

Variations

1. Simplified Version A common mistake when bending the leading knee is that the weight is completely shifted to the right leg, the pelvis tilts forward, and the lower back is blocked, rather than stretched. When you perform step 2 in the description above, remember to pull your pubic bone towards your navel and lengthen your tailbone towards the floor. Then, bending your knee, continue to lift your pubic bone and curl your tailbone, keeping your pelvis relatively parallel to the floor.
2. Complicated Version This asana can be performed with hands placed in various positions. Perform steps 1 through 3 as described above, except for the description of the hand position. When you enter the asana with your lower body - fix your legs and bend your knee, place your hands behind your back and fold your forearms, grasping your elbows with the palms of your opposite hands. Pull your arms away from your back and lift your chest. You can first squeeze your shoulder blades, but as soon as your rib cage is arched, move your arms away from your spine. To exit the pose, first spread your arms and return them to their original position, and then, on an inhale, stretch up through the crown of your head, straightening your front knee.