Warrior ll simplified

Posted on 2018-04-11

Warrior II is one of the most frequently recurring postures in a vinyasa class, but it can be tricky to get just right. Let's break it down into three easy steps that will allow you to get the most out of this posture.

We start with step one, the base: your feet. You can either align your heels or place your front heel in line with the back foot's arch.

Moving on to step two: the hips. There tends to be a misconception that the hips have to face the side of the mat and especially that the hip of the back leg has to open up all the way. To find the right position for the hips, let's focus on the front leg instead. In this example, the front leg will be the right leg.

The hip of the right leg is externally rotating. When that happens, the pelvis will automatically move towards the right bringing the left hip forward. If you try to face your hips towards the side of the mat, you will internally rotate the right hip and the right knee will move in (collapsing towards the left). So let's just focus on externally rotating the right hip. Let the left hip move forward as much as it needs to for the right knee to stay on top of the right heel and face towards the middle toe.

So you've got the first two steps (feet and hips). Let's check out the third step: the upper body!

Once you allow the left hip to move forward in order for the right knee to find its place, the chest often moves forward, taking the left shoulder with it. Check your legs and hips again. Keep your lower body as it is and twist the spine towards the left allowing both of your shoulders to face the side of the mat.

Basically, you just need to focus on these three things: feet, hips, and chest. If you do this, you will see great improvement in your Warrior II. No more discomfort on your hips or knees.

Now just practice and breathe.