VEER-ah-bha=DRAS-anna
Virabhadra = a warrior from Shiva’s being
Benefits
- Strengthens the entire body
- Improves balance
- Improves posture
- Aids in increasing energy and boosting concentration
Contraindications
- High Blood Pressure
- Back problems or injury
- Migraines
How To
- Stand with your feet at the top of your mat, about hips-width distance apart
- Inhale, extend your arms to the ceiling
- Begin to balance on your right leg
- Ground down through your right foot
- Exhale, begin to hinge forward with your upper body
- Lift and kick your left leg out behind you
- Find core engagement to aid in your balance
- Keep your left foot flexed
- Square your hips and upper body down to your mat
- Wrap your biceps in towards your face
- Direct your gaze towards the floor
- To release, return slowly to standing and then repeat on the other side
Modify or Replace
- Rest your hands at heart center to lessen the energizing aspects of Warrior III
Sequencing Tips
Before:
After:
- Toppling Tree (Patan Vrksasana)
- Standing Splits (Urdhva Prasarita Eka Padasana)
- High Lunge (Ashta Chandrasana)
Teaching Cues
- Flex your back foot and draw your pinky toe towards the ground to level your hips
- Become a capital ‘T’ with your body and keep your shoulders, chest, and hips in a straight line
- Find a minimal bend in your standing leg
- Ground down through the four corners of your standing foot
Variations
- Eagle Arms
- Hand(s) to a block
- Against a wall
Watch Out For
- Hinging chest and shoulders far forward
- Arching in the low back
- Dropping extended leg towards the mat