Face forward to meet life exactly as it is with an open heart. Connect to your inner warrior in this week’s pose of the week Virabhadrasana I, Warrior I.
Benefits:
Strengthens the legs, back and shoulders. Stretches the shoulders, chest, psoas and the back leg calve.
How to:
- Begin in mountain pose tadasana. Feet about hip-distance apart (heels in line with the center of the sitting bones)
- Step your left foot towards the back edge of the mat keeping feet hip distance apart
- Bend the front knee so knee is stacked over middle of ankle
- Hop the back foot in slightly to bring the sole of foot to the mat toes turned out on an angle
- Check the back foot is turn forward enough that the back knee points the same direction as the second toe (knee does not buckle or roll to the inner arch of the foot)
- Reach the arms over head towards the ceiling, biceps by the ears and spinning back
- Press into the heel of both your front and back foot
- Front knee pointing the same direction as the second toe
- Gently draw the front hip back and wrap the back hip forward
- Spread across the collarbones as you reach up through the fingertips
- Hold and breathe for 3-5 breaths.
- To release bring arms down by the sides, root into your front foot and step back foot forward into Tadasana, Mountain pose.
- Repeat on the other side.
Modify it:
If shoulders are tired then bring your hands to heart center. If the back heel or outeredge of the back foot is lifting then hop the back foot in slightly to shorten the stance.