Two poses for today are Warrior 1 Variation and Sunbird Poses

Warrior 1 Variation and Sunbird Poses

Warrior 1 Variation Pose

Virabhadra’s Pose is also known as the Warrior Pose (there are three variations of Warrior, of which this is customarily numbered I). It may seem strange to name a yoga pose after a warrior; after all, aren’t yogis known for their non-violent ways?

Steps

• From Tadasana / Mountain pose, step your left foot back, toes pointing slightly out, feet hip-distance apart. Adjust your stance so that you feel stable and grounded through the feet.
• Bring your hands on the hips, align your hips with the front edge of the mat, by rolling your outer right hip back a bit and the outer left hip forward. Keep your upper body facing the front edge of the mat and your shoulders level.
• Bend your right knee, the right thigh towards parallel to the floor. Keep the weight in the front heel and big toe.
• Press the back foot down and lift from the inner arch. Keep the back leg engaged – this is your anchor.
• Draw your lower abdomen gently in and up, lengthen your spine and soften the base of your neck.
• Collarbones spread, lift your arms over your head, opening the chest.
• Widen between the shoulder blades, the base of the shoulder blades lifting in and up towards the spine. Firm your triceps in to straighten the arms.
• If your neck allows it, look up, lifting your breast bone but keeping the lower ribs down.
• Stay in this pose between the 5 and 15 breaths, softening your face, and feeling the strength arising from your foundation.
• To come out of the pose, inhale and press through your back heel as you straighten the front leg. Exhale and lower your arms. Step your back foot forwards coming back to Tadasana, and then repeat on the other side.

Benefits

• Improves balance and posture.
• Stretches and strengthens the feet, ankles, calves, and thigh muscles.
• Improves mobility in shoulders and hip joints and opens the chest and lungs.

Sunbird Pose

Sunbird pose helps to increase balance. Sunbird strengthens the abdominals, back, wrists, elbows, neck, and shoulders.

Steps

• From your hands and knees with your shoulders over your wrists, knees hip-width apart, and your knees beneath your hips.
• Gently engage your lower abdominal muscles to draw the tailbone back and straighten the spine. Keep both hips square to the earth.
• Inhale and extend your right arm forward palm facing in, thumb up. Lift your left leg back toes facing down, flexing your foot, as if you are pressing it against the wall behind you. Hips, opposite arm and leg are parallel to the earth.
• Hold for 3 to 5 full breath cycles and switch sides.

Benefits

• Stretches and strengthens: These are the body parts that Sunbird pose stretches and strengthens.
  • Gluteus Maximus
  • Hamstrings
  • Quadriceps
  • Calves
  • Triceps and Biceps
  • Core muscles
• Spine: Dandayamana Bharmanasana (Balancing Table Pose), extends and stretches the spine giving it the natural shape ensuring good posture.
• Balance and Stability: Balancing Table Pose helps to improve the balance with focus and coordination. A balanced body comes from a balanced mind. This further helps improve memory.
• Awareness: This yoga pose with the leg stretched and the alternative hand-stretched, helps to be aware of the body along with the alignment in coordination with the breath.
• Acts as a foundation yoga pose: Balancing Table Pose is a base balancing floor pose that helps to prepare the body for advanced yoga poses that require balance and stability.