The Elegant Klutz: Virbhadrasana 1 or "Warrior 1"

Sometimes people overlook the common poses like warrior I. Warrior poses are harder than they look. Yes, warrior I is a common pose that is incorporated into most yoga classes one drops into today. But don’t be deceived! There is a strength and softness integral in warrior I. With practice you can find ease and efficiency in this pose.

Sanskrit: Virbhadrasana I Western Term: Warrior One

Origin of Word

Yes, yogis are about non-violence but in the Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna and Arjuna are well-known revered warriors

Type of Asana: Standing Pose

How To:

1. Stand in tadasana (mountain pose).

2. Jump your feet about a full leg length apart.

3. Turn your right toes forward and the back left foot at a 45 degree angel. Lift your arms up and bring hands into a prayer position with arms long reaching back towards your ears.

4. Bend front right knee so that the knee stays over the ankle and lengthen through back leg. Bring your gaze up toward the sky in between the hands, opening your heart.

5. Stay for 5-7 breaths.

Body Points:

*keep your knee over your ankle

*keep hips squared off to the front of the room; lengthen through the back leg

*drop your shoulder blades down the back

Emphasized Body Parts: chest, lungs, shoulders, neck, belly, groins (psoas), shoulders, muscles of back, calves, and ankles

This pose is therapeutic for sciatica.

An aid for beginners: kramas or levels of a pose give us yogis with various levels options. For any given pose, there are various levels of difficulty. This krama that I offer is for beginners to the pose:

-it can be hard to keep the hips squared with your back foot on the ground. Beginners may keep back heel raised, in order to get used to the hips squared feeling before moving toward dropping their heal down to the ground.

Chakra: Root chakra, Muladhara, symbolized by a red four-petaled lotus. Use your 1^st chakra poses to build a strong foundation.

Seed sound or bija mantra: “lam” repeat while in 1^st chakra pose to unlock the secrets of the earth.

Ancient Sanskirt Proverb: “Regular exercise gives you good health, longevity, strength, and happiness. Health is the biggest wealth. It is the key to every success.”

Element: earth

*Do not do if:

-high blood pressure

-heart problems

-shoulder problems keep hands apart; neck problems keep gaze forward rather than up

Weekly Yoga Tune: