It might seem a bit odd that there are postures in yoga named after a type of person who is characteristically violent and fierce. I mean, yoga’s supposed to be about peace, acceptance and non-violence – right? Well, the warrior in yoga isn’t combating another person or living thing; it’s combating self-ignorance. Sounds deep and philosophical, maybe even inaccessible - sure – but it’s also important.

Part of the aim of yoga is to create awareness; by working towards eliminating ignorance surrounding our own thoughts, emotions and habitual behaviors, we can become more aware. And when we’re more aware of these thoughts, feelings, and behaviors, we’re better equipped to handle life’s challenges and truly enjoy life’s pleasures.  

Warriors I, II and III are very much a mixture of just that: challenge and pleasure. So let’s get down to it.

Tips for Warrior I:

1. Starting from down dog position, draw the right foot forward and plant it between your hands. It’s ok to use a hand to help slide the right foot forward. Look back at your left foot; spin it at an angle so that the toes are pointed towards the front left corner of your mat. The angle will differ depending on your body, but it should be somewhere between 45 and 60 degrees.
2. Tent the fingertips on the mat. Legs, feet and core are strong as you float arms high, drawing yourself to a standing position. Arms are reaching over your head. Shoulders are relaxed; think about melting the should blades down the back. Hips are shining towards the front of the room; if you find that your hips are peeling open to the side you may need to adjust the angle of the back foot.
3. Press through the outer edge of the back foot; there should be activation through both feet – a solid foundation is key! The front knee should be bent, stacked over the front angle but not extending beyond it.

Breathe! Breath is your energy source so if you find that you’re not breathing in a certain posture, you’ve essentially cut of the flow of energy to your body.

Smile. You’re in your warrior I position but it doesn’t mean you have to be fierce like a ‘warrior.’ Be happy that you’re doing a lot of good things for yourself: strengthening and stretching the legs, feet, hip flexors and core, improving balance, improving focus.

Tips for Warrior II:

If you want to move on to warrior II, you can work from warrior I:

1. Spin the back foot so that its parallel with the back of your mat; the front foot stays facing the front of the mat. You can take up a lot of space in your warrior II, feel free to adjust the distance between the feet by wiggling the back foot towards the end of the mat.
2. Front heel should line up with the heel of the back foot. Hips are open to the side of the room now, instead of square towards the front of the room. Set the gaze forward to the front of the room. Arms come to hover at shoulder height, shoulders relax as the fingers reach in opposite directions: towards the front and back ends of the room.
3. Front knee is stacked over the front ankle and the back leg is straight; think about both feet pressing the mat in opposite directions. This will engage the muscles in the legs, making you work a bit harder – the harder the work, the greater the benefit!

By trying the warrior positions, you’ll reap the physical benefits of strengthening the legs and ankles and stretching the hip flexors. You’ll improve balance and flexibility, as well as focus. Start by holding the warrior postures for 3 – 5 complete breaths (1 complete breath being an inhale and exhale) and once you get comfortable, feel free to experiment with the length of the hold. In a yoga class, there may be a mixture of long holds and more flowing sequences, so you might flow into and out of the warriors quickly or you might be advised to hold them for a longer period of time.   

This article has been reviewed by Dr. Tara Cousineau, Ph.D.