Hey hey readers! Phew! 2025 has kicked my booty so far this year! We started the new year with some snow and ice in Georgia, resulting in a good amount of missed work for me. Then, I ran my marathon in Jekyll Island, GA, which was amazing! But then, after that race, I came down with Covid. To my knowledge, I had not yet had Covid since the pandemic began, and omg, this virus was a tough one to beat! I was out of work for a full week, recovering and quarantining. Then, layer on top family stuff and navigating child and pet care. So, needless to say, it's been a crazy-busy start for me this year. But, as always, I am thankful to be happy and healthy, and I am glad to share this month's blog information with you all.
In this month's blog, I will explain what the different "warrior" poses are in yoga. You might hear people say things like, "warrior 2" or "warrior 3," so I thought it would be a good idea to provide an overview of what each warrior pose is. If you are an experienced yogi, this information might be helpful for you to add variety and knowledge to your current practice. And if you are new to yoga, this information might help clear up any confusion regarding "warrior" poses so that you can embody the practice that feels true and authentic for you. So, let's dig in!
Warrior Poses at a Glance
In the traditional yoga asana (aka pose) practice, there are three warrior poses - warrior I, warrior II, and warrior III. In Sanskrit, the so-called language of yoga, these poses are referred to as "virabhadrasana" with their respective number (e.g. "virabhadrasahana II"). All the warrior poses are leg-focused poses, working towards building stability, strength, and coordination in the legs, with much less emphasis in the upper body. Warrior I and II have a lot in common, but warrior III is quite different from I and II. In warrior I and II both feet are on the ground, while in warrior III only one foot is on the ground, making warrior III a single-leg, balance pose. All three warrior poses are equally valid and legit, depending on what you want and need out of your personal practice. Read on below to find out the unique characteristics of each warrior pose.
Warrior I
Warrior I pose is a split-stance, standing lunge pose. In the front leg, the hip is flexed, the knee is flexed, and the ankle is dorsiflexed. In the back leg, the hip is extended, the knee is straight with a little micro-bend in it, and the ankle is somewhat dorsiflexed with the toes angling out a bit (about 45 degrees or so), with the foot flat on the ground. The torso is oriented the same direction as the front leg, with a relatively neutral spine, and both arms reaching up overhead (shoulders flexed, elbows extended). Warrior I is very similar to another split-stance lunge pose - high crescent lunge (aka high lunge). The only real difference between warrior I and high crescent lunge is the alignment of the back foot. In high lunge, the ankle is more plantarflexed as only the ball of the foot is contacting the ground, with the heel elevated off the ground. The toes of the back foot are oriented the same direction as the torso and front leg in high lunge as well. In the pictures above, the picture on the far left shows warrior I foot placement, while the middle picture shows a high lunge foot placement. As you can see, the two poses are otherwise the same. As I always say in my group classes and private sessions, there is no right or wrong re: high lunge versus warrior I. Rather, you should do the pose that feels most authentic and resonant to your body. I personally prefer high crescent lunge over warrior I, as warrior I can make my front knee feel a little strange in the pose. However, please know that warrior I is a safe pose that many people practice regularly.
Warrior II
Warrior II pose is very similar to warrior I as far as the legs are concerned, but the torso and arms are aligned very differently in warrior II. In warrior II, the legs are in a split-stance, lunge shape, but the torso is not oriented towards the front leg, as it is in warrior I. Rather, in warrior II, the torso is oriented to be facing right in the center of the legs, and the arms are out like a letter "T" rather than reaching up above, as in warrior I. More specifically, in warrior II, the hip of the front leg (i.e. the leg with the bent knee) is flexed, externally rotated, and abducted, and the ankle is dorsiflexed. In the back leg (i.e. with the straight knee), the hip is extended and abducted, and the knee is also extended, but not locked out. The spine is neutral, and the arms are abducted from midline to create that "T" shape. I actually wrote an in-depth blog about warrior II pose recently, so feel free to check that out for more detailed information, if interested (click here).
Warrior III
Warrior III pose is pretty different from the other two warrior poses. Warrior III is an asymmetrical balance pose, where you balance on one leg, while reaching the other leg up behind you, with torso essentially parallel to the ground. The arms could take a variety of positions in warrior III, including having hands together at heart-center (top left picture), reaching out in front of you, with chair/wall support if needed (top middle picture), and out like a letter "T" (top right picture). The arms could even be reaching back behind you for yet another option (but that is not pictured here). In warrior III, the hip of the standing leg is flexed, the knee is extended (but not locked out), and the ankle is dorsiflexed slightly. In the lifted leg, the hip is extended, the knee is extended, and the ankle could be dorsiflexed or plantarflexed, depending on your preference. Warrior III is one of my favorite balance poses, and I include it quite frequently into my personal practice and my group classes. It's a great pose for building stability in the hips and legs, while also working on balance specifically.
Summary
Thanks for reading this shorter, less detailed post. The warrior poses are super common in yoga, and for good reason - they do provide a lot of benefits to the body, including helping to build stability, balance, flexibility, and strength, particularly in the legs. They are commonly taught in most flow-type yoga classes. If you are new to yoga, I hope this information helps you to better understand what these poses are. And if you are experienced or have a dedicated yoga practice, then I hope this post gave you some new ways of practicing or thinking about these poses. Thank you for reading!
As always, the information presented in this blog post is derived from my own study of human movement, anatomy, and yoga. If you have questions about the warrior poses for your body, please follow up with your physician, physical therapist, yoga teacher, or personal trainer. If you are interested in private yoga and/or personal training sessions with me, Jackie, email me at info@lotusyogisbyjackie.com for more information about my services. Also, please subscribe to my website so you can receive my monthly newsletters (scroll to the bottom of the page where you can submit your email address). This will help keep you "in-the-know" about my latest blog releases and other helpful yoga and wellness information. Thanks for reading!
~Namaste, Jackie Allen, M.S., M.Ed., CCC-SLP, RYT-200, RCYT, NASM-CPT, NASM-CES
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