Virabhadrasana II

Warrior 2

Edna Barr doing Virabhadrasana II.

Preparation:

Virabhadrasana II (Warrior 2) is usually done after Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward Facing Dog).

How to do it: (Explained as a right side Warrior 2)

From Adho Mukha Svanasana, look at the space between your hands.

You will step your right foot forward into the space between your hands, coming into a nice lunge in your right leg. You can lunge as deeply as you would like up to the point where your knee is directly above your ankle (90 degrees). Your right thigh will be as parallel to the floor as possible.

In the front foot, feel the energy distributed between the big toe, pinkie toe and heel. The heel of the right foot should line up with the heel of the back left foot.

Your back left heel will rotate down onto the floor. Move some floor contact to the knife edge of your back foot for better stability. You back foot will be perpendicular to the front foot.  Your back left leg will be straight and firm without strain.

Edna's drishti is at her front finger tips. 

Your torso and shoulders should be sitting directly over your hips. Your arms should be parallel to the floor.

Options:

Option 1: You can either have your palms facing up or facing down.

Option 2: Lunging less deeply in the front leg, can help alleviate strain in the legs.

Option 3: You can stagger your feet instead of having the heels in line, if your pose feels uncomfortable.

Drishti (Where you should look):

Hastagrahe dṛiṣṭi: Look at your front hand.

Why we do it: 

This is a great pose to strengthen the legs, improve concentration, create stamina in your thighs, stretches the groin and improves balance.

About the picture:

Pictured is my amazing and talented friend Edna Barr. You never know what you're about to experience in Edna's vinyasa flow classes. After 20 years of teaching, Edna has learned to take cues from her students and be a creative channel rather than force life to conform. It could be riding the wave of an energetic crowd with fun music and arm balances or nurturing over taxed bodies and minds with a slower, opening and grounding practice. Edna believes that "We need to honor our intuitive nature and allow our own bodies to be our teachers". 

Weaving together all of her life experiences inspires Edna to teach classes that are full of laughter and joy. She blends classic yoga poses with unconventional joint freeing movements in order to peel away the layers of tight muscles and preconceived notions. Edna 's philosophy floats across the yoga studio "Living up to our highest potential is daunting; learning to surrender, accept, find inner strength to reach another level is possible... when we allow it". 

Edna is an E-RYT 500 with Frog Lotus Yoga. She is also certified in: Yoga Tune Up, ACE; American Council on Exercise, AFAA; Aerobic & Fitness Association of American, Schwinn Indoor Cycle, and Zumba. 

She can be found teaching at Peacebank Yoga in Redwood City, CA, 24 Hour Fitness in Mountain View, CA, and Stanford University in Palo Alto, CA. Her full schedule can be found at http://yogabarr.com/schedule

Edna is holding a yoga retreat on September 14-22, 2013 in Hawaii:

If you like my posts, please like me on Facebook, add me on G+

follow me on Twitter, Flickr and check out my Pinterest. Thanks!