Better known as Virabhadrasana III in Sanskrit, Warrior III is probably our most challenging pose since starting the 31 Days of Poses. Aside from attempting to keep your balance, breathing is probably the most important thing we need to do when in this pose. We often don’t inhale as much as we are focusing so much on the task at hand. Really, we should be slowing down the breath and feel the pose. Feel your foot connecting with the ground as the sensation rolls up your leg. Like the past few other days, it’s vital that your knee is aligned and not hanging over your foot. Your standing leg should not be completely straight, rather soften it into a lunge so your using all of muscles. You can have your hands two ways. For just purpose of the room available, I kept my hands at heart center, which a good idea for someone who has a hard time keeping their balance in this pose. In full Warrior III, your arms will be extending out in front of you. You should also be holding yourself up with your core in this pose, which can be a challenge at first. At the end of it though, the key is to keep your back as aligned as possible. I struggled with this today. I’ll admit, I was so focused on trying my best to get my pose as possible I just wasn’t able to get it there today. In reality, my neck should have be softer without trying to raise my head, but it is okay. I’ll get there. Modifications for this pose would be to put your foot that is up in the air, on the wall behind you. Take your time getting there, because it’s not always easy to get yourself comfortable with this modification. You can also have a chair for your hands to hold on to in front of you, or combine both modifications. Personally, I preferred having just my back leg up on the wall. I felt I had more control and how deep I wanted to go into the pose. Hopefully I haven’t scared you away today, but tomorrow’s warrior pose will be a little be more calming.
The Resilient Yogi 