The yoga pose “warrior 2” is an excellent way for athletes to bring a synergistic balance of stretch and strength to the whole body.
Also called Virabhadrasana II in your more “refined” yoga classes. hahaha. Just joking, sort. of. Thanks for the picture: Daily Bandha
Here is a video for Warrior 2. Enjoy. It’s a short one. 6min. 😉
What Athletes and runners need to know about WARRIOR 2:
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- Benefit: Strengthens and stretches the legs and ankles.
This pose done well takes a lot of effort in the legs. If you find yourself bored with this pose, you’re not working hard enough. - Benefit: stretches the groins, chest and lungs, shoulders.
When you build this pose from the feet up and engage all muscles, keeping the pelvic bowl upright, neutral (which requires a lot of length in the back leg groin area) you find a nice organic stretch. Then to add a tall spine with the chest, shoulders and arms lifting up, from the action of the lower part of the body and back…this is where the elusive opening comes from. This is exceptional work for the athlete, who most of the time, is very tight and tense in this area. - Benefit: Increases stamina, builds mental toughness.
If you doubt me, attempt to stay in this pose for awhile. Like minutes. Get back with me if you have more doubts. 😉 No, seriously, this pose, once you can stay in it for minutes, you develop this equilibrium in the body, where your muscles are holding your body as a whole, a well balance whole, in equilibrium and you discover that once your mind gets out of the way, your bones are holding you up. It’s almost becomes effortless. Though I will throw out the disclaimer that this might take years of dedicated yoga practice. - Benefit: Stimulates internal organs.
If this sounds weird to you, think about Grey’s Anatomy when they say do cardiac massage. When you stretch, twist and strength muscles, the organs get a squeeze and other stimuli, which increases blood flow, etc etc. Not silly talk, just science.
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Warrior 2 – a pose that can be studied by the yoga student for years and has benefits that last a lifetime.
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- Benefit: Therapeutic for carpal tunnel syndrome, flat feet, infertility, osteoporosis, and sciatica.
This might sound too good to be true. But if you think about all that this pose does, these are the outward benefits of your body being healthier, stronger, and more in balance. The stretch of the hands, kinetic awareness and stretch of the arms/wrists/hands as a whole helps with the openness of carpal tunnel. Watch the video, I talk A LOT about the feet. Flat feet is something that can be fixed in most cases. With awareness and patience. Weight bearing exercises are proven to help with osteoporosis. And then add on happy hips. BOOM! Addressing sciatica, getting it to be a thing of the past is just a matter of a well balanced hip. Strength and length in balance, which this pose can help you to develop.
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