Warrior 1

Virabhadrasana I

Warrior 1 is a powerful blend of softness and strength. This posture will strengthen your legs and back while opening your hip flexor and chest muscles.

Benefits

• Stretches chest muscles, shoulders, and hip flexors

• Strengthens legs, upper back, and shoulder muscles

• Improves overall strength and can boost confidence and mood

Contraindications

• Shoulder injury - you can place your hands on your hips if you do not have the range of motion to comfortably reach your arms above your head

• High blood pressure

• Knee injury

• Ankle injury

Modifications

• You can keep your back heal lifted and modify in a Cresent Lunge or Modified Crescent Lunge if you have an ankle injury

• You can keep your hands on your hips if you have a shoulder injury

Chakras

Warrior 1 stimulates the Root Chakra (Muladhara), Sacral Chakra (Svadhisthana), and Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura). It connects the practitioner to Earth and the physical body, while helping him/her harness inner warrior energy to feel safe, confident, empowered, and connected.